Model Railroading and Trains – Helping you with turnouts/switches and tips for a better layout

Gauge Separation Turnout

I don't just build them for others – I make turnouts for my own layout. This one was judged for a merit award for my Civil AP Certificate

Aerial Photography

In this messy overhead view you can view the layout as though taking a picture from a plane.

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Rick Luther's Layout

You don't need a "finished" layout to host an open house or layout tour.

AP Structures

I have finished the Structures certificate. Lots of fun completing projects that have been mostly done for years!

Haunted Halloween Train

It's not very scary but lots of fun. Some kids say it's their favorite Halloween tradition.

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Jamestown Trains Flyer — Welcome to Jamestown Trains where “Special track is our speciality”. Do you need a special turnout/switch or crossing? Do you want handlaid or handmade turnouts but don’t have the time or experience? Need it now? Here’s your chance. Standard Gauge, Narrow Gauge, Full Dual Gauge or Mixed Gauge we have […]
Welcome to Jamestown Trains

You can see that I’ve started prepping the straight tracks for the yard. For more information about how I added PC board ties go to the page Bulletproofing the Straight Yard Tracks. Also, back a few months I finished building the water extension and painted it. The actual water effects […]

Prepping the Yard Tracks and Water Update

I am trying to go back and fill in my website with the projects I have been working on for the last five years or more. There is a lot I have done that I have not posted about. Blogs and/or websites like this have evolved a bit and getting […]

Merit Award for my Transfer Bridge

I’ve added some placeholder pages for what I’ve been working on over the last 5 years! I have lots and lots of photos and text to describe them. I would like to have a better system to keep the site up-to-date. We will see how it goes but for now […]

Jim’s Trains Menu Updated

In the summer of 2024 I had 4 different YouTube videos come out from 3 different sources covering the 3 different scales I model in – HO, N and Live Steam You can watch them on my Videos page.

Videos showing some of the trains I model

I was recently reminded that my website hasn’t been updated in forever so here is a quick update with more to follow, hopefully. I have been so so so so busy! The saying goes “Time flies when you are having fun” so I say I must being having so much […]

A Quick Update

UPDATE – December 2019 In addition to the National N Scale Convention, the NMRA National Convention that our division, the Northern Utah Division of the NMRA, hosted in 2019 has also come and gone. Many years of planning we did have fun and many, many people expressed the same enthusiastic […]

Custom Turnout Orders Update

In an effort to organize, and get under control, some of my personal time, I cannot promise any new orders for track work to be worked on before July 1, 2018. I have a number of orders I am a little behind on which I will finish as soon as […]

Custom Turnout Orders

Newsletter Column Index December 2017 This time of year is full of traditions. Many model railroader’s stories begin with the memory of a train around the Christmas tree. I have a special Christmas train with Santa on it that we set up nearly every year. It doesn’t always run great […]

Newsletter 12/17

Newsletter Column Index November 2017 I hope you were able to enjoy the Intermountain Train Expo this past weekend. I know I did! Two full days of trains and friends! It went by too quickly. The Rocky Mountain Region had their Board Meeting after the show on Saturday. It was […]

Newsletter 11/17

Newsletter Column Index October 2017 What’s on your workbench? Sometimes it seems I have too many projects. I’ve said before that the AP Program has helped me focus to be able to get projects completed. I’m at the point where I need to do scenery on my HO layout. In […]

Newsletter 10/17

Newsletter Column Index September 2017 37th National Narrow Gauge Convention in Denver 2017 – Recap Let me first explain I have been to one NMRA National Convention and two National Narrow Gauge Conventions in the past – over 11 years ago since the last one. I am still amazed that […]

Newsletter 9/17

Below is a “guest post” by my son. His last step to earn his Eagle Scout rank is doing his Eagle Scout Service Project. For my eagle project I am making track for a park in Saratoga Springs called Shay Park. Utah Live Steamers, a train group in Utah, currently […]

Eagle Service Project

Newsletter Column Index August 2017 What draws you to model railroading? What makes you want to be a part of the NMRA? I have always liked building things. I remember as a kid building things with cardboard from cereal boxes while watching Saturday morning cartoons. As I have gotten older […]

Newsletter 8/17

Even though I was told it was official, received the number #585, saw my bio about it in the NMRA Magazine, saw my name listed in the NMRA emailed newsletter I was still uncertain about actually having it completed. Well, I finally received my Master Model Railroader Certificate! Here is […]

I Have My MMR Certificate!

