Cascade Pacific

Corvallis Society of Model Engineers

Name: Cascade Pacific Club: Corvallis Society of Model Engineers Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 26 x 78 feet Prototype: freelanced Locale: western Oregon Era: circa 1950s to present Style: walk-in Mainline run: 330 feet Minimum radius: 36″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 2 percent Originally appeared in the March 2012 issue of Model Railroader. Click […]

Read More…

Mineral Range & Lake Michigan RR

Name: Mineral Range & Lake Michigan RR Layout designer: John Armstrong Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 24′-0″ x 43′-6″ Theme: ore, pulpwood, and lumber traffic Locale: Upper Peninsula, Michigan Era: late steam/early diesel Style: walkaround Mainline run: 164 feet Minimum radius: 36″ (main), 30″ (staging loops) Minimum turnout: no. 6 (main), no. 5 (yard) Maximum grade: […]

Read More…

New York Central Hudson

New York Central Hudson Division

Name: New York Central Hudson Division Layout designer: Vic Roman Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 25 x 25 feet Prototype: New York Central Locale: upstate New York (Albany to Tivoli) Era: 1948 Style: walk-around Mainline run: 150 feet Minimum radius: 30″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: none Originally appeared in the March 2012 issue of […]

Read More…

A newly discovered John Armstrong model railroad track plan

Armstrong plan scan

John Armstong had produced hundreds of model railroad track plans published in magazines and books, and in fact, earned the nickname “Dean of Model Railroad Track Planning.” He drew this never-published Mineral Range & Lake Michigan RR for a paying client, but it was apparently forgotten for many years in a home in a Chicago […]

Read More…

The “Michigan”

Name: The “Michigan” Layout designer: Jim Six Scale: HO (1:87) Size: 12′-3″ x 44′-0″ Prototype: New York Central’s Michigan District Locale: northeastern Indiana Period: 1955 Style: around the walls Mainline run: 116 feet Minimum radius: 42″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 0.25 percent Originally appeared in Model Railroad Planning 2012. Click on the link […]

Read More…

Grain elevator drawings in 1:29 scale

Grain elevator drawings in 1:29 scale

Download the PDF of this project here. 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 best […]

Read More…

Blend benchwork into your garden railway

model train next to mountain

Sometimes the most expedient way to get your outdoor railway from point A to point B is on benchwork, so called because the height of the roadbed is similar to that of a workbench and facilitates the handling of trains and track. The many styles of benchwork construction seem to correspond to the skills of […]

Read More…

Sweet woodruff

train next to green bush

Common name: Sweet woodruff Latin name: Galium odoratum, syn. Asperula odorata Plant type: Perennial USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-9 (sheltered or near the house in Zone 3) Cultural needs: Shade or partial shade, moist (even wet) soil Plant size: 6-12″ high, spreading quickly to 9-12″ wide Do you have a rather large shady spot in need […]

Read More…

Waybills for your model railroad

Ted Pamperin borrowed ideas from many sources to develop more realistic looking waybills for his new HO Chesapeake & Ohio Ry. In the February 2012 issue of Model Railroader, Ted Pamperin explains how he used prototype paperwork to create a waybill system for his Chesapeake & Ohio Ry. layout. Click on the links below to […]

Read More…

Eaglecreek & Northern Ry.

Eaglecreek Northern

Name: Eaglecreek & Northern Ry. Layout designer: Flemming Ørneholm Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 6′-8″ x 12′-0″ plus 1′-10″ x 10′-0″ staging yard Prototype: Union Pacific Locale: western United States Era: 1955 Style: around-the-walls Mainline run: 85 feet Minimum radius: 28″ Minimum turnout: 30″ radius Maximum grade: 2 percent Originally appeared in the February 2012 issue […]

Read More…