I have always wanted to have a section of my layout as a military base where military trains run and and out of. Show me some inspiration. How many of you have a military section on your layout. If so, got pictures?

jaime: i collect the armour 1/48 scale die cast planes and have often thought about adding an airbase to my dream layout. envisioned a spur line running off the main line shadowing the runway ... even thought about adding a crossing!

it would be kind of cool to have the spur run directly behind some hangars so loads could be easily off-loaded and brought to the plane that was being assembled.

neat idea ... i'll try to find some leads on the internet. you too, and lets post some pics here!

quote:

Originally posted by bfishma:
neat idea ... i'll try to find some leads on the internet. you too, and lets post some pics here!

Sounds good. I will have to do some research in my free time tonight.

quote:

How many of you have a military section on your layout.

I don't have a military section on a layout--yet--but will have one when I construct my next O gauge pike. Actually, the entire layout will have a military theme. I already have all the motive power I need--steam and diesel--and now need to focus on acquiring a good bit of appropriate rolling stock. Looks like MTH has a good bit of just what I need in their new catalog.

The layout will be an around-the-wall type built in my spare bedroom, or at least in a good part of that room. It will basically feature an Army depot/receiving point theme--something akin to what I remember from my short stint at Camp Pickett, in Virginia, between tours in Korea and Vietnam (I was in charge of the teams that unloaded arriving freight). I also remember a bit of what I saw of railroading at a couple of other U.S. bases over the years, and certainly remember a lot of what I experienced myself during my Army days.

I will, however, certainly benefit from (and save) any research you folks gather and post to this thread.

I too would like to have a "military" themed section on my layout. I have the N&W Space Freight set, the Rocket Launcher, the US Army Missle Launcher Loco and the US Army Missle Launcher Sound car.

I hope to incorporate those items into their own little area.

Doing a similar thing myself. I have the army missle loco,sound car, army security car and rtm makes and army caboose. I got army boxcar but its scale 0 and seems huge next to my other cars so not sure if going to keep it yet.Wish they would have only made one scale of 0 not this traditional 0 and scale 0 etc.

I also just got nice lionel k line set of 4 army passenger cars. They look great,interiors,lighted interior nice looking set.Will add on the 2 pack at some point maybe soon. Plan on that 08 big gun car and plan on some flat cars with tanks and jeeps and stuff on them. For base plasticville has the airport terminal and hangar for cheap in their kits. And was thinking getting some 1:43 or 1:48 diecast p 51 mustangs for the airfield.Always loved the p51 mustangs.
P38 lightning was pretty cool too. You can get lionel or mth or whatever radar tower, a rotating beacon from lionel. Now for actual base buildings there seems to be a shortage. Could possible coble something together maybe. Lionel makes that army water tower too. Exploding ammo dump but it looks not that great.
And ammo loading operating accessory.

Anyway sounds like a good idea for us miltary buff guys.

I am wondering if anyone out there already has a military base or area on their layout. If so, please share some pictures with us to give us ideas.

I don't have one, but an ammunition depot would be a suggestion.

When I was a kid a neighbor of ours worked at Norfolk Naval Shipyard. In Shop 31 (machine shop) they had a train layout and during Christmas they had a open house of sorts (probably had to know someone to get in). They built most of the stuff in the machine shop. Later, someone complained about it and they had to dismantle it. I'm sure a lot of that "government owned" railroad made it's way into the home layouts of a few workers!

Speaking of NNSY, I worked there from 1976-1984. The place was criss-crossed with RR track and they had a fleet of switchers to move cars in and out. I think mostly fuel, anchor chain, anchors, and other heavy components. In 1984 I went to work at St. Juliens Creek Annex, just outside the shipyard. St. J's used to be a ammo depot and also had a bunch of track still in place with a pier to load ships. Tight curves and switches ruled.

Both bases used government owned rolling stock as well as having a tie in to the Norfolk Portsmouth Belt Line.

jamie
A while back I came across some pictures of Westover AFB in Chicopee Ma
where it showed and described the rail lines they used on base to bring cargo etc right up almost to the runway.
I've been trying to find that info but have not been successful yet.

My town is post war circa 1960. I have a National Guard unit consisting of a lionel Quansit Hut as HQ, a jeep, an OD 50 Chevy, an OD fire truck, a Sherman tank & some Woodland Scenics troops......

quote:

Originally posted by ss409cid:
My town is post war circa 1960. I have a National Guard unit consisting of a lionel Quansit Hut as HQ, a jeep, an OD 50 Chevy, an OD fire truck, a Sherman tank & some Woodland Scenics troops......

can you throw some pics up? starving for some visuals on this thread!

Every once in a while I flip through an old Walthers HO catalog, and the amount of military stuff in there is just incredible. You want Army bases? How about the exact kaserne buildings everyone who served in Germany is familiar with? How about details down to motor pool buildings, training camps, and even an obstacle course?

I love my O-gauge layout, but the HO jealousy bug bites now and then, especially when it comes to the military side. I was planning on adding a coastal fort to my layout, as the southern seacoast of Maine is dotted with them, but I gave up (temporarily I hope) when I realized I would have to scratchbuild everything.

