James HefnerWay back in 2018, we took a look at Dave Kross' O Scale layout in his home. Since that time, he has moved and rebuilt his layout in a 2400 square foot building. It is an incredible, layout, we spent an hour filming it, and tried to compress that footage into a 17 minute video.
We first take a glance around the building itself. We then climb aboard, and take a ride around the layout. While we are inside tunnels, we take a glance at the scenery before and after the tunnel. We then check out some of the details on the layout. Finally, we do a walk-around, and check out all the details one last time.
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Amazing Dave Kross O Scale Layout #train #oscale #modelrailway #modeltrain #modelrailroad #railroadJames Hefner2025-09-09 | Way back in 2018, we took a look at Dave Kross' O Scale layout in his home. Since that time, he has moved and rebuilt his layout in a 2400 square foot building. It is an incredible, layout, we spent an hour filming it, and tried to compress that footage into a 17 minute video.
We first take a glance around the building itself. We then climb aboard, and take a ride around the layout. While we are inside tunnels, we take a glance at the scenery before and after the tunnel. We then check out some of the details on the layout. Finally, we do a walk-around, and check out all the details one last time.
Back in February 2026, I tried to use @MeshyAI to make a model of the Soviet Railways AA20-1 4-14-4. At that time, the AI engine could not model the locomotive correctly and added details that were not in the original photographs or drawings.
After making some very successful automobile models in August 2026, I tried to make the AA-20 again. I used the multi-view feature and three different sets of drawings and photographs and regenerated it more than once. But, as this video shows, it came out amazing close.
Timeline: 00:00 Attempts at 3D printing it 00:58 Origin of the AA20 01:23 Constructing the AA-20 02:00 Completed 3D print model 03:25 Comparing it to a Union Pacific Challenger 04:00 Completed model on the Cleburne and Johnson County Layout 04:50 Old Soviet film of the AA20-1 06:57 Fate of the AA20-11958 Ford Nucleon History and 3D Model made with Meshy.ai and 3D Printing #hoscale #meshyaiJames Hefner2026-09-06 | More of my 3D Print Projects: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjLFuzoXHfyK_TETXPYwhOmAY7pxjoZIf Shop: survivingworldsteam.etsy.com
Here we take a look at the 1958 Ford Nucleon design project; whose goal was to develop a nuclear powered car. We look at the history of the project, then use @MeshyAI and a 3D printer to print a 1/64 scale model for my Ford diecast collection and an HO (1/87) scale model to place on a model railroad layout.
Filmed in part at:
Cleburne Railroad Museum 206 Main St. Cleburne, TX 760332027 Ford Country Squire Concept Car Making my own models using Meshy ai and 3D Printing #MeshyAIJames Hefner2026-09-03 | I recently saw a conceptual video of the 2027 Ford Country Squire Concept car. I realized that I could make my own model of the car using @MeshyAI and my 3D printer. The speed and the results amazed even myself; I have been building plastic and paper models for decades as well as collecting diecast models and never thought it would be this easy.2027 Ford Country Squire Concept Car Making my own models using Meshy ai and 3D Printing #meshyaiJames Hefner2026-09-02 | I recently saw a conceptual video of the 2027 Ford Country Squire Concept car. I realized that I could make my own model of the car using @MeshyAI and my 3D printer. The speed and the results amazed even myself; I have been building plastic and paper models for decades as well as collecting diecast models, and never thought it would be this easy.Virtual Tour of the Never Opened Historic Handley Railroad MuseumJames Hefner2026-08-28 | The Historic Handley Railroad Museum was founded by the late William F. Ludwig in the Historic Handley Development Center in Handley, an unincorporated community in East Fort Worth. Unfortunately, William Ludwig passed away during the application for the museum's 501c3 status, and so the museum never formally opened. It was opened for groups of visitors on occasion, such as for the Handley street parties, but these occasions became fewer and fewer between until there were none at all. It was located on the first floor; the Cowtown Model Railroad Club was located upstairs.
