6 builds, 112 line items
The Complete Model Railroad Shopping List
Every item in every layout build on this site, priced and linked, grouped by build and by function, with running totals. Work through it in phases instead of guessing what you still need.
Quick answer
Every build on this site laid out as one list. The smallest complete layout is $619 and the largest is $4,205. Buy in the order the sections are listed: track and wiring first, because they end up buried under scenery.
How to use this list
The single most useful thing about a complete list is the order you work through it. Track and wiring go in first, because they end up underneath scenery and are miserable to redo. Then get trains running and leave them running for a few weeks, which is how you find the faults. Scenery next, and structures last, because those are the easiest things to add to a layout that already works.
Nothing here has to be bought at once. Every build is designed so the first group gets you running and each later group adds something specific. If the total looks alarming, look at the group subtotals instead: the first two groups of any build are usually under half of it.
Prices are the listed prices when this page was compiled and change often. Anything that could not be priced shows as "See price" and is not counted in a total, which is deliberate: a total that silently invents a number is worse than one that is honest about the gap.
Buy these whatever you are building
Items that appear in at least three of the 6 builds. These are the purchases that are not really optional in any scale.
| Item | What it is for | In builds | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| BNTECHGO 22 AWG Silicone Wire Red and Black 250 ft Stranded Tinned Copper | track feeders | 3 | $46.98 |
| Woodland Scenics Medium Ballast Shaker Gray 50 cubic inches | HO scale main line | 3 | $19.90 |
| Woodland Scenics Undercoat 8 oz Earth | sealing and colouring the scenery shell | 3 | $14.34 |
| Woodland Scenics Scenic Cement 16 oz | fixing ballast and ground cover | 6 | $14.26 |
HO scale · Beginner · 15 items
Train set and track
| Item | Qty | Each | Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachmann Rail Chief Ready to Run Train Set Locomotive, cars, oval of nickel silver E-Z Track and a controller in one box | 1 | $215.99 | $215.99 |
| Bachmann E-Z Track Layout Expander Set Nickel Silver HO Scale Turns the oval into a layout with a passing siding | 1 | $127.59 | $127.59 |
| Bachmann 9 inch Straight Terminal Rerailer with Wire Nickel Silver HO Scale Feeds power and guides wheels back onto the rail when placing cars | 1 | $16.90 | $16.90 |
| Bachmann 9 inch Straight E-Z Track Nickel Silver 4 Pack HO Scale Filling straights where the plan needs them | 2 | $12.49 | $24.98 |
| Train set and track subtotal | $385.46 | ||
The three tools that matter
| Item | Qty | Each | Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xuron Vertical Track Cutter 2175M Cuts rail cleanly with almost no distortion, which is what stops a kink at every joint | 1 | $21.25 | $21.25 |
| Kadee 206 Insulated Coupler Height Gauge HO Finds the coupler height mismatch behind most mystery uncouplings | 1 | $13.35 | $13.35 |
| HARDELL Digital Caliper 6 Inch with Large LCD Reads inches and millimetres, which is what scale modelling constantly needs | 1 | $22.99 | $22.99 |
| The three tools that matter subtotal | $57.59 | ||
The first upgrade to the rolling stock
| Item | Qty | Each | Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walthers Proto HO Scale 33 inch Wheelsets Metal Wheels and Metal Axles 12-Pack Re-wheels six freight cars on metal wheels and metal axles | 2 | $19.99 | $39.98 |
| Kadee HO Scale Number 5 Coupler 10 Pair Standardises the roster on one reliable knuckle coupler | 1 | $32.61 | $32.61 |
