New York Central

Track plan at a glance Name: New York Central Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 29′-0″ x 33′-4″ Prototype: New York Central RR Era: late 1960s Style: double-deck Mainline run: 300 feet Minimum radius: 32″ Minimum turnout: no. 6, main; no. 5, sidings Maximum grade: 2 percent Originally appeared in the March 2008 issue of Model Railroader. […]

Read More…

Chicago, Milwaukee & North Western RR

Track plan at a glance Name: Chicago, Milwaukee & North Western Scale: N (1:160) Size: 14′-9″ x 16′-6″ Prototype: Chicago & North Western and Milwaukee Road Era: 1950s to ’60s Style: walk-in Mainline run: 125 feet Minimum radius: 18″, 15″ in tunnels Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 2 percent Originally appeared in the February […]

Read More…

Smoky Valley RR

Track plan at a glance Name: Smoky Valley RR Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 9 x 11 Prototype: ET&WNC, L&N, Southern, and others Era: 1950s to present Mainline run: 40 feet Minimum radius: 20″ Minimum turnouts: no. 6 Maximum grade: 2.2 percent Originally appeared in the February 2008 issue of Model Railroader. Also appeared in 102 […]

Read More…

Chicago Great Western

Track plan at a glance Name: Chicago Great Western Scale: N (1:160 proportion) Size: 11 x 24 feet Prototype: CGW’s Chicago-Oelwein, Iowa, main line Period: 1965-68 Style: walkaround Mainline run: 110 feet Minimum radius: 24″ Minimum turnout: Peco no. 6 Maximum grade: 0 percent Originally appeared in the 2003 issue of Great Model Railroads. See […]

Read More…

Bayport Division of the Soo Line

Track plan at a glance Name: Bayport Division of the Soo Line Scale: HO (1:87) Size: 21 x 30 feet Prototype: free-lance division of the Soo Line Period: 1970s Style: around-the-walls walk-in with peninsulas Mainline run: 126 feet Minimum radius: 18″ (most mainline curves are 30″) Minimum turnout: no. 4 Maximum grade: 3 percent Originally […]

Read More…

Boston MTA

Track plan at a glance Name: Boston MTA Scale: HO (1:87) Size: 7 x 12 feet Era: 1959 Style: walk in Minimum radius: 6″ Minimum turnout: no. 2 Maximum grade: 5 percent Originally appeared in the October 1999 issue of Model Railroader. See a PDF version of this track plan by clicking here. […]

Read More…

Harlowton extension

Track plan at a glance Name: Harlowton extension Scale: N (1:160) Size: 1 x 8 feet Prototype: North Montana branch of the Milwaukee Road’s Rocky Mountain Division Era: late 1950s Minimum turnout: no. 4 in yard; no. 6 on main Originally appeared in the October 1999 issue of Model Railroader. See a PDF version of […]

Read More…

Leamington Yard- L&HR

Track plan at a glance Name: Leamington Yard- L&HR Scale: HO Size: 4 x 16 feet Minimum radius: 30″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Originally appeared in the October 1999 issue of Model Railroader. See a PDF version of this track plan by clicking her. […]

Read More…

Tall Pine RR

Track plan at a glance Name: Tall Pine RR Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 14 x 24 feet Prototype: freelanced Era: 1940s Style: walkaround Mainline run: 125 feet Minimum radius: 24″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 3 percent Originally appeared in the January 2008 issue of Model Railroader. See a PDF version of this track […]

Read More…

Rod Stewart and model railroads

Glamour shot of Rod Stewart from 2007.

WAUKESHA, WI — Hall of fame rock-n-roller, Rod Stewart, unwinds after a concert by kitbashing and scratchbuilding. These terms may sound like code words that explain the mysterious antics of a world-famous celebrity, but instead they describe techniques for one of the world’s most popular hobbies: model railroading. The acclaimed songwriter of hits like “Forever […]

Read More…

Southern Pacific Bakersfield Subdivision

Track plan at a glance Name: Southern Pacific Bakersfield subdivisions Scale: N (1:160) Size: 9 x 30½ feet Prototype: Southern Pacific’s crossing of the Tehachapi Mountains (Santa Fe has trackage rights) Theme: heavy freight and passenger mountain crossing Period: 1950s to present Style: around the walls and peninsula Minimum radius: 21″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 […]

Read More…