Both organizations have to leave the building. Here is a virtual tour of the museum; if you are a museum or 501c3 organization and would like to obtain some of the items in the museum, please contact the museum at waynelud@sbcglobal.net. As the deadline approaches, they may also be entertaining requests from private collections as well.A Final Look at the Gulf & Denver HO Scale Railroad Cowtown Model Railroad Club #hoscaleJames Hefner2026-08-26 | More Museum layouts: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjLFuzoXHfyJ8CVAyMxgcOtxmbE9VbERw
The Cowtown Model Railroad Club is/was located on the second floor of the Handley Development Center in Handley, an unincorporated community in East Fort Worth. Both the club and the Historic Handley Railroad Museum have to vacate the Handley Development Center by September 30. Due to it's membership aging out, the club has decided to dismantle both the club and the layout rather than move it to another facility. So, here we take a final look at the club layout before it is taken apart.
Scale: HO
2nd Floor The Historic Handley Development Center 3024 Forest Avenue Fort Worth, Texas 76112
#modelrailroad #modelrailwaylayout #modelrailwayGarden Railway in the Middle of a Heat Wave #gardenrailway #gscale #modelrailroad #modelrailwayJames Hefner2026-08-21 | #gardenrailroad #gardenrailway #gscale @egghaulers Trains at the Mayborn Museum, Waco, TX #hoscale #hoscaletrains #modelrailroad #modelrailwayJames Hefner2026-08-18 | Other Museum Layout videos: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjLFuzoXHfyJ8CVAyMxgcOtxmbE9VbERw
This layout was located in the middle of the children's section of the Mayborn Museum. It looks like after a busy summer of being ran that it could use TLC, as some of the trains were not running.
HO and G Scales
Mayborn Museum 1300 S University Parks Dr, Waco, TX 76706
Phone: +1(254)710-1110 Website: https://www.baylor.edu/mayborn/Union Pacific Big Boy displayed on the Cleburne Railroad Museum layout #hoscaleJames Hefner2026-08-12 | n this video, we introduce a static model of the Union Pacific Big Boy on display on the Cleburne Railroad Museum Layout
Cleburne Railroad Museum 206 S. Main Street Cleburne, TX 76039
Here, we introduce Version 2.0 of the "Blue Goose" my 1995 Ford Taurus wagon, along with a 2014 NASCAR Fusion painted to look like the families' 2014 Ford Fusion. Both are running on the AFX Mega G+ chassis, which runs much slower and more reliably than the old Tyco chassis I used for the first version.
I kept the Santa Fe and Union Pacific trains on the layout because both of our family cars were around the BNSF and Union Pacific all their lives.
#slotcar #hoscale #modelrailroad #modelrailway #slotcartrackReporting a Railroad Bridge Strike in Bells, Texas, Friday, July 31James Hefner2026-08-03 | This video shows an oversize load striking a bridge in Bells, Texas on Friday, July 31st. It then shows how I used the information on the sign at a nearby railroad crossing to contact the railroad and report the incident.
If you see a train related incident, such as a bridge strike, a vehicle stuck on the tracks, broken rails, or a derailment; try to find a nearby crossing, call the number on the sign, and give them the crossing number along with the details of the incident. You could prevent an accident, and even injury or death. If there is no nearby crossing, then call 911.Only $7 00! 2018 Hobby Lobby Toy Train in Box at Menards (M Gauge) #toytrain #toytrainvideosJames Hefner2026-08-02 | More "M Gauge" Train videos: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGmAuwRwj_Xo More Toy Train videos: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjLFuzoXHfyLzLLSvEHKFQF_pnFnXJ8Ap Shop: survivingworldsteam.etsy.com
Today we take a look at Santa Fe Mini Train Set. This set looks like a Durham Industries product, but the box says "Made in China", and distributed by Midwest Home Products Inc. of Wilmington, Delaware. The engine itself has no markings at all, suggesting this was a product made shortly after Durham Industries got out of the toy train business and production was moved to China.
When I opened this set, it appeared to be broken in several ways. Will this be the first set I was unable to get going? Watch and see!