| The first upgrade to the rolling stock subtotal | $72.59 | ||
Basic scenery
| Item | Qty | Each | Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodland Scenics Medium Ballast Shaker Gray 50 cubic inches Medium grade is the correct size for HO mainline track | 1 | $19.90 | $19.90 |
| Woodland Scenics Scenic Cement 16 oz Soaks in and dries matt, which diluted white glue does not reliably do | 1 | $14.26 | $14.26 |
| Woodland Scenics Undercoat 8 oz Earth Colours the base so gaps in the ground cover read as soil rather than plywood | 1 | $14.34 | $14.34 |
| Woodland Scenics Tree Kits 3 to 5 inch Build-them-yourself armatures, which is far cheaper per tree than ready made | 1 | $23.59 | $23.59 |
| Basic scenery subtotal | $72.09 | ||
Reading
| Item | Qty | Each | Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build Your First Layout Model Railroader Essential Takes one layout from bare benchwork to running trains | 1 | $21.99 | $21.99 |
| Atlas Track Planning Template HO Scale Draws a plan to real track geometry rather than to wishful curves | 1 | $9.25 | $9.25 |
| Reading subtotal | $31.24 | ||
O gauge · Beginner · 8 items
Set and power
| Item | Qty | Each | Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lionel Union Pacific Flyer LionChief 5.0 Electric O Gauge Train Set Locomotive, cars, track and remote, on the current LionChief 5.0 electronics | 1 | $357.42 | $357.42 |
| Lionel CW-80 Transformer An 80 watt transformer, the usual first upgrade over a set controller | 1 | $185.78 | $185.78 |
| Set and power subtotal | $543.20 | ||
Keeping it running
| Item | Qty | Each | Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walthers SceneMaster Bright Boy Track Cleaner Standard Grit Abrasive Revives badly oxidised rail, though it is a recovery tool rather than a routine one | 1 | $11.31 | $11.31 |
| Bachmann Track and Rail Cleaner 6 fl oz Lifts dirt rather than abrading the railhead, which is better for regular maintenance | 1 | $17.38 | $17.38 |
| Keeping it running subtotal | $28.69 | ||
Scenery, if you want it
| Item | Qty | Each | Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodland Scenics B89 Coarse Ballast Bag Gray 18 cubic inches Coarse grade, the correct size for O and larger scales | 1 | $11.78 | $11.78 |
| Woodland Scenics O Scale Track-Bed Roadbed Continuous Roll 24 foot A continuous 24 foot roll, so there are no joints to line up on a long run | 1 | $20.99 | $20.99 |
| Woodland Scenics Scenic Cement 16 oz Fixes ballast in place, drying matt | 1 | $14.26 | $14.26 |
| Woodland Scenics Ready Made Tree Value Fall Colors Set of 14 Finished trees straight from the box, for scenery now rather than an evening of assembly | 1 | $39.09 | $39.09 |
| Scenery, if you want it subtotal | $86.12 | ||
N scale · Beginner · 12 items
Starter set and track
| Item | Qty | Each | Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kato N Scale CB&Q Pioneer Zephyr Unitrack Starter Set Locomotive, cars, Unitrack oval and a controller in one box | 1 | $246.07 | $246.07 |
| Kato N Scale M2 Basic Oval and Siding Track Set Adds an oval with a siding, the smallest arrangement that lets you switch cars | 1 | $168.96 | $168.96 |
| Kato N Scale Unitrack 186 mm Straight Track 4 per Package Straights for extending the plan where it needs length | 2 | $9.80 | $19.60 |
| Kato N Scale Number 4 Remote Right-Hand Turnout The machine is built into the roadbed, so nothing has to be mounted underneath | 1 | $26.50 | $26.50 |
| Starter set and track subtotal | $461.13 | ||
Tools
| Item | Qty | Each | Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xuron 410 Micro-Shear Flush Cutters A smaller cutter for wire and fine work, which is most of what N scale needs | 1 | $16.04 | $16.04 |
| HARDELL Digital Caliper 6 Inch with Large LCD Reads inches and millimetres, and N scale specifications come in both | 1 | $22.99 | $22.99 |
