Plan a point-to-point layout

CTT-G0909_APLAN

Layout designer: John Penca Scale: O Layout size: 17 x 29 feet Track type: Atlas O Minimum curve: O-54 Originally appeared in the September 2009 issue of Classic Toy Trains. Click on the link to download a PDF of this track plan. Track plan Schematic Parts list […]

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Plan for the “classic operator”

CTT-C0708_APLAN

Layout designer: John Rusterholz Scale: O Layout size: 12 x 16 feet Track type: Lionel O Minimum curve: O-31 Originally appeared in the July 2008 issue of Classic Toy Trains. Click on the link to download a PDF of this track plan. Track plan Schematic Parts list […]

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Running & switching on a FasTrack loop

CTT-I1009_APLAN

Layout designer: Kent Johnson Scale: O Layout size: 12 x 16 feet Track type: Lionel FasTrack Minimum curve: O-60 Originally appeared in the October 2009 issue of Classic Toy Trains. Click on the link to download a PDF of this track plan. Track plan Schematic Parts list […]

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Lionel 2353 Santa Fe diesels were a Greatest Find

Lionel 2353 Santa Fe diesels on a Southwestern layout

Lionel 2353 Santa Fe diesels and two streamlined passenger cars purchased through a Dutch website caused Daniel Biessels gave up HO scale modeling for O gauge and  focus on postwar and modern-era models. Then he built a layout set in the Rocky Mountains that he calls the Glenwood Springs & Colorado RR. The arid scenery […]

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Mineral Point & Northern

MRR-B0511_A plan

Name: Mineral Point & Northern Layout designer: Steve Worack and the Progressive Model Design staff Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 5 x 12 feet Prototype: MP&N Locale: Mineral Point, Wis. Era: 1917 Style: island Mainline run: 12 feet Minimum radius: 40″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: level Originally appeared in the May 2011 issue of […]

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Santa Alicia, Harrytown & Pacific RR

Name: Santa Alicia, Harrytown & Pacific RR Layout designer: Mike Blumensaadt Scale: N (1:160) Size: 7′-3″ x 36′-4″ Prototype: Santa Fe, Southern Pacific, and Union Pacific Locale: western United States Era: 1950s Style: along-the-wall Mainline run: 75 feet Minimum radius: 19″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 2 percent Originally appeared in the May 2011 […]

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Recycling old Lionel track

pieces of Lionel tubular track with blue engine in the middle

Let’s say you’ve got a ton of old Lionel track in your basement, or maybe someone is willing to give you a bunch for nothing. You want to build a layout, so you figure you can use this track to do it economically. However, when you get a closer look at the O or O-27 […]

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Rio Grande Southern

Rio Grande Southern

Name: Rio Grande SouthernLayout designer: Steve HarrisScale: HOn3 (1:87.1 proportion, three-foot gauge)Size: 9 x 25 feetPrototype: Rio Grande SouthernLocale: southwestern ColoradoEra: around 1939Style: double deck with helix, semi-mushroom peninsulaMainline run: 158 feet (excluding helix)Minimum radius: 18″Minimum turnout: no. 4 Originally appeared in the November 2004 issue of Model Railroader. Click on the link to download […]

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Big, fast, and basic

CTT-J0207_ASYMBOLS

Layout designer: E. A. Engebretson and Kent Johnson Scale: O Layout size: 8 x 16 feet Track type: Atlas O Minimum curve: O-54 Originally appeared in the February 2007 issue of Classic Toy Trains. Click on the links below to view PDF’s for this track plan. Track Plan Schematics Parts List […]

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Chesterfield Trunk & Terminal

CTT-J1107_ASYMBOLPLAN

Layout designer: Robert Sherman Scale: O Layout size: 12 x 12 feet Track type: Lionel O Minimum curve: O-31 Originally appeared in the November 2007 issue of Classic Toy Trains. Click on the links below to view PDF’s for Chesterfield Trunk & Terminal. Track Plan Schematics Parts List […]

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Dusty dogbone design

CTT-J0707_ASYMBOLS

Layout designer: Neil Besougloff Scale: O Layout size: 5 x 15 feet Track type: MTH RealTrax Minimum curve: O-31 Originally appeared in the July 2007 issue of Classic Toy Trains. Click the links below to view PDF’s for Dust Dogbone Design. Track Plan Schematics Parts List […]

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Three-stage plan that grows

CTT1205_ATRACKPLAN

Layout designer: E. A. Engebretson and Kent Johnson Scale: O Layout size: 9 x 12 feet Track type: MTH RealTrax Minimum curve: O-31 Originally appeared in the December 2005 issue of Classic Toy Trains. Click on the link to download a PDF of this track plan. Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Schematic phase 1 […]

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