George and Tom are back after the holidays and talkingtrains once again! This week, they dive into layout building and Tom’s plans for a new home layout, with a focus on how real railroads operate—and how you can model those same practices through thoughtful layout construction and locomotive operation.

They also highlight the beautiful work of Charlie Duckworth,sharing photos of his impressive layout for those watching the video version of the podcast. The conversation then shifts to upcoming shows, including Prototype Rails in Cocoa Beach, Florida on January 8, 2026, and Amherst in Massachusetts on January 24.

To wrap things up, George and Tom get practical with adiscussion on wire management, exploring different options to keep your installations clean, organized, and reliable.

Related Videos:

Wire Management with SoundTraxx: https://youtu.be/PtOP5-fmKuE