Timeline: 00:00 Introduction to the set itself 00:52 Looks like a Durham Industries product, but made in China 01:36 What makes the cars in this set different from the others 05:30 A closer look at the locomotive itself 07:00 Restoring the locomotive 08:46 Repairing the tender 08:49 Test running the repaired trainUnion Pacific Steam Power to Arron Coplands Symphony #3James Hefner2026-07-20 | ...Toy, Model Trains and Scenery in the Toy Museum, Branson, MO #toytrain #modelrailroad #modelrailwayJames Hefner2026-07-17 | Roark Valley Model Railroad Club videos: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjLFuzoXHfyIDD-TFNp-ykmvJUgZ-jcNe Other Museum Layout videos: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjLFuzoXHfyJ8CVAyMxgcOtxmbE9VbERw
The World's Largest Toy Museum is located in Branson, MO. In its basement is the Roark Valley Model Rail Club, which is open, and the trains are running during the Toy Museum's visitor hours. In this video, we are looking at toy and model trains found among the museum's own vast collection; there are some that I probably missed here and there.
Buddy Corporation has had a reputation for study pressed steel toys that dates back to the 1920s. But in the 1960s they started to offer smaller toys that contained more plastic. While under Japanese ownership in the 1970s, they released this Buddy L Battery Powered Tap Top Railroad. They had probably seen the success toy train manufacturers like Lionel, Marx, and Tyco were having with selling toy train sets, and decided to try to capitalize on it and offer their own set. It must not have had much success, by 1983, they were being offered by Lido instead, and production probably ended with the end of production of these toy trains in Hong Kong in 1986.
They are very similar to the ones offered by Durham Industries, but apparently Buddy L made changes to bring it to their "specifications." We take a look at this set, and the differences with the Durham Industries sets.Private Garden Railway with Astonishing AutomationsJames Hefner2026-07-09 | More Garden Railway videos here: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjLFuzoXHfyJeami06u0vUEHri_woae90&si=iQfLzIGVHWpllrWf
In this video, we take a look at a private garden railway that features amazing animations throughout, including:
* DCC Control * Doppler Radar used throughout for detecting surrounding objects * Working streetlights, lighthouses, railroad crossings, lightning, buoys * Working busses, cyclists, and tugboat (which also works on the water.) Timeline 00:00 Introduction 00:26 Owl that uses Doppler radar to watch for people and trains 02:07 Why Doppler radar, and how it works 03:42 Typical station platform with announcements and working signs 04:22 Working tugboat 05:08 Working busses, crossing gates 09:45 Working cyclists 12:22 Clouds with lightning 14:50 A look inside the train room 16:06 "Roscoe and Roy" 19:29 Scratchbuilt Amtrak Superliner coaches 21:52 How the station announcements work
#gscale #gardenrailroad #modelrailroad #modelrailway #modeltrainsWhat do we mean by HO Scale? #modelrailroad #modelrailwayJames Hefner2026-07-08 | ...Watching the railway garden tonight, listening to and watching the fireworks #fourthofjulyweekendJames Hefner2026-07-05 | #gardenrailroad #gardenrailway #gscale @egghaulersAmerica 250 at the Cleburne Railroad Museum #250James Hefner2026-07-04 | More Cleburne Railroad Museum and Attractions videos: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjLFuzoXHfyJgWSZWEsQAwoJ_FftzXZJn
America 250 at the Cleburne Railroad Museum
Cleburne Railroad Museum 206 N. Main St. Cleburne, TX 76033
#modeltrainlayout #modelrailway #railroad #modelrailroad #modeltrains #hoscale #cleburneThe train at Chaf-in Reataurant is working again, though its worn out motor needs a nudge to start.James Hefner2026-07-02 | And for the first time in the years I have worked on it, the cab light is on!Thank you for the suggestion regarding Dental Brace (Rubber) Bands (aka Orthodontic Elastics)James Hefner2026-07-01 | More Toy Train videos: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjLFuzoXHfyLzLLSvEHKFQF_pnFnXJ8Ap Shop: survivingworldsteam.etsy.com
In the comments to one of my recent videos, several individuals in the comment section suggested that I should use dental brace bands for traction tires. I took their suggestion, and used them on several locomotives in my fleet, and was pleased with the results.
