Welcome to the Shelf Layout Diorama - 'River Road.'
Dioramas, Miniatures and Model Railroad Shelf Layouts, have always been an interest of mine since I was a youth. I am presently building an operating HO Scale Shelf Layout with associated "signature scenes" from the SRY Short Line in Southern British Columbia, Canada.
LAYOUT SPECIFICATIONS
Prototype Railroad Modeled: SRY Rail Link Short Line.
Scale: Fine Scale 1:87 (3.5 mm) HO.
Size: 10' x 11' x 8' @ 2' deep (Linear "point-to-point" Shelf Layout) @ 57" Track Height.
DCC: NCE, ESU Loksound v5, 3 Sections, Power-Routed Scratch-built Turnouts.
Track: Micro Engineering Code 70 flex & Hand-Laid Code 55/40.
Minimum Radius: 42".
Style: Last Mile Switching Operations
Scenery & Structures: Mostly Scratch Built.
Lighting: Extensive Lithonia LED 4000K lighting wired in series.
Boomer Diorama | SRY River Road
Painting the 1/200 Scale Trumpeter Hood's Main & Shelter Deck. I am not a fan of "burned" laser cut deck's that peel up with humidity wrecking the whole model. They can look good, but not for me. I prefer the hand painted deck personally. This will be covered in the next video on Friday. Cheers.
3 days ago (edited) | [YT] | 198
View 14 replies
Boomer Diorama | SRY River Road
These are some of the latest revisions (and scratch builds) to the Trumpeter Hood for back-dating the kit from 1941 to 1936. They are extensive to say the least and probably too much to list. I will try to post some of them here as the build goes on. The next video should be published under the videos and playlist series as "Revising The Trumpeter Hood Deck" (06/12/2026) Cheers.
1 week ago | [YT] | 248
View 18 replies
Boomer Diorama | SRY River Road
Just finished painting the HMS Hood's Hull below the deck. For those of you who don't know, Hood's hull below the waterline was Grey (not red). The hull in 1936 was 507C (pale blue grey). The argument is overwhelming for the latter concerning the color. No criticism for those who painted Hood's hull oxide red . . . lol. ;-)
The 40 minute video covering the painting and weathering process will publish, (on the channel - Boomer Diorama), this Friday night for those who are interested.
I am also waiting for the "draft" markings and a few other details. Feels good because now I can start focusing on the deck, super-structure, etc. Cheers. (June 2/2026).
3 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 256
View 18 replies
Boomer Diorama | SRY River Road
Next weekend (Sunday) is a comprehensive overview of the layout and some interesting thoughts around modeling a small model railroad. I will also be looking at some other modeling subjects coming for the summer after the holidays and a much needed break. (03/18/2026). Cheers ~ Boomer.
3 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 786
View 38 replies
Boomer Diorama | SRY River Road
This coming Sunday is episode three in the four part Custom Rapido Locomotive (SW900RS) Series. It includes Decal application, some long hood Weathering, and Ditch Light install.
3 months ago | [YT] | 341
View 12 replies
Boomer Diorama | SRY River Road
The next Custom Locomotive episode (Part 2) coming this Sunday.
(03/01/2026). Cheers.
4 months ago | [YT] | 455
View 12 replies
Boomer Diorama | SRY River Road
This Custom Rapido HO Scale Custom Locomotive (Four Part Series) starts this Sunday. The series will publish for the next four Sunday's. It covers most of the build and paint including the DCC sound decoder install, speaker enclosure, ditch lights, photo - etch application, applying decals, and weathering.
4 months ago | [YT] | 596
View 47 replies
Boomer Diorama | SRY River Road
Some recent pics on the layout. Been busy painting roiling stock, etc. Sometimes I need to take a break from video production to do the things I love to do. Cheers.
4 months ago | [YT] | 829
View 70 replies
Boomer Diorama | SRY River Road
Thank you to all my subscriber's! The channel just eclipsed 40,000 subs! (Jan 2026).
Cheers ~ Boomer.
5 months ago | [YT] | 1,148
View 128 replies
Boomer Diorama | SRY River Road
I don't know about all of you, but I make a list every year about what I want to accomplish on the model railroad. I meet some of my goal's. The goal's I don't meet are put on the next list.
River Road is far from finished and it probably never will be officially finished as I keep adding to it with no end in site. This is what I love about it.
In the meantime, I will divert my attention to the list of unfinished projects like locomotives and rolling stock with some updates throughout the remainder of this winter. I have no time to build IPEX plastics right now, because I need a table saw and all my wood cutting is done outside in the summer.
Then there is the Tug - Seaspan Corsair (for section one) which (if all things go according to plan), which they often don't, I hope to try and finish as well. Cheers.
5 months ago | [YT] | 772
View 78 replies
Load more