| Tools subtotal | $39.03 | ||
Scenery
| Item | Qty | Each | Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodland Scenics N 2 foot Track-Bed Strips 36 Pack The N profile is correctly narrower, not just thinner, and 72 feet covers a small layout | 1 | $24.73 | $24.73 |
| Woodland Scenics Fine Ballast Shaker Gray 50 cubic inches Fine grade is the correct size for N scale | 1 | $19.37 | $19.37 |
| Woodland Scenics Scenic Cement 16 oz Soaks in and dries matt | 1 | $14.26 | $14.26 |
| Woodland Scenics Tree Kits 3 to 5 inch Trees are bought by the dozen and the eye notices repetition immediately | 1 | $23.59 | $23.59 |
| Train Junkies Appalachian Valley Model Railroad Backdrop N Scale 12 by 80 inches A backdrop sized and coloured for N scale, so the trees read at the right size | 1 | $79.95 | $79.95 |
| Scenery subtotal | $161.90 | ||
Reading
| Item | Qty | Each | Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlas N Scale Track Planning Template Draws an N scale plan to real track geometry | 1 | $8.81 | $8.81 |
| Reading subtotal | $8.81 | ||
N scale · Intermediate · 21 items
Track
| Item | Qty | Each | Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kato N Scale V6 Outside Loop Track Set A second concentric loop, which is how a Kato layout is designed to grow | 1 | $47.90 | $47.90 |
| Kato N Scale 9 3/4 inch Double Track Straight Concrete Ties 2 Pack Double track with correct centre spacing built in, removing the commonest measuring error | 4 | $13.50 | $54.00 |
| Kato N Scale 310 mm Double Crossover A complete double crossover in one section, which is difficult trackwork to build from four turnouts | 1 | $60.96 | $60.96 |
| Kato N Gauge Electric Point Number 6 Left Number 6 turnouts, noticeably shallower than the number 4 and better on a main line | 2 | $19.80 | $39.60 |
| Kato N Scale Unitrack 186 mm Straight Track 4 per Package Straights to make the plan up to length | 4 | $9.80 | $39.20 |
| Track subtotal | $241.66 | ||
DCC and control
| Item | Qty | Each | Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digitrax Zephyr Express Starter Set Command station, booster and throttle in one, and the gateway to LocoNet later | 1 | $218.72 | $218.72 |
| Digitrax DZ126IN 1 Amp Decoder with 6-Pin NEM651 Plug Tiny decoders with the 6 pin plug most modern N locomotives are socketed for, so no soldering | 2 | $34.41 | $68.82 |
| BNTECHGO 22 AWG Silicone Wire Red and Black 250 ft Stranded Tinned Copper Feeders, because even Unitrack benefits from drops on a large layout | 1 | $46.98 | $46.98 |
| DCC and control subtotal | $334.52 | ||
Motive power and rolling stock
| Item | Qty | Each | Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachmann GP40 DCC Sound Locomotive Burlington Northern N Scale Factory DCC sound in N at a mainstream price | 1 | $227.90 | $227.90 |
| Bachmann GP38-2 DCC Ready Locomotive Chessie System N Scale DCC ready rather than sound fitted, which keeps the price down and leaves the decoder choice open | 1 | $160.35 | $160.35 |
| Kato N Scale Mixed Freight Car Set of 6 Twelve cars at a lower price each, which is how freight stock should be bought | 2 | $72.00 | $144.00 |
| Kato N Maxi-I TTX 5-Unit Well Car Set with Yang Ming Containers Articulated double stack well cars, the defining modern freight car | 1 | $124.12 | $124.12 |
| Bachmann Bethlehem Steel 100 Ton 3-Bay Hopper Conrail N Scale Modern three bay hoppers for a contemporary unit train | 4 | $17.99 | $71.96 |
| Motive power and rolling stock subtotal | $728.33 | ||
Scenery and structures
| Item | Qty | Each | Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodland Scenics N 2 foot Track-Bed Strips 36 Pack Roadbed at the correct N profile | 1 | $24.73 | $24.73 |