Rosie first appeared on Thomas and Friends in 2006, and is based on a U.S. Army Transportation Corp (USATC) S-100 tank engine that was built by Davenport, H.K. Porter, and Vulcan Iron Works for use in the U.K. and Europe during World War II. She did not last for long, but appears to be playing a major role in the upcoming season for the show. Happy Birthday Rosie!2026 Boxcar Camp Art Cars on the Cleburne Railroad Museum Layout #modelrailway #modelrailroadJames Hefner2026-06-23 | More Cleburne Railroad Museum and Attractions videos: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjLFuzoXHfyJgWSZWEsQAwoJ_FftzXZJn
Each year, I replace the plastic bodies of 50' boxcars with cardstock ones, and glue them together. The campers then decorate them, and we run them for them on the museum layout. Here are the art car for the 2026 Boxcar Camp.
Cleburne Railroad Museum 206 S. Main Street Cleburne, TX 76039
Today, we are taking a look at a New Bright G Scale Railking Electric Train Set that was made in June of 1996. We look at what makes it different from the New Bright battery powered sets, and see if we can make it run.Hornbys OO Scale Flying Scotsman and Bachmanns Gordon #modeltrains #modelrailway #thomasandfriendsJames Hefner2026-06-17 | More of my layout videos: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjLFuzoXHfyLT1k218-hcVF0RRpKH92Lq&si=QXPRneJd18fWp1VV
This is a beautiful OO Scale model of the "Flying Scotsman" that was released by Hornsby. The level of detail, including the gold steam distribution lines on top of the cylinders and the "hot" warning stickers on the boiler, are extremely impressive. There is a speed recorder driven off of the back wheel.
The "Flying Scotsman" was originally built as a London and Northeastern A1 class Pacific locomotive. Later on, the double Kylchap exhaust and "banjo" steam dome were added.
I thought it would be interesting to compare it to "Gordon" of Thomas the Tank Engine, in this case with a model by Bachmann. According to the author, the Reverend Wilbert Awdry, Gordon was a prototype of the A1 class, or "A0" class. Once LNER had worked out the kinks, they sold the engine to Sir Topham Hatt, who named it "Gordon." The A1 and A3 class engines were originally built as three cylinder engines, with two higher pressure cylinders on the outside, and a low pressure cylinder between the frames and wheels. The Reverend Awdry says that Gordon was later rebuilt with two Stanley type cylinders, making him something of a hybrid.
Gordon also had his Great Northern type of tender replaced with a Fowler type tender; this video shows it with a more scale model of a Fowler tender. It was not unusual for new owners to change out tenders; perhaps because the old one was too long for the turntable at Tidmouth Shed, or because he ran shorter routes on the Island of Sodor compared to the mainland.1982 Smurf Mini Train Set (M Gauge) #toytrains #trainsetJames Hefner2026-06-13 | More "M Gauge" Train videos: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGmAuwRwj_Xo More Toy Train videos: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjLFuzoXHfyLzLLSvEHKFQF_pnFnXJ8Ap Shop: survivingworldsteam.etsy.com
By the 1980s, toy trains and model trains were in a decline. The launching of the Space Shuttle, video games, and personal computers had people looking to the future, while the general decline of the railroads prior to the Staggers Act had people losing interest in toy and model trains, which were considered "old fashioned" and obsolete.
To counter this trend and to boost sales, many of the toy train builders launched train sets that were based on popular TV shows. (We already looked at the Tyco Transformers set from 1985.) These sets did little to stop the slide, and Durham Industries of New York closed out their inventory with the $5.00 1986 GFX TransAmerica Golden Eagle Train Set (which we also looked at in a previous video) and got out of the toy train business. The tooling was then moved from Hong Kong to China and were re-released with a series of offerings from the Run Dream Super Limited Express in Japan in the 1980s or 1990s to the "Toy Train in a Tin" sets we have today.
