Construction of the layout is complete, and you can at last see all of the details added in steps 9 through 11. All that remains is to get some trains running. The process usually takes me between three and four hours from the time I begin bolting the platform sections together to dropping the last car in place.

Outside of the oval, from lower left: Airport hangar with a Stearman bi-plane and Cessna 172 Skymaster, airport beacon, the “No-Tell” Motel, and Plasticville Diner.

Beween the track ovals, clockwise from lower right: Fashion boutique, greenhouse, water tower, farm house, and barn

Around the town square & park, clockwise from the 12-o’clock position: Schoolhouse, church, train depot, police station, post office, fire house, ranch house, bungalow.

This model train set has been in my family since 1951 when my father began setting it up annually at Christmas time. I have been carrying on that tradition for my children and now for my grandchildren. These are the steps it takes to assemble every year.