YouTube Micro Layout Review

YouTube is a phenomenon in itself these days. Everyone is posting video to share and the quality of many is very exceptional. My kids rarely watch regular television anymore and instead opt for searching YouTube for entertainment. I thought I would take a trip down YouTube lane and see what I could find in interesting Micro Layouts on YouTube.


The first layout that came to the top of the search and was a very interesting little micro is the Mr Chip’s Potato Farm. Mr Chip’s Farm is a 1:12 scale micro layout by dieselwater and posted on YouTube by diamondjackdave. This little layout includes some very interesting little motive power moving around on upper and lower tracks.

Moving down in the scales is a Gn15 layout, The Stamping Ground by Glen Anthony (BigModelTrainShow). Although the layout was filmed at a show and the background noise is a little overbearing, the quality of the models combined with the operating action make this a fun video to watch.

Next I found this little gem of a video for the Spruce Coal Company Mini On30 Layout by Joey Ricard. The description reads; “January 2013 and the scenery is just about complete and the detailing has begun. This is progress on my micro mini On30 layout featuring a fictitious mining operation in the town of Slaty Fork, West Virginia. This mini layout with connections will be part of my larger On30 layout which is leaning towards being called the Spruce Coal and Timber Railroad Company.” I have to say for being “in progress” the layout looks and operates very well in the video.

The video of Quayside Micro Layout by Darren Cornwell is very well done and insightful as well. Darren takes us around the layout including some of the off-stage traffic. The layout features a parcel depot and gas depot, the layout is DCC operated.

The last video is a very short but interesting video of a layout in progress. Simply labeled as “HOn30 mini layout” by Schumuck804 the video shows the layout in several stages of being built. This provides an overview of the track arrangement that is not readily apparent when the hills and scenery are added. According to the notes on the video, The layout is 13.5″ x 24 and most of it is scratch built, even the locomotive.

Just for fun, I thought I would include this little video from Model Railways Live on the Feldbahn lok Ns2f. This is a tiny locomotive with a special ability. Now the ceiling is prime real estate for another layout!!!

Author: Marshall Stull

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