O Gauge Scratch Built House: Step by Step Process (YouTube First!)

Scratch Build a Classic O Gauge Train Layout House- A Baltimore City Fire Department 1960’s tradition. Never before seen on YouTube!

In this tutorial, I walk you step-by-step through building a vintage-style cardboard house for your O gauge model train layout (garden), using a historic method developed by the Baltimore City Fire Department for their train layouts in the 1960’s. These iconic houses were once created to decorate traditional holiday layouts, and I’ve recreated the process using materials that stay true to that era.

The exterior is finished with a granular coating, the same material used on asphalt roofing shingles or ballast made by woodland Senics—for a rugged, realistic texture that brings your display to life. This unique method has never been shown before on YouTube—and now after watching this video, you can do it yourself!

This is part of a larger series focused on preserving and showcasing traditional train garden craftsmanship. Subscribe for more custom builds, holiday layouts, and old-school model train tips!

Material List
Poster Board
Illustrator/ Presentation board
Elmers white glue
Opaque binder dividers
Contact cement
Acrylic paint
Acrylic caulk
Medium Stone or Ballast
Spray paint
Window screen
Rubber gloves
N-95 Mask
Masking tape
Plastic container

Time Codes
0:00 Intro talking
0:44 Show template for existing house
2:18 Show supplies
2:33 Total cost
2:55 Tools needed
4:00 Draw template
6:40 Cut template
8:28 Two types of board
9:35 Trace template
10:00 Cut final model
10:45 Cut and bend corners
12:05 Cut base
12:40 Paint windows
13:58 Surprise from Shawn
15:03 Cut windows
17:13 Glue windows
18:15 Show color windows
18:42 Glue walls to base
23:40 Cut more parts
24:35 Ultrasonic knife review
26:07 Glue on roof
29:48 Glue more parts
33:38 Painting
34:18 Make colored stone demo
39:20 Trim base
40:01 Glue on shutters
43:23 Glue on stone
47:29 Outro

#ModelTrains #OGauge #TrainGarden #DIYTrainHouse #HolidayTrains #BaltimoreTradition #TrainLayout #ScratchBuild #Woodland Senic #spraypaint #ballast #Matte board #illustrator board #Presentation board #BCFD #Baltimore City Fire Department #BCFD train garden
Contact info: [email protected] #Lionel #MTH #American Flyer #O Gauge trains #Plasticville #Scratch built buildings #Building model train layout # Take down model train layout #Christmas garden #train layout tips and tricks # O Scale train layout #Department 56 #Toy Trains #Scratch Built Buildings #Train Garden #Lemax #Traditional Train Layout