Make the Most of Your Model Railroad Fascia

Installing model railroad fascia board can serve multiple purposes. For instance, it marks the edge of your layout and provides an overall polished look to your entire design. Fascia board can also provide valuable space for hanging informational materials and organizing your railroad model essentials. Expert Allen Keller explains how to make the most of your model railroad fascia in this video.

Making good use of your model railroad fascia

Allen walks you along his model railroad to demonstrate multiple possibilities for using your fascia board to the fullest potential. The fascia board serves as a great location for mounting various model railroad goods, but keep in mind you want the fascia to remain subtle. The goal is to have your audience looking at your layout, not the the fascia. Follow along as Allen presents a model railroad display with various suggestions.

Allen begins by identifying the model railroad fascia as a great location to house the throttle plug-in and throttle. Mounting a holder for the throttle provides quick and easy access to the mechanism.

Allen also recommends using this valuable space for mounting educational signage and instructions. For example, this particular layout is modeled after the Jackson Tennessee Bluff City Southern. Allen points out a sign alongside the fascia with information regarding the towns and their directions. Allen also identifies an instructional sheet with information about the operating session.

A third suggestion given by Allen is the use of a mounted box to hold car cards. The box Allen demonstrates in this particular layout has three individual compartments to hold the “set out,” “hold,” and “pick up” cards. He also recommends mounting a shelf to place car cards to help classify the new cards that you are working with.

Allen offers several other ideas when it comes to making the most of your model railroad fascia in this video. Experiment with a few or all of these suggestions on your own model railroad.