| Woodland Scenics Fine Ballast Shaker Gray 50 cubic inches Fine grade, the correct size for N | 2 | $19.37 | $38.74 |
| Woodland Scenics Scenic Cement 16 oz Fixes ballast and ground cover, drying matt | 1 | $14.26 | $14.26 |
| Woodland Scenics Plaster Cloth Roll 7.5 Square Feet The scenery shell over the whole layout | 2 | $14.59 | $29.18 |
| Woodland Scenics Undercoat 8 oz Earth So gaps read as soil rather than white plaster | 1 | $14.34 | $14.34 |
| Woodland Scenics TR1581 Conifer Pine Trees 4 to 6 inch 24 Pack Twenty four finished conifers, which a hillside actually needs | 1 | $38.24 | $38.24 |
| Walthers Cornerstone Diamond Coal Corporation N Scale Structure Kit A rail served industry in N, where a full industry fits in a small footprint | 1 | $54.98 | $54.98 |
| Train Junkies Fall Mountains Model Railroad Backdrop N Scale A distant range gives a small layout depth that modelled scenery cannot | 1 | $79.95 | $79.95 |
| Scenery and structures subtotal | $294.42 | ||
HO scale · Intermediate · 23 items
Track and turnouts
| Item | Qty | Each | Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlas 500 36 inch Code 83 Super Flex Track 25 Pieces 75 feet of code 83 flex track, at about a third less per length than buying singly | 1 | $166.13 | $166.13 |
| Atlas HO Code 83 Number 6 Left-Hand Super Switch Number 6 turnouts for the main line and the passing siding | 2 | $27.40 | $54.80 |
| Atlas Code 83 Nickel Silver Manual Snap Switch Right HO Scale Sharper turnouts for industrial spurs, where the space matters more than the geometry | 2 | $24.31 | $48.62 |
| Atlas Code 100/83 Nickel Silver Universal Rail Joiners 48 Pieces HO Scale Buy plenty: they are easy to lose and easy to damage | 2 | $8.00 | $16.00 |
| Woodland Scenics HO 2 foot Track-Bed Strips 12 Pack Foam roadbed, quieter than cork and it will not dry out and crumble | 3 | $17.94 | $53.82 |
| Track and turnouts subtotal | $339.37 | ||
DCC control and wiring
| Item | Qty | Each | Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| NCE Power Cab DCC Starter Set The complete DCC system, with everything in the handheld | 1 | $199.96 | $199.96 |
| BNTECHGO 22 AWG Silicone Wire Red and Black 250 ft Stranded Tinned Copper Feeder wire in two colours, tinned so it takes solder easily | 1 | $46.98 | $46.98 |
| Terminal Block 8 Circuits 600V 15A Dual Row Screw Terminal Strip 6 Sets Lets a section be disconnected for fault finding without cutting anything | 1 | $13.89 | $13.89 |
| YIHUA 926 III 60W Digital Soldering Iron Station Kit with Helping Hands Temperature controlled, so a feeder joint happens before the ties melt | 1 | $39.99 | $39.99 |
| DCC control and wiring subtotal | $300.82 | ||
Motive power and rolling stock
| Item | Qty | Each | Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachmann EMD GP40 DCC Sound Equipped Locomotive Union Pacific HO Scale A four axle road switcher with factory sound, forgiving of curves | 1 | $227.82 | $227.82 |
| Walthers Trainline EMD GP15-1 Standard DC Union Pacific HO Scale A cheap second locomotive that handles tight radius track well | 1 | $94.99 | $94.99 |
| Walthers Trainline Insulated Boxcar Ready to Run CSX HO Scale General freight: almost anything loads in a boxcar | 4 | $25.99 | $103.96 |
| Walthers Trainline Offset Hopper Ready to Run CSX HO Scale A unit coal train needs a lot of identical cars to look right | 4 | $24.98 | $99.92 |
| Walthers Proto HO Scale 33 inch Wheelsets Metal Wheels and Metal Axles 12-Pack Metal wheels for the whole roster, which is the cheapest real upgrade there is | 3 | $19.99 | $59.97 |
| Kadee 158 Bulk Pack 25 Pair Scale Whisker Metal Couplers HO Scale Scale head couplers in bulk, the right way to convert a whole fleet | 1 | $89.94 | $89.94 |
| Motive power and rolling stock subtotal | $676.60 | ||
Scenery and structures
