Rolling Line Christmas Layout 2025

There is something magical about a model train circling a Christmas tree, but space is always the final frontier for enthusiasts. This year, I decided to go “limitless” by moving a holiday project into the digital world using Rolling Line.

After a full year of tweaking, detailing, and testing, I’m thrilled to finally share the video of my completed Christmas layout in Rolling Line.

Why Rolling Line?

For those unfamiliar, Rolling Line is a model train sandbox simulator available on Steam ($16.99). It’s more than just a simulator; it’s a creative powerhouse. Whether you want to run a pre-built route or start from a blank canvas, the software offers:

  • Total Customization: Every piece of track, tree, and building can be moved or modified.
  • Massive Scale: You can build anything from a tiny tabletop loop to a sprawling empire.
  • Immersive Experience: Run it on your PC or jump into VR mode to walk around your layout as if you were 1:87 scale yourself!
  • Hands-on Control: Hop into the cab of your favorite engine to blow the horn, toggle the lights, and manage the throttle.

A Layout of Epic Proportions

I started this specific Christmas build last January. The layout features six primary tracks. Inside the purple loop, you’ll find a reverse loop, offering a unique feature, but that’s just one of many ways to reverse a train on this setup. The tracks are interconnected in several places, allowing seamless movement of trains between loops. This intricate network of connections gives operators plenty of flexibility in how they can navigate trains across different parts of the layout.

The Christmas trains used in this layout are part of the holiday package included with Rolling Line. While it has that cozy holiday feel, the scale is anything but small. To give you an idea of the size:

The two outer loops in this layout are each more than two miles long. The video shows the trains going 22mph so a lap takes about five and half minutes.

On another layout, one of my main lines takes 30 minutes to complete a single lap at 62 mph. That’s a 31-mile journey through a winter wonderland!

I wish I had the physical room in my house for a layout this size, but that’s the beauty of this hobby—digitally, the only limit is your imagination.

If you would like to test out this Christmas layout, you can download it from the Rolling Line Workshop. Look for the layout called Christmas 2025-12-21.

I’d love to hear what you think of the layout! Are you a fellow virtual conductor, or do you stick to the physical rails?

Merry Christmas and Happy Railroading!

Annual Christmas Train Open House 2025

Mark your calendars! The Trusty Train Tracks Christmas Open House is always the Sunday before Thanksgiving, and this year was our biggest yet! We had a whopping seven trains running inside, plus the beloved garden train. Apologies, the snow beat the video camera outside, but you can still check out the incredible action in the video of the indoor layouts!

On the shelf we have an MTH Railking Christmas Trolley. This train is the only permanent indoor layout at the Trusty Train Tracks household. It’s right by the front door, up on a shelf eight feet in the air. It’s wired to a light switch, making it the first, mandatory stop for the grandkids the second they arrive!

Under the tree is the Dillard’s Holiday Express with several add-on cars. We picked up this G scale set at a train show. Every car has bright lights and moving objects. Our absolute favorite? The ice skater on the third car! He whirls at a dizzying, non-stop pace, a true marvel of engineering (and magnets). The engine has two settings: ‘Fast’ and ‘You Better Hold On!’ The video is recorded at the slower speed.


Listen closely as the Broadway Limited PRR EMD SW7 Switcher roars (thanks to its incredible Paragon 4 sound system!) right through the heart of our Christmas Village. This beautiful engine was a special gift last Christmas.

The big layout in the fun room is 18 feet long and four feet wide. It has three N scale trains plus an O scale train. On top is the 2017 Kato Operation North Pole Christmas train running on the Kato N V2 Single Track Viaduct Set. The upper deck is held up by a set of Lionel FasTrack trestles.

The upper layer crosses the lower layer at three locations, and bridges are installed at each crossing.