With so many of these sets and videos on my channel, I have also taken to calling them "M Gauge", since they were referred to as Mini Train Sets, and the letter "M" has not been used to a gauge that I am aware of.Bachmann Thomas on my original layout c.2016James Hefner2026-06-09 | More Music Videos: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjLFuzoXHfyIA6jHljgUvkcu75L-HiBYz&si=GMKuFYGQHWtCedmI
Throwback Tuesday, this is my Bachmann Thomas the Tank engine running on my first layout when I got back into model railroading. There were still Christmas village buildings on the layout, and my son's LEGO layout was next to it.Heavens Hood Ornament (Angel on the Wind) and other updates to my layoutJames Hefner2026-06-04 | More of my layout videos: youtube.com/watch?v=EdtR-AIRWZg&list=PLjLFuzoXHfyLrkS-MZmRkFytHfHlUJD3z Shop: survivingworldsteam.etsy.com
I have a hole with a light in my graveyard that I use to light up the manger scene during the holiday season, but it leaves a hole in the ground with a light in it the rest of the year.
I watched @WindsorValleyRailroad's wonderful Memorial Day videos and realized what I need was an angel sculpture to fill in the hole. I remembered the chrome angel sculpture that resides in Land of Memory Cemetery, on US 287 a few miles north of Palestine, Texas. I uploaded a photograph I found on the web to Meshy.ai to create the 3D model for me, which I then printed and painted.
00:00 My manger scene 00:02 The web page for the sculpture on roadsideamerica.com 00:08 The model on Meshy.ai 00:17 The completed model on my layout 00:35 The old part of Plasticville 01:00 Another look at the old part of Plasticville and the Island of Sodor 02:02 A closeup look at the slot cars and trains 02:20 Looking down Main Street 02:35 A view of the entire layout.A Look Around the Cleburne and Johnson County Layout using Choo Choo VisionJames Hefner2026-05-30 | Choo Choo Vision Website: choochoovision.com More Cleburne Railroad Museum and Attractions videos: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjLFuzoXHfyJgWSZWEsQAwoJ_FftzXZJn
We have all of our Choo Choo Vision cameras working great on the layout now. So we take a look around the layout using just the Choo Choo Vision cameras.
Cleburne Railroad Museum 206 S. Main Street Cleburne, TX 76039
We continue our dive into the world of Mini Express Trains (aka "Toy Train in a Tin' or "Toy Train in a Box") with this look at a version made for Japan. #toytrainsNew Layout Soundtrack and Military Train Running for Memorial Day at Cleburne Railroad Museum #trainJames Hefner2026-05-22 | In this video, we see the military train running on the Cleburne and Johnson County layout for Memorial Day Weekend, along with the latest round of trains. We can also just barely hear the new soundtrack for the layout I have playing in the layout room now.
Cleburne Railroad Museum 206 S. Main Street Cleburne, TX 76039
#modelrailroad #hoscale #modeltrains #I believe my grandson loves his new Lionel Thomas the Tank Engine #oscale #thomasthetankengineJames Hefner2026-05-12 | ...National Train Day 2026 at the Cleburne Railroad MuseumJames Hefner2026-05-10 | More Cleburne Railroad Museum and Attractions videos: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjLFuzoXHfyJgWSZWEsQAwoJ_FftzXZJn
The highlights and trains running during National Train Day 2026 at the Cleburne Railroad Museum
Cleburne Railroad Museum 206 N. Main St. Cleburne, TX 76033
This railroad themed home cooking restaurant has been a Sherman landmark since 1988. The foodies in my group found the food to be very good, just a bit bland in terms of spices.
I have been working at the Cleburne Railroad Museum for close to three months now. I have noticed that while I enjoyed watching the layout run in times past, it has become work lately.
So, when I had sometime at the end of Saturday, I spent time just "railfanning" and enjoying watching the layout run. I invite you to enjoy watching it with me.