| Item | Qty | Each | Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodland Scenics Medium Ballast Shaker Gray 50 cubic inches Medium grade, the correct size for HO mainline track | 2 | $19.90 | $39.80 |
| Woodland Scenics Scenic Cement 16 oz Soaks in and dries matt | 1 | $14.26 | $14.26 |
| Woodland Scenics Plaster Cloth Roll 8 by 180 inches 2 Pack The scenery shell: scenery always takes more than the first estimate | 1 | $33.80 | $33.80 |
| Woodland Scenics Undercoat 8 oz Earth So gaps in the ground cover read as soil | 1 | $14.34 | $14.34 |
| Woodland Scenics Tree Kits 5 to 7 inch Taller foreground trees, mixed with shorter ones so a forest is not a plantation | 1 | $23.55 | $23.55 |
| Walthers Cornerstone Diamond Coal Corporation HO Scale Structure Kit A rail served coal dealer: cars get delivered, spotted and collected | 1 | $45.99 | $45.99 |
| Walthers SceneMaster Merchant Row IV HO Scale A row of storefronts fills a town block with one kit and almost no depth | 1 | $37.99 | $37.99 |
| Train Junkies Pine Forest HO Scale Model Railroad Backdrop A forest backdrop hides the join between modelled scenery and the wall better than a skyline | 1 | $84.95 | $84.95 |
| Scenery and structures subtotal | $294.68 | ||
HO scale · Expert · 33 items
Command station, booster and wiring
| Item | Qty | Each | Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| ESU CabControl DCC Command Station Starter Set Touchscreen WiFi command station, and the natural choice if the roster is ESU | 1 | $514.31 | $514.31 |
| Digitrax 8 Amp Auto-Reversing DCC Booster An auto-reversing booster for the second district and any reversing loop | 1 | $212.99 | $212.99 |
| BNTECHGO 22 AWG Silicone Wire Red and Black 250 ft Stranded Tinned Copper Feeder wire for a layout with a drop on every piece of rail | 2 | $46.98 | $93.96 |
| Terminal Block 8 Circuits 600V 15A Dual Row Screw Terminal Strip 6 Sets Makes a large layout diagnosable instead of a solid mass of solder joints | 2 | $13.89 | $27.78 |
| YIHUA 926 III 60W Digital Soldering Iron Station Kit with Helping Hands Temperature controlled: a feeder joint before the ties melt | 1 | $39.99 | $39.99 |
| Command station, booster and wiring subtotal | $889.03 | ||
Trackwork
| Item | Qty | Each | Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlas 500 36 inch Code 83 Super Flex Track 25 Pieces 150 feet of code 83 flex, which a layout this size genuinely consumes | 2 | $166.13 | $332.26 |
| Peco HO Scale Code 83 Electrofrog Number 6 Right-Hand Turnout Powered frog number 6 turnouts for reliable slow running over the frog | 4 | $44.59 | $178.36 |
| Atlas Code 100 Nickel Silver Mark 4 Number 8 Turnout Left Hand HO Scale Number 8 for mainline crossovers where long passenger stock diverges at speed | 2 | $30.72 | $61.44 |
| Woodland Scenics HO 2 foot Track-Bed Strips 12 Pack Roadbed for the whole railroad | 6 | $17.94 | $107.64 |
| Atlas Code 100/83 Nickel Silver Universal Rail Joiners 48 Pieces HO Scale In quantity, because a layout this size uses a lot of them | 3 | $8.00 | $24.00 |
| Xuron Vertical Track Cutter 2175M Cuts rail in place with almost no distortion | 1 | $21.25 | $21.25 |
| Trackwork subtotal | $724.95 | ||
Engine terminal
| Item | Qty | Each | Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walthers Cornerstone Motorized 110 foot Turntable with DCC HO Scale Motorised with DCC control and indexing built in, so it aligns rather than needing a nudge | 1 | $334.00 | $334.00 |
| Engine terminal subtotal | $334.00 | ||
Motive power and sound
| Item | Qty | Each | Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athearn HO GP40-2L with DCC and Sound Guilford Maine Central Genesis level detail with factory ESU sound and DCC | 1 | $298.77 | $298.77 |
| Walthers Mainline EMD GP9 Phase II with ESU Sound and DCC HO Scale Factory fitted LokSound, cheaper this way than buying the decoder separately | 1 | $184.99 | $184.99 |
