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A large-scale layout for San Diego’s Children’s Hospital

A whimsical train makes its way past alarming mountains of orange, red and purple, on its way to more pleasant and soothing scenery. Bob Treat The character and colors of the scratchbuilt structures are in keeping with the overall concept. Bob Treat The engine crosses the waterfall on a rickety trestle. The rainbow marks the […]
The Woodland Railway

The railway at a glance Name: Woodland Railway Size of railroad: 4000 sq ft; 20′ x 100′ in woods, 20′ x 100′ in side yard Scale: 1:22.5 Gauge: 45mm Theme: Freight operations & fantasy Era: 1930s Age: 25 years Motive power: Steam and early diesel; Aristo-Craft, LGB, Bachmann Length of mainline: 700′ Maximum gradient: 6% […]
The L&R Railroad

The railway at a glance Name: L&R Railway Size of railroad: 110′ x 25′ Scale: Mixed Gauge: Nº 1 (45mm) Theme: Countryside flower beds Age: 11 years Motive power: LGB Mogul, Unitah Mallet, F7 (two A units and one B); Aristo-Craft Alco RS-3; Bachmann Climax and Shay Length of mainline: 250′ Maximum gradient: 0% Type […]
The Kaweah Box & Barrel Co. and its Sequoia Valley Railroad

The railroad at a glance Name: Kaweah Box & Barrel Company RR and Sequoia Valley Railroad Scale: 15mm=1′ (1:20.3) Gauge: Nº 1 (45mm) Size: 50′ x 90′ (around the perimeter and into the front yard) Theme: Narrow-gauge short line and industrial Period: 1917 Railroad height: Ground level to two feet Track: Llagas Creek code-250 flex […]
The Rooster Creek Railroad

The railway at a glance Name: Rooster Creek Size of railroad: 50′ X 120′ Scale: Varied-1:20.3 to 1:32; buildings, 1:24 Gauge: Nº 1 Era: 1930s to 1950s Themes: Narrow gauge, Denver & Rio Grande; standard gauge, Southern Pacific Age: Six years Motive power: Narrow gauge: K-27, K-36 (2), K-37, 2-truck Shay, 3-truck Shay, Climax, Heisler, […]
The D&R Railroad

The railway at a glance Name: D & R Railroad Size of Railroad: 60′ x 150′ Scale: 1:20.3 Gauge: 45mm (Nº 1) Era: 1900s-1940s Theme: Chama branch of the D&RGW Railroad Age: 4 years Motive power: Battery-powered locomotives Length of mainline: 1,000′ Maximum Gradient: 3% Type of track: Aristo-Craft brass, code-332 flex track; Parker Company […]
The R&F Railroad

The railway at a glance Name: The R&F Railroad Size: 110′ x 165′ (1/3 acre) Scales: 1:20.3 to 1:32 Gauge: Nº 1 (45mm) Era: 1920s through the present Theme: Predominately western railroads, including Santa Fe, Union Pacific, Denver & Rio Grande Western Age: 19 years Length of track: Total, 3,000′; double 500′ mainlines Type of […]
The Southern Cross Railway

TSOMO DRIFT. It’s the usual problem on a single-track railway—waiting for traffic coming the other way. A great horseshoe curve links Tsomo Drift with Orange River, although, as the crow flies, they are very close, so the driver of the Baldwin 2-8-0, Nº 724, can see the reason for this long delay. Over at Orange […]
The Snake River Railroad

The steel truss bridge spans a deep gully. It was assembled entirely with screws and nuts on a purpose-built table. Marc Horovitz The railway at a glance Name: Snake River Railroad Size of railroad: 200′ x 300′ (approximately) Scale: 1:29 Gauge: Nº 1 (45mm) Theme: Mainline railroading in the Northwest Era: Modern Age: 15 years […]
Barry Bogs’ Colorado & Western

Bridges connect different areas. A train on the high line near Ophir passes above a standard-gauge train rolling into Rockwood. The upper train is a mix of scratchbuilt and LGB equipment. Christopher Zider From the outside, Barry Bogs’ house looks similar to most others in a subdivision northwest of Houston. But as soon as you […]
PDF: Build a 1:20.3 scale Climax locomotive

Download the PDF of this project here. Note: This PDF is formatted to print on your home printer. Most pieces are formatted to fit on a 8.5″ x 11″ piece of paper. For larger parts of the plan, you will see “break lines.” Line up the break lines to create the larger piece. Despite our […]