DIY Network

Visit a Scratch-Built City Model Layout Workin' On the Railroad showcases a unique city railroad model layout in Cincinnati. From "Workin' On the Railroad" episode DWRR-212L

Host Chris Chianelli visits an impressive model railroad layout that's inspired by two different cities. Guest Jerry Strangarity, of Cincinnati, Ohio, models the Reading Railroad, and he has one unique industrial rail line. Jerry incorporates buildings from two different cities and ties it all together with his scratch-built layout.

Jerry has spent five years building the city model before starting on the rest of the layout. Now more than 40 years later, the layout keeps growing and becoming more impressive.

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If you're going for reality in model railroading, don't forget that cities never sleep. Jerry Strangarity is totally aware of this fact, and his stunning layout is proof. DIY's Workin' On the Railroad series has showcased some impressive model railroad layouts, but this Reading, Pa., inspired layout is one of the best!

Check it out:

Industrial Influence

Jerry Strangarity's layout is influenced by the industrial revolution. Kevin P. Keefe, the publisher of Trains magazine, said, "Historically, railroading is what changed America from an agrarian, farming economy into an industrial economy." As the railroads headed west, the people and industries followed.

Jerry, who is a master model railroader, has recreated highly detailed industrial points of interest in his layout. He models the Reading Railroad because "I saw a lot of their equipment as a kid," he said. "There's a lot of historical significance about the area."

Modeling a city brings its own special kind of challenge. "I like to duplicate in miniature what I see in real life," Jerry said. "To me a big city, especially the cities from the '30s and '40s and that era, have a lot of detail and character to them."

Jerry Strangarity, seen here, spent more than five years duplicating parts of Philadelphia on his model railroad layout.

Minute detail is the key to this urban industrial layout, as seen here with the corner bar—check out the brick.

The layout is a freelance design, although some of the buildings are based on structures in Philadelphia and Reading—a composite if you will. It's important to Jerry to make his structures look as close to the originals as possible. He takes a lot of time and energy researching what the buildings look like—the Pomeroy's sign (figure A), for example.

Typical architecture in Reading includes row homes (figure B)—each is narrow, long and more than one story. And there was usually a garage and clothesline in the back (figure C).

Figure A

Figure B

Figure C

Folks sitting on the back porch could see the trains rolling by and some even witnessed the fascinating switching yard (figure D). Jerry modeled the ice and produce storage building (figure E) from a picture in a book on the Reading Railroad. It was constructed from cardboard.

No detail in the eye-popping layout goes unnoticed, such as a fire escape (figure F) made of photo-edge brass that's been soldered together.

Figure D

Figure E

Figure F

	Figure G
	Figure H

Jerry takes particular pride in reproducing buildings from his childhood. A hardware store (figure G) in Reading brings back great memories because his father used to take him there often.

Optical Illusion Tips

• If you want to make your layout feel "bigger," Jerry suggests that you angle some of the buildings so that not everything is parallel to the front of the layout. This trick makes it seem as if structures actually go on longer than they do.

• Since some real industrial buildings are so huge, for your layout consider creating the front of the structure on an angle and sitting next to a cluster of buildings (figure H), you can trick the eye of the beholder.

Years of practice and natural talent have given Jerry the ability to see a building and then be able to replicate it perfectly. "I guess over the years in building so many buildings, I've gotten an eye or learned what the proportions of a building should be," he admits.

But your layout doesn't have to all be created from scratch. Jerry suggests that you take advantage of what the model railroading industry has to offer, such as many of the kits that can be basic or as sophisticated as you desire.

In fact, once you build from a kit you'll most likely discover that many of the techniques utilized in scratch building are the same. As with most hobbies, the more you do it the easier it becomes. The key is to have fun and be creative!

RESOURCES :

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

Scenery Accessories and Portals in N to G
Chooch Enterprises, Inc.
Website: www.choochenterprises.com

Building Kits in N, HO, O
Bar Mills Scale Model Works
Website: www.barmillsmodels.com

Small Tools and Accessories
Micro-Mark
Website: www.micromark.com

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

Model Railroader magazine
Website: www.kalmbach.com

Lionel Trains in O and G
Website: www.lionel.com

National Model Railroad Association
Website: www.mnra.org

O Scale Trains and Accessories
MTH Electric Trains
Website: www.mthtrains.com

Paper Creek Model Works
Website: www.papercreek.com

Buildings and Details for N and HO
Website: www.jlinnovative.com