| Bachmann 2-8-4 Berkshire DCC Sound Locomotive Pere Marquette 1225 HO Scale A big eight coupled steam locomotive with factory sound, for the turntable to turn | 1 | $338.96 | $338.96 |
| ESU LokSound V5 DCC 21 Pin Sound Decoder with Sugar Cube Speaker For converting a sound ready locomotive you already own | 1 | $136.53 | $136.53 |
| ESU LokPilot 5 DCC Decoder 8-pin NEM652 ESU motor control without sound, at a third of the price of a LokSound | 2 | $49.00 | $98.00 |
| Motive power and sound subtotal | $1,057.25 | ||
Rolling stock
| Item | Qty | Each | Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachmann 85 foot Full Dome Amtrak Phase II Car with Lighted Interior HO Scale An 85 foot full dome: the car that tests whether the curves are genuinely broad | 1 | $66.49 | $66.49 |
| Bachmann 85 foot Smooth Side Coach Car with Lighted Interior B&O HO Scale Lit streamlined coaches, bought as a matched set | 2 | $58.98 | $117.96 |
| Walthers Trainline Insulated Boxcar Ready to Run CSX HO Scale General freight in quantity | 6 | $25.99 | $155.94 |
| Walthers Trainline Offset Hopper Ready to Run CSX HO Scale Enough identical hoppers for a unit train to read correctly | 6 | $24.98 | $149.88 |
| Walthers Proto HO Scale 36 inch Turned Metal Wheelsets With Metal Axles 100-Pack A hundred metal wheelsets, which re-wheels twenty five cars at the lowest price per axle | 1 | $94.72 | $94.72 |
| Kadee 158 Bulk Pack 25 Pair Scale Whisker Metal Couplers HO Scale Scale head couplers in bulk for the whole roster | 1 | $89.94 | $89.94 |
| Rolling stock subtotal | $674.93 | ||
Scenery, structures and backdrop
| Item | Qty | Each | Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodland Scenics Medium Ballast Shaker Gray 50 cubic inches A layout this size swallows ballast | 3 | $19.90 | $59.70 |
| Woodland Scenics Scenic Cement 16 oz For all of it | 2 | $14.26 | $28.52 |
| Woodland Scenics Plaster Cloth Roll 8 by 180 inches 2 Pack Scenery shell across the whole railroad | 2 | $33.80 | $67.60 |
| Woodland Scenics Static King Stands grass fibres upright, which is the biggest single difference between modern and dated scenery | 1 | $82.01 | $82.01 |
| Woodland Scenics Spray-Tac Adhesive The spray the static applicator needs to plant fibres into | 1 | $11.98 | $11.98 |
| Woodland Scenics TR1581 Conifer Pine Trees 4 to 6 inch 24 Pack Twenty four finished conifers, the quantity a hillside actually needs | 1 | $38.24 | $38.24 |
| Walthers Cornerstone Allied Rail Rebuilders HO Scale Structure Kit A large locomotive rebuilding shop as the visual anchor for the engine terminal | 1 | $46.31 | $46.31 |
| Train Junkies Steel Mill Model Railroad Backdrop HO Scale An industrial backdrop implying a structure there is no room to build | 1 | $84.95 | $84.95 |
| Timbertech Airbrush Kit with Compressor Dual Action Gravity Feed The only practical way to paint a locomotive body evenly | 1 | $75.99 | $75.99 |
| Vallejo Game Color Railroad Weathering Set 8 Bottles Weathering colours mixed for railroad subjects | 1 | $29.99 | $29.99 |
| Scenery, structures and backdrop subtotal | $525.29 | ||
Every build added together
That figure is the sum of all 6 builds and is not a number anyone should spend. It is here so you can see the range. Pick the one build that matches your space and your scale, and ignore the rest.
Researched, not professional advice. Every item was chosen from manufacturer specifications, instruction manuals, published NMRA standards and owner-review consensus, not hands-on testing. Totals cover the listed items only: not benchwork lumber, not tools you already own, not shipping or tax. Any permanent mains wiring in a layout room is work for a licensed electrician to your local code. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.