Why would anyone model the Stockton & Copperopolis, an obscure short line with a name that sounds made up? Or model this little-known prototype in the 1890s? Most importantly, would it be practical to build it as a large, prototypically faithful model railroad capable of realistic operation and equip it with authentic locomotives and rolling […]
The layout at a glance Name: St. Louis Junction Layout designer: John Schindler Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 30 x 60 feet Prototype: BNSF Ry., CSX, Norfolk Southern, Terminal RR Association of St. Louis, and Union Pacific Locale: St. Louis area Era: 2010 Style: multi-deck walk-in Mainline run: 275 feet Minimum radius: 32″ Minimum turnout: no. […]
The layout at a glance Name: Western Maryland Ry. Blue Ridge Division Layout designer: Brian Wolfe Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 28 x 39 feet Prototype: Western Maryland Ry. Locale: Maryland/Pennsylvania border Era: 1970 Style: multilevel walk-in Mainline run: 200 feet Minimum radius: 29″ (main), 18″ (Hagerstown wye) Minimum turnout: no. 6 (main), no. 4 (yards) […]
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 […]
The layout at a glance Name: Piermont Division Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 60 x 70 feet Theme: freelanced Locale: Pennsylvania, New York State, northwestern New Jersey Era: early 1950s Style: walk-in Mainline run: more than 1,400 feet Minimum radius: 38″ Minimum turnout: no. 10 (main and sidings), no. 8 (yards) Maximum grade: 1.5 percent (main), […]
Click on the image or link below to download a PDF of this track plan. The layout at a glance Name: The Four Corners & Five Lakes Ry. (a business unit of FCFL Transportation) Scale: N (1:160) Size: 20 x 30 feet Theme: freelanced Locale: Four Corners region of U.S. Era: modern Style: around the […]
The layout at a glance Name: Gauley & Shavers Fork Layout designer: Bob Ferguson Scale: N (1:160) Size: 16′-4″ x 33′-6″ Prototype: Baltimore & Ohio, Chesapeake & Ohio, Norfolk & Western, and Western Maryland Locale: Appalachia Era: mid- to late-1960s Style: shelf Mainline run: 75 feet Minimum radius: 9.75″ Minimum turnout: Peco medium radius Maximum […]
Name: Greenville & Ohio RR Layout owner: Jack Varadi Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 131⁄2 x 23 feet Theme: freelanced short line Locale: Ohio, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina Era: 1940s to 1950s Style: walk-in Mainline run: 160 feet Minimum radius: 26″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 3 percent Benchwork: L-girder Height: 48″ […]
Name: Western Sierra Lines Layout owner: Roseville Roundhouse Model RR Club Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 17 x 30 feet Prototypes: Southern Pacific, Union Pacific Locale: Central California Era: mixed Style: walk-in Mainline run: 200 feet Minimum radius: 30″ (main), 24″ (short line) Minimum turnouts: no. 6 (main), no. 4 (yards and industries) Maximum grade: 2 […]
Name: Cajon Pass Layout owner: Pat Smith Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 33′-2″ x 40′-7″ Prototype: Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; Union Pacific; and Southern Pacific Locale: Southern California Era: Early 1950s to early 1960s strong>Style: walkaround Mainline run: 475 feet Minimum Radius: 30″ Minimum turnout: no. 5 Maximum grade: 3 percent Benchwork: open grid Height: […]
Name: The Placerville Branch Layout owner: Tom Ebert Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 11 x 27 feet Prototype: Southern Pacific Locale: Northern California foothills Era: 1930s Style: double-deck continuous-climb walkaround Mainline run: 110 feet Minimum radius: 24″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 2 percent Benchwork: L-girder and open-grid Height: 34″ (lower staging) to 62″ Roadbed: cork […]
Name: Hudson, Delaware & Lehigh Layout owner: Gary Schaff Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 13′-6″ x 35′-0″ Prototype: Central RR of New Jersey and Pennsylvania RR Locale: Jersey City, N.J., to Mauch Chunk, Pa. Era: early 1950s Style: walk-in Mainline run: CNJ, 170 feet; PRR, 108 feet Minimum radius: 27″ Minimum turnout: no. 5 Maximum grade: […]
