Many of us dream of a model railroad empire on a massive scale. While the time, space and resources required usually dictate whether or not that dream becomes a reality, it never hurts to be inspired. Whether you’re daring to dream or have what you need to dare yourself, explore these monster track plan recommendations! If none of these tickle your fancy, visit the Trains.com track plan database for more ideas.
South West Pacific
The South West Pacific is a semi-freelance, 16’-2″ x 43’-7″ N scale layout by Steve Van Meter. It features the famous Tehachapi Loop, a big classification yard, industrial areas, and ample staging, all connected by a 158-foot, mostly single-track main line. Yet this behemoth of a layout started out as a 4 x 8-foot layout, representing Alameda, Calif. Since its humble beginning in the 1970s, Meter has gradually expanded his empire with traffic from the Southern Pacific and Western Pacific railroads battling for the right of way. It just goes to show that it never hurts to start small and work your way up.
Read more about the South West Pacific in Model Railroader’s Nov. 2012 issue.
Colorado & Southern Clear Creek District
Mega layouts usually call for mega scenery opportunities, with mountains being the most popular to craft. Doug Tagsold’s double-deck layout provides the perfect canvas for carving out a plethora of rock formations, with a unique twist. The 40 x 52-foot Clear Creek District is modeled after the narrow-gauge prototype that operated from Denver into the heart of the Rocky Mountains, thus its 1:72 scale. Don’t let the amazing scenery distract you, though, as Tagsold designed the track plan for realistic operation requiring crews to navigate superior trains, calculate running times, and manage meets at passing sidings, all guided by a timetable and clock.
Read more about the Colorado & Southern Clear Creek District in Model Railroader’s July 2025 issue.
Louisville & Nashville
This 34 x 42-foot, HO scale layout focuses on coal hauling along the “Old Reliable” during the mid-1950s transitional era. The setting allows for a wide range of traffic beyond the slow coal drag up the 2% grade, including fast freights and hot passenger trains navigating rugged terrain between impressive engine terminals. While modeler Perry Simpson focused primarily on the Louisville & Nashville, he drew additional inspiration from the Baltimore & Ohio, Norfolk & Western, and the Southern Railway. This makes the track plan an excellent template for modeling other eastern railroads beyond the L&N.
Read more about the Louisville & Nashville in the Great Model Railroads 2013 special issue.
West Side Lumber Co.
If the space, time, and resources are there for rugged, narrow-gauge logging, then “go big” with inspiration from Ken Larson’s West Side Lumber Co. The 35 x 38-foot, On3 layout is set in California’s Sierra Nevada foothills and is a testament to quality craftsmanship. The layout is carefully designed to replicate prototypical operation, with geared steam locomotives climbing a challenging 4.5% maximum grade and traversing 28-inch minimum radius curves. The single-track main line connects the Tuolumne Yard with various logging camps, all set within woods featuring towering, scratch-built ponderosa pines that nearly touch the ceiling.
Read more about the West Side Lumber Co. in the Great Model Railroads 2012 special issue.
Ida Valley Railway
For those with the ambition to tackle something large [scale], Bob Allen’s Ida Valley Railway offers an excellent blueprint. Set in New Zealand’s Otago Province between 1955 and 1965, this 26’-3″ x 53’-6″ layout features a massive 240-foot, narrow-gauge main line with 72-inch minimum radius curves, allowing ample room for operation. The track plan can host both end-to-end operating sessions and continuous running for open houses, thanks to multiple engine terminals with turntables and a main line with a folded-dogbone loop. If New Zealand is not your preferred setting, remember that large scale has always been popular for North American narrow-gauge prototypes.
Read more about the Ida Valley Railway in Model Railroader’s June 2011 issue.
Southern Pacific Tehachapi Subdivision
Editor’s Choice: Model Railroader Editor Eric White doesn’t call the La Mesa Club’s Southern Pacific Tehachapi Subdivision the largest track plan ever published in the magazine for nothing! This massive 72 x 128-foot, HO-scale layout recreates the route from Bakersfield to Mojave, Calif., including the famous Tehachapi Loop. The main line itself twists and turns at 1,500 feet in total length with two levels for trains to climb and descend. Being of club size and museum quality (located at the San Diego Model Railroad Museum), this monster track plan sets the stage to either go big or go home.
Read more about the Southern Pacific Tehachapi Subdivision in Model Railroader’s Sept. 2024 issue.
