Looking for a budget Christmas train layout? Look no further.
Classic Toy Trains Production Editor Rene Schweitzer and Digital Editor Steve Sweeney sort through garland, tinsel, ceramic buildings, and LED lights and more from Menards worth about $60.
Watch them craft or place each piece for a winter-themed layout in less time than it takes to decorate a Christmas tree.
Supplies from Menards include:
•Buffalo snow
•Branch garland (or similar)
•Tinsel garland (or similar)
•Family with sled (or similar)
•Child and snowman (or similar)
Other items the staff had already for this layout included: transformer and connecting wires, “Polar Express” train from Lionel, MTH snap track, plywood, two sawhorses, and dry-erase markers. Shopping time took less than an hour, in person. Start-to finish scenery construction lasted about two hours with pauses for the camera.
Smoke fluid, from JT Mega Steam, is for sale at the Kalmbach Hobbystore.
Tools used included: scissors (for snow and tinsel garland cutting), residential (non-hobby) wire cutters (cutting the evergreen garland); screwdriver (for connecting the transformer); a hand-held utility knife; a hand-held hole saw (both for cutting and slotting the dry erase board).
Enjoy this Christmas train layout. We hope it inspires you to build one of your own.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, from Classic Toy Trains!
