Featuring off-the-shelf trackwork and ready-to-run trains, this guide will teach you how to add basic scenery, structures, and details to your layout. In his new book, Building a Ready-to-Run Model Railroad, author Jeff Wilson provides you with easy-to-follow instructions for adding structures, scenery, and details to the featured 4' x 12' HO layout. You'll learn how to build simple benchwork and design a track plan; create scenery with grass, trees, and more; assemble structure kits; add roads, signs, and vehicles; and select trains and get them going in no time.

Covers freight and passenger operations, route design, and contemporary railroading operations. The step-by-step design techniques and operation-oriented track plans also make it easy to create your own realistic model railroad.

Discusses setting up model railroads including layouts, construction, and train selection.

"Whether you're using traditional, direct current (DC) cab control or the latest Digital Command Control (DCC) system [this] will guide you through the steps of planning and wiring a layout. With ... more modelers choosing DCC, this book will help demystify how it works; clarify the advantages of DCC and what makes it different from DC control; and, teach you how to convert an existing DC layout to DCC. Step-by-step instructions and photos are coupled with clear, color-coded diagrams that will guide you through the process of wiring a complete layout or just troubleshooting problem areas"--

Model Railroader's managing editor David Popp tells the complete construction story of his N scale Naugatuck River Valley layout using techniques any model railroader can use! More than 30 short projects from building benchwork to realistic operation.

Step-by-step instructions and illustrations take the mystery out of constructing benchwork. Covers the materials and tools for making benchwork for any layout.

Build an expandable N scale railroad in a few easy steps. Includes instructions on constructing framework, laying track, building scenery, and assembling structures.

Acquire more space for scenery and longer mainline runs with multiple decks. Tony Koester walks you through design options, lighting and wiring considerations, and the all-important construction process and techniques.

Instructions for benchwork, the framework for model trains, covering tools and materials, framework for permananet layouts, joists, risers and cleats, roadbed construction, backdrops, fascia boards, scenic support and benchwork for special situations.