DIY Network

A Roundhouse-Turntable Layout More scenes from the Jim Eudaly railroad model layout. From "Workin' On the Railroad" episode DWRR-108L

Host Chris Chianelli continues his visit with Jim Eudaly, a model railroader who has a O scale layout featuring a roundhouse and turntable.

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	Jim Eudaly has had a love of model railroading since he was a small boy.
	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C

"When I was about seven or eight, I was building balsa wood airplanes that always crashed, and so I decided to build train models instead." Thus began a life-long passion!

Today Jim works on his O scale model layout depicting the B&O line in West Virginia. The layout measures 35' x 50' and features an impressive turntable (figure A), one of the key focal points of the layout.

There is a size constraint to consider when working with the larger O scale and a turntable and roundhouse:

• The prototype turntable is 115' long and the wheelbase of the Allegheny was 113' long so it barely fits, Jim said.

Autumn is the season of choice for Jim's layout (figure B). "Our favorite season of the year to go to West Virginia," Jim said, "has always been late in October when the fall colors are?the trees are prettier and the bugs have been frosted and it's just more pleasant."

Jim has made many trips over the years to the locations that he has modeled in his layout. The up-close looks come in handy when recreating buildings (figure C) and structures. "All the buildings on the layout are scratch build," Jim said, "off of plans that are available through the Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Historical Society."

The turntable, however, was a kit designed by Diamond Scale and he chose this one because it's the same style that the C&O used, and the indexing mechanism is from New York Railway Supply with a micro-processor that powers the turntable.

	Figure D
	Figure E

Jim and his sons built a building to house his elaborate model railroad layout (figure D). "It really is just a 12" to the foot kit," he admits. "We had never done anything like that before, but we started on page one and when we got to page 63 the building was done!"

The buildings on the layout have a special feature as well--you can see in the windows (figure E). "In O scale the windows are big enough that you can see inside the buildings," Jim said, "so all my buildings have lights and interiors."

Most visitors to the Eudaly layout are astonished and surprised at its grandeur and size!

RESOURCES :

Magazines and Books on Railroading
Kalmbach Publishing Co.
Website: www.modelrailroaderbooks.com

Trains and Accessories in HO
Athearn
Website: www.athearn.com

Trains and Accessories (All Scales)
Bachmann Industries, Inc.
Website: www.bachmanntrains.com

DCC Systems
NCE Corp.
Website: www.ncedcc.com

Trains, Accessories and Scenic Materials
Life-Like Products
Website: www.lifelikeproducts.com

N and Z Scale Trains
Micro-Trains Line Co.
Website: www.micro-trains.com

Atlas Model Railroad Co, Inc.
378 Florence Ave.
Hillside, NJ 07205
Phone: 908-687-0880

River Pass Kit, Scenic Supplies and Modules for all Scales
Woodland Scenics
Website: www.woodlandscenics.com

Model Railroad Products (All Scales)
Wm. K. Walthers, Inc.
Website: www.walthers.com

GUESTS :

David Popp
Kalmbach Publishing Co.
Website: www.kalmbach.com