A class S1 2-8-4 Berkshire pulls a time freight through Belfort Gap heading east. The locomotive is a Custom Brass import.
An Erie Railroad class K5 4-6-2 Pacific and coaches are on the express track barreling through Belfort Gap. The locomotive is a Precision Scale import
A Lehigh Valley class T2 4-8-4 leads a string of hoppers eastbound through Bernard. The T2 is a Custom Brass importand the hoppers are all fashioned from wood kits
At the Geren engine yard, two class R1s are steamed up along with a class K5 ready for a day's work. In the background is the city of Old Bridge.
These tracks lead to the lower Geren roundhouse. As traffic grew, and expansion of locomotive facilities was needed in Geren but there wasn't enough real estate to enlarge the roundhouse. A new two-stall enginehouse was built nearby and up a small incline. The locomotive departing is a class R3, a rebuilt United States Railroad Administration (USRA) 2-10-2. The model is a Key brass import.
Erie Railroad class K5 Pacifics wait at Haverhill Engine Yard. Figures and vehicles help complete the scene. All figures and vehicles are weathered with artist's pastels and India ink washes.
A local passenger train and a freight are passing east of Buckley. The trains are lead by a class K5 4-6-2 and a class S2 2-8-4, respectively. The Clearbrook Hotel is on the bank of the Big Sandy River. In the rear of the scene is Howard's favorite structure kit of all time: "Drug Store" from S.S. Limited. He used three of the kits to represent various buildings on the layout.
A Louisville & Nashville class M-1 "Big Emma" 2-8-4 runs on the Piermont. The model is a Division Point brass import.
A Central Railroad of New Jersey 2-8-2 Mikado runs eastbound into the big yard at Belfort Gap. The prototype was the largest steamer on the CNJ. This HO version is an Overland Models brass import.
Departing Ticknor Yard eastbound for Piermont is a three-car local headed by a New York Central class K3Q Pacific 4-6-2. The model is a Key brass import.
A Baltimore & Ohio class EM-1 crosses the curved brick viaduct over the Johnny River near Talbot Springs. The road in the foreground leads into the town of Piermont.
Forrest Nace took plenty of fascinating photographs of Howard Zane’s spectacular HO scale Piermont Division. Enjoy this exclusive gallery of selected scenes from the 60 x 70-foot HO scale model railroad, including many of Howard’s superdetailed brass steam locomotive models.
A full article on Howard Zane’s layout appeared in the February 2020 issue of Model Railroader.
Images include photographs of steam locomotives for the Erie Railroad, the Louisville & Nashville, Central Railroad of New Jersey, and the Lehigh Valley.
Only from Model Railroader!
I took a trip to Maryland in October last year and I was lucky enough to be able to see the Piedmont Division in person. The layout is just as spectacular in person as it is in the photos here. Thank you Howard!
The upper right corner of Slide 4 has a billboard. Looks like it might be for “Dr. Joycelyn Elders School… of Self Gratification maybe? That part didn’t make it into the magazine article!
Wow! Obviously this layout is an outstanding achievement.