The Lionel quonset hut from a few years back should be on your list. I suggest keeping an eye out for them on ebay.

There are only HO ones on ebay available today.

Ruby Lane Antiques and a couple of train shops have a Lionel quonset hut for sale. I'm doing a military themed layout but am going to build my own quonset huts.

finally something ... found a site from the u.k. stephen a. carr's layout

quote:

Originally posted by Barefoot Jaime:
I have always wanted to have a section of my layout as a military base where military trains run and and out of. Show me some inspiration. How many of you have a military section on your layout. If so, got pictures?

Since I spent 20 years in the Air Force and four of those were with the folks who designed intercontinental ballistic missiles, you know I just had to include a "missile railcar base" as part of my layout's plans. We should be getting to that part of the scenery by the summertime, but if you stop my web site, Bluejeans Place , you can see its "yard area" is already in place.

As of today, I have several "Minuteman" or MX missile railcars, the Beep Air Force locomotive and caboose, an MTH Air Force tank car and several "explosive" box cars from Lionel. (I was going to buy the MTH Air Force auto-car, but I can't figure out what purpose it would have for the military.)

BTW--the most difficult issue I see with a military base scene in O-gauge is how do you model people in uniforms including hats? Part of my solution is to repaint some of the old K-line SWAT team, produced in all black, to a camouflage color so I have armed sentries. A big problem I'm dealing with is most military people wear hats, but few O-gauge people seem to have military style hats. If I can't find some wearing military style hats other than helmets, I'll probably have to put up a sign at the base gate stating "Authorized No Hat Area". (Yes, that's an old Air Force practice for places where the wearing of hats or rendering of salutes might create safety hazards. Ever see what a hat does to an aircraft engine?)

I am gradually making progress on my military themed layout. I had trouble finding a howitzer or cannon the right size. I found a bronze colored metal pencil sharpener on eBay and painted it.

It is a little over sized and the tail doesn't split for putting it in firing position. Still, I think it looks pretty good, especially next to the 1:43 jeep that is on the flatcar. Sorry my pictures are not too good.

Ike

Where did you get the 105?

Its an m101, actually. The seller has m105's also.

http://cgi.ebay.com/HOWITZER-M101-DIE-CAST-PENCIL-SHARP...sidZp1742.m153.l1262

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Loco Ike,

One of the things I have found handy in modeling prototypical scenes is Goole Maps/Earth. A place I have always thought that would be interesting to model is Concord Naval Weapons Center. Frankl - I am surprised there is so much detail available

Photo 1

Photo 2

Lots of boxcars and Alco units (S-4's I think). The photos show what appear to be some "guest power" on the tracks.

Just due north of the intersection of Kinne Blvd and Delta St in photo 2 is the shops where there is a loco parked outside (you'll have to pan a bit to the north to find it). I have to explore it some to figure out where the interchange is - probably with the BNSF tracks that run through the area. Ah - I see it - the main parallels Waterfront road in Pic 1.

quote:

Originally posted by ddurling:
Every once in a while I flip through an old Walthers HO catalog, and the amount of military stuff in there is just incredible. You want Army bases? How about the exact kaserne buildings everyone who served in Germany is familiar with? How about details down to motor pool buildings, training camps, and even an obstacle course?

I love my O-gauge layout, but the HO jealousy bug bites now and then, especially when it comes to the military side. I was planning on adding a coastal fort to my layout, as the southern seacoast of Maine is dotted with them, but I gave up (temporarily I hope) when I realized I would have to scratchbuild everything.

Why not go ahead and use the half zero (HO) stuff and just call it "forced perspective?"

In the early sixties, my army outfit went to Fort Eustis, Va. for 2 weeks during the Little Creek operations. Fort Eustis is home to TRANSPORTATION and they still had operating steam engines on post for training, which included a fully operational signaling system. I think the steamers were light mikados There were also first generation diesels. Probably would be interesting to model Fort Eustis circa 1960, with a little research could be made fairly accurate in scope.

.

A few issues back in OGR, one of the layouts had a Navy port with transport ship and a 'captured' sub, and a spur with flats of tanks.

I don't yet, but I want to have a National Guard armor unit on mine one day. This will provide some traffic for my railroad. Every summer when the unit goes to camp, I will have to move the vehicles to the rail head for transport to a large base for live fire! I bought six Solido M41 Gorillas, a couple of Dodge ammo carriers, a command car, some jeeps and a couple of other things for it. I may even buy a Huey for it as well, since rotor wing aircraft pay the bills around here. I still enjoy the rare occasion when a Huey flies into the airfield I work at to bring in a downed aircrew.

NG Armories are relatively small so putting one on a layout wouldn't be that difficult. Ft. Rucker, Ft. Bragg or any other large installation would be impractical unless you have the space Tony Lash has available. The local Armory I was at for ten years was on a piece of property that was just a few hundred feet wide and a few hundred feet deep. Most small town Armories are just as small so everyone can have one on their layouts. GO GUARD!

My military base is named after the real one in our area. The real Sunny Point is also a deep water port.



I also have a National Guard unit on my layout.