CUSTOM MODEL RAILROAD DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
GENERAL INFORMATION

Thank you for your interest in RailDreams! We look forward to serving you!
In response to your inquiry here is a description of our services, and a questionnaire for you to fill out that will help us understand your desires.

We will design and/or build, in any scale, a complete model railroad layout for you, or, help you with any part of the process.  We take great pride in the quality of our workmanship and our ability to help you with any phase of the project.

As we work with our clients, we find that the process falls into several distinct phases. The process is as follows:
 

DESIGN PHASE:

We obtain all of the data on your available space, gauge, and prototype requirements.  We use John Armstrong's "Givens and Druthers" format to focus in on exactly what you would like to model. (Please see questionnaire in this section)

For example: 

Title:  Burlington Northern and CNW in Coal and Grain
Country Operations (Wisconsin or Iowa).
Prototype:
Era:Contemporary
Region: Per above
Railroad: BN and CNW
Space: Per floor plan provided by client
Governing Rolling Stock: 80" High Cube Boxcars, Modern Diesels

Once you have completed the questionnaire, we ask that you send it along with a signed copy of our Model Railroad Design Agreement (located in this section of our website) and a deposit of $300.00. Once we have received your information we can begin developing and rendering a concept sketch(not to scale) of the layout and it's general proportions.(A concept sketch typically requires at least 8 hours of work.)  Once we have discussed the initial sketch with you, if you desire, we can prepare a detailed CAD plan of the layout, including top down structure sites, etc.(A CAD design will require between 20 and 40 hours of work.)  At this time we can also prepare an electrical and block plan for the layout. (If you are considering Digital Command or Wireless control, you still need logical electrical sections).  This work is billed at a flat rate of $45.00 per hour plus materials. You are always in control of how much or how little you want done, we can stop at any point in the process.
 

CONSTRUCTION PHASE:

In this phase, we build the bench work, rough scenery, and electrical systems as you require.  We require a deposit of one-half of the project up front and the balance on completion.  These projects are completed on a pre-agreed contract price and are generally priced at an hourly bench rate of $45.00 per hour, plus materials.  We use only the finest materials and we sand and pre-stabilize all bench work with an acrylic sealer for maximum protection against warping.  We lay and test all of the track(brand of your choice), and install feeder wires for electrical connections.  All electrical connections are installed to be connected with plugs, in modular fashion, so that the layout can be easily transported and shipped.  We can, at this time, also prepare any custom trim for the layout such as drawers or shelves under the benchwork, or skirting for the layout.  We always establish a mutually agreeable delivery and economic timetable with the customer, and we then proceed after contracts are signed.  We always have a significant backlog here, so it is important to get your project into the loop as soon as you feel you can afford to proceed.
 

SCENERY PHASE:

This phase can extend as far as you desire.  We have done layouts where we only put in basic scenery foundations and the customer finishes the rest.  We can also do detailed and complete scenery and with the details to your specifications.  This area of our service is subject to either a set contract amount, or hourly plus time and materials. 
 

OUR TEAM:

We have been in business for 5 years, and have over one hundred years of collective model building and layout construction experience between the individuals in our team.  Richard Taylor, Master Model Railroader, has published pictures of his work in Model Railroader, O Scale Railroading, and other publications.  Richard has also written a chapter of a book for Kalmbach on N-scale, The N-Scale Primer, edited by Russ Larson.  The chapter featured one of Richard’s personal layouts (Richard has designed and built layouts in every scale imaginable), once the largest N scale model railroad in the U.S., and patterned on Western Pennsylvania.
 
We also have consulting sub-contractors with strong experience in all scale and tinplate train scales from Z to G.  Many of our sub-contractors are widely recognized experts in their respective scales.
 

FINANCING YOUR PROJECT:

Once we have agreed upon a price and procedures, we will send you a written contract for the entire project and work out the financial arrangements.  We will also work with you to purchase some or all of the material required, and, if possible, utilize materials already owned to assist in controlling the costs of the project.

If you wish to utilize our services to realize your model railroad dreams, please review the enclosed profile form, fill it in to the best of your ability, and return it along with your deposit and signed Model Railroad Design Agreement to us at:
    RailDreams, Inc.
    PO Box 125
    310 Calumet Street
    Lake Linden, MI  49945

Thank you for considering RailDreams for your project!  We look forward to helping you make your model railroad dreams become a reality!