Newsletter Column Index July 2017 When you go on vacation do you seek out opportunities to find trains? I don’t usually “seek them out” but when an opportunity presents itself I am happy! Recently I was at Disneyland with my family. On one day, most had gone back to the […]

Newsletter 7/17

Newsletter Column Index June 2017 What are you doing to have fun with model railroading? Chances are, as long as it isn’t armchair modeling, it might qualify for some aspect of the AP. You should all know by now, for years I had many projects “mostly done” and just needed […]

Newsletter 6/17

Newsletter Column Index May 2017 What is your favorite part of model railroading? Do you like wiring or do you prefer creating scenery? Do you like hand laying track or building freight cars? There are so many aspects of and different subjects in this hobby that it’s no wonder it’s called […]

Newsletter 5/17

Don’t be afraid to try something new. In my case, I wasn’t afraid and it wasn’t something new. However, it was something I had wanted to do again for a very long time (maybe 25 years.) I know a lot of people (when I say a lot, I mean hobbyists) […]

Learn Something New Everyday

Newsletter Column Index April 2017 What is on your workbench? If you are like me, you might have more projects started than you care to admit. Working on AP requirements helped me to focus and with setting some goals and personal deadlines I have now completed more projects than ever! Not […]

Newsletter 4/17

Here’s a copy of my bio that ran in the April 2017 NMRA Magazine.

Bio MMR #585

Newsletter Column Index March 2017 What have you done lately to promote your hobby of Model Railroading? Notice I didn’t say the hobby I said your hobby. When I have done a clinic for the Railroading merit badge there are maybe 1 or 2 out of 20 in a class that […]

Newsletter 3/17

I am pleased to announce that as of February 1, 2017 I am now Master Model Railroader #585. What does that mean? Well, for me, I have set some personal goals to have certain criteria finished by certain dates. Does it make me a better modeler? I hope so, only […]

Master Model Railroader

Newsletter Column Index February 2017 I’ve got some great news this month: It’s official that I am Master Model Railroader #585 and the third currently living in Utah! What does that mean? Well, for me it means I’ve accomplished a goal I’ve had for awhile. I first heard about the AP […]

Newsletter 2/17

Newsletter Column Index January 2017 It’s that time of year again where people make New Years Resolutions. How about looking at it with a different spin? Is there a particular model you have been putting off getting done? I know I have a few that have been “nearly done for […]

Newsletter 1/17

Newsletter Column Index December 2016 Many people are reflective this time of the year. We just had Thanksgiving where sharing what you are thankful for is a big part of the holiday. Christmas is coming up fast and that’s also a time for sharing. One thing I have found with […]

Newsletter 12/16

Newsletter Column Index October 2016 I don’t know how many of you get the NMRA Magazine. I know it is an optional “upgrade” to your membership. If you don’t, you should think about it for next year because I plan to have a series of articles. 🙂 Joking aside, I […]

Newsletter 10/16

Newsletter Column Index September 2016 There are two main types of contests that I have entered in the past. I may have mentioned this before but my first contest I ever entered was an NMRA National Convention Contest. Although the judges were very nice and explained their reasons, I was […]

Newsletter 9/16

Newsletter Column Index February 2016 Great news! The Northern Utah Division led the entire Rocky Mountain Region with the most AP Awards in 2015! Let’s keep it up in 2016! Congratulations to Jack and Rick for getting their Golden Spike. Now let’s work on getting certificates guys. J I earned […]

Newsletter 2/16

I have run my “Haunted Halloween Train Ride” every year except 2 for the past 11 years. One of those 2 it was actually raining and super windy. It can be a lot of work to prepare and run it. Sometimes the track needs adjusting so it doesn’t derail, the […]

Haunted Halloween Train 2015

Newsletter Column Index November 2015 We all enjoy this hobby called Model Railroading. Some of us have been blessed with time and space to have a large layout and others not so much but we still have fun when we can. I’ve talked about how to share the hobby with our […]

Newsletter 11/15

Newsletter Column Index August 2015 How many of you have built a building for your model railroad? I’ve built a few. Some more detailed than others. A couple even have interior details! If you have built a building and done a little more than just assembled a basic kit, then […]

Newsletter 8/15

Newsletter Column Index July 2015 Last month I talked a little about narrow gauge but also mentioned my 1.5” backyard ride-on. Officially it’s called “Live Steam” even though I don’t have any steam to speak of. I usually open it up to the neighborhood once a year and the kids […]

Newsletter 7/15

Newsletter Column Index June 2015 Most of us have a preferred scale and gauge we like working in but how many of us actually have multiple scales and/or gauges that we like? Most know I have 1.5” ride-on in the backyard but my main scale is HO with HOn3 mixed […]

Newsletter 6/15