Cleburne Railroad Museum 206 S. Main Street Cleburne, TX 76039
We continue our exploration into the world of these miniature battery powered train sets. We look at a set that likely set the border between when manufacturing moved from Hong Kong to China, and sales branched out around the world.Happy National Gardening Day! #gardenrailroad #gardenrailway #gardening #gscaleJames Hefner2026-04-18 | @egghaulersAbandoned and looking for a home for free Layout in Desoto, TX #hoscale #modelrailwaylayoutsJames Hefner2026-04-15 | Please let me know in the comments section if you are interested.Touring the GBX Training tank carJames Hefner2026-04-11 | ...Train Town USA at the Greenbrier Railcar (formerly Santa Fe Shops)James Hefner2026-04-11 | ...Hiding a Choo Choo Vision Camera in a microwave installation #hoscale #modelrailroadJames Hefner2026-04-08 | My Etsy Shop: survivingworldsteam.etsy.com Get your @ChooChooVision Cameras here: choochoovision.com Get your "World's Smallest Target and Buchee's here: survivingworldsteam.etsy.com/listing/1211203723
See how you can use a Choo Choo Vision Camera, an old Tyco Microwave tower, and a microwave equipment shack disguised as a "Target" or Buckee's to hide a camera on your layout.Cleburnes Iron Giant: a Steam Powered Cotton Compress #steamengine #cleburneJames Hefner2026-04-03 | Any town that was considered a town along the tracks in the Southern United States had three things -- a passenger depot, a freight depot, and a cotton compress. Silenced for over 30 years now, these unique and massive machines are slowly and steadily disappearing along with the buildings that housed them. Here, we take a look at an early cotton compress in the town of Cleburne, Texas, along with other cotton compresses and the technology itself. Finally, we take a look at a pair of outstanding HO Scale steam compress buildings.
In my studies of steam cotton compresses, I have only found one video of these huge machines in action. It can be seen here:
My Facebook album of additional cotton compresses and details: facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10208948693909088Completed Spring Break Week Layout 2026 at the Cleburne Railroad Museum #modelrailroad #nscaleJames Hefner2026-03-26 | Visitors to the Cleburne Railroad Museum were invited to create a module to be included in the Spring Break N scale layout. They completed the #kato Mini-Circus modules first, then they added additional scenery on foam squares. Here we see the finished layout, and wonderful creativity shown by many of the participants.Pioneer Express 24 inch gauge steam outline train at 7A Ranch, Wimberley, TexasJames Hefner2026-03-24 | Take a ride about the amusement park train that runs on a mile-long track at 7A Ranch in Wimberley, Texas. This train was purchased from an amusement park in Ohio in 2021 at the devastating flood of 2015 closed the park; it was then sold to the current owners.
This is the second train that has a ran at 7A Ranch. The original train and track was purchased in 1971, and sold in the early 1990s when ridership declined. The new owners are restoring the Pioneer town that was a stape at the ranch, and installed this train in 2021.Mr. Rogers Visits the Cleburne and Johnson County Layout #modelrailroad #hoscale #layout #trainJames Hefner2026-03-20 | Cleburne Railroad Museum 206 S. Main Street Cleburne, TX 76039Mr Rogers Neighborhood Trolley goes through Plasticville and Neighborhood of Make Believe #hoscaleJames Hefner2026-03-20 | More of my layout videos: youtube.com/watch?v=EdtR-AIRWZg&list=PLjLFuzoXHfyLrkS-MZmRkFytHfHlUJD3z Shop: survivingworldsteam.etsy.com
This video was made possible using the chassis and track from a "Toy Train in a Tin," and the 3D prints from "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood of Make-Believe Trolley" at thingiverse.com/thing:5320659.
Fred Rogers (March 20, 1928 -- February 27, 2003) was an American television personality, Presbyterian minister, and author. He was the creator, showrunner, and host of the preschool television series Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, which ran from 1968 to 2001.
The Neighborhood of Make-Believe is a puppet kingdom ruled by King Friday XIII. It’s a fantasy area where children can see puppet characters and friendly humans grow and learn as they help each other with their problems and concerns.
This make-believe neighborhood is a place that’s clearly and intentionally separate from Mister Rogers’ “real” neighborhood. That separation serves two purposes. On one hand, that was Fred Rogers’ way of helping young children who are typically just beginning to understand what’s real and what’s just make-believe. On the other hand, he wanted to show children that it can help to use their imagination to play and pretend about situations and feelings in their own lives.Happy St Patricks Day! #gardenrailroad #gardenrailway #stpatricksdayJames Hefner2026-03-17 | More videos from our Garden Railway: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjLFuzoXHfyKtp72T2ajrID2WJzkfVzIv