The lower level is made using pieces from the Kato V11, V14 and V16 double track sets. The inside lane has an Arnold GG1 (Brunswick Green) pulling five Lima Pennsylvania Railroad Pullman cars. The other features a magnificent pair of Kato E8A diesel engines powering the massive PRR Broadway Limited, a sight to behold with the ten-car set plus the four-car sleeper add-on (that’s 14 cars in all!). Around it all is the last train that grandpa Tom purchased before he passed away. It’s a 2016 Lionel Christmas set with Bluetooth control running on O scale FasTrack. I swapped out the caboose for an MTH Pennsylvania unit.

The layout is on top of four 4×4 and one 2×4 pieces of peg board. Three different tables are under that with layers of foam acting as shims to make the whole thing level. On top of the peg board are two layers of felt cloth from Hobby Lobby.

Here is the layout with just the O scale train. Once this was set up, the N scale was added inside the FasTrack layout.

Challenge Time! For our newer enthusiasts, we’ve set up some fun size comparisons. Find the O scale GG1 and compare it to its tiny N scale twin on the lower level. Or spot the two PRR RS-3s, one G scale and one N scale, and marvel at how the giant G scale engine absolutely dwarfs the miniature N scale version!

https://www.TrustyTrainTracks.com
Questions or comments: conductor@trustytraintracks.com

Double Figure 8 Plus 2 – Kato All DC

This is the first layout that my grandson, Noah, helped put together. His dad, Jake, helped too. The track itself took about an hour to put together and then we spent another hour putting together the Lego supports that hold everything up.

This is the first layout showing the Kato #10-504-US Pocket Line Series Steeple Cab Electric Locomotive. That’s the little orange engine pushing the snow.

Thanks for the rock, Craig. We will add it to the garden train this spring.

Kato Unitrack N Scale All DC
4×8 feet
All DC

https://www.TrustyTrainTracks.com

Questions or comments: conductor@trustytraintracks.com

Garden Train Trestle Test Run

Garden Train 2.0 is progressing well. We are still waiting on the river rock that will be the base layer for the whole layout. But we wanted to test out as much as possible now. Here is the entire temporary layout with most of the trestle bridge. Using rocks from a local farmer’s field (Thanks Reeses), we will have a natural looking 4% grade leading up to the trestle bridge.

Next week the whole layout has to be taken out to make way for the river rocks. When the track is reinstalled, ballast will be added under the track and everything will be straightened and leveled.

https://www.TrustyTrainTracks.com

Questions or comments: conductor@trustytraintracks.com

Fun Temporary Layout

I started this layout to test out the double crossover pieces. I have two of them close together without power between them. Someone told me I would have to have power between. I was misinformed. Both double crossover pieces transmit power to the middle section.

Then I added some turnout storage areas. Finally I pulled out some 3D printed items and placed those around for fun.

I thought this layout would last a couple days but it is simply fun to run so I’ve had it for more than a month.

A new car I have in this layout is the snow plow I picked up at the Columbus N Scale show in May. You can see it at the 3:45 mark in the video.

Kato Unitrack N Scale All DC

https://www.TrustyTrainTracks.com

Questions or comments: conductor@trustytraintracks.com

Garden Train 2.0 Test Run

One year ago today we installed a garden train. A month after that, we decided to move to a new house. This will be our second garden train. It has three times as much track as the first and an overpass.

At this point, we are waiting on the landscaper to deliver the river rock that will be the base of the layout. The track will sit on pebble stone on top of the river rock. For the overpass I am building a trestle bridge.

Today we wanted to get an exact fit before the landscaper starts making changes to the yard that can’t be undone. I also wanted to test the engine’s ability to make it up the hills. The grade of the final version will be half of what this test is. I had a limited number of bricks and lumber available for the test run.

I started by cutting a 2×8 into 64 little rectangles to lift the track out of the grass enough to run. I knew the clearance needed for the overpass and used the bricks to rough that in. The trestle should handle the curves nicely, but the boards I had available today make the whole thing look crazy. It was very stable, but not pretty at all.

Stay tuned for updates.

https://www.TrustyTrainTracks.com

Questions or comments: conductor@trustytraintracks.com