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 […]
Name: Rio Grande Southern Layout designer: Dan Sylvester Scale: HOn3 (1:87.1, narrow gauge) Size: 4 x 8 feet Prototype: Rio Grande Southern RR Locale: western Colorado Era: 1930s Style: island Mainline run: 32 feet Minimum radius: 18″ Minimum turnout: 18″ radius Maximum grade: 4 percent (main line), 8 percent (mine spur) Click on the link […]
AnyRail Track Planning Software (screen shot) In designing my current layout, I wanted to move away from hand drawing track plans with all the attendant problems involved with making changes, edits, etc. I looked at several track-planning software products but found them too complicated for my needs and level of skill. Much like my attitude […]
Many of our model railroads have freight stations, but we don’t always make the most of their operational possibilities. Especially for cities from medium to larger size, freight stations can be among the busiest industries on our layouts. Freight stations provide rail service to businesses that don’t have their own rail sidings. You can think […]
Name: Reading Co. Layout designer: Sy Diamond Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 13′-6″ x 22′-0″ Prototype: Reading Co. Locale: eastern Pennsylvania Era: 1930s to early ’40s Style: walk-in with two liftout sections Mainline run: 80 feet Minimum radius: 36″ (main) Minimum turnout: no. 6 (main), no. 4 (yards and industries) Maximum grade: 2 percent Click on […]
Name: Connecticut Co. Layout designer: Les Lewis Scale: O (1:48) Size: 23′-6″ x 39′-6″ Prototype: Connecticut Co. Locale: freelanced, inspired by New Haven, Conn. Era: 1930s to ’40s Style: modular Mainline run: 110 feet Minimum radius: 12″ Minimum turnout: 12″ radius Maximum grade: none Click on the link to download the PDF of this track […]
Name: San Juan Silverton RR Scale: HOn3 (1:87.1, 3-foot narrow gauge) Size: 12 x 14 feet Prototype: freelanced, inspired by Rio Grande Southern Locale: southwest Colorado Era: fall 1939 Style: walk-in Minimum radius: 24″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 4 percent Originally appeared in the June 2010 issue of Model Railroader. Click on the […]
Name: Suarez Southeastern RR Layout owner: Mike Suarez Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 12 x 15 feet Theme: freelanced Locale: eastern United States Era: 1920s to ’30s Style: around the walls Mainline run: 50 feet Minimum radius: 22″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: none Originally appeared in the June 2010 issue of Model Railroader. Click […]
Name: Black Stag Lumber Co. RR Layout owner: Allen Hare Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 20 x 22 feet Prototype: Mann’s Creek Ry. Locale: West Virginia Era: 1930s Style: walk-in Mainline run: 140 feet Minimum radius: 18″ Minimum turnout: no. 4 Maximum grade: 5 percent Originally appeared in the May 2010 issue of Model Railroader. Click […]
When Al Kalmbach published the first issue of Trains in November 1940, the company’s home state of Wisconsin boasted 6,675 route-miles of railroad, a total that had peaked at 7,500 two decades earlier and was declining. Lingering effects from the Great Depression kept the state’s three largest railroads in bankruptcy — Chicago & North Western, […]
The invention of the tank car coincided with the discovery of oil in northwestern Pennsylvania in the 1860s. Oilmen quickly discovered that hauling oil to market in horse-drawn wagons or floating barrels down local streams wasn’t going to do the job as oil production ramped up. The oil industry needed to find a way to […]
Name: Rhode Haven Scale: HO Size: 18′-4″ x 22′-6″ Prototype: freelanced, with New Haven influence Locale: New England Era: 1930s to 1940s Style: walk-in Mainline run: 140 feet Minimum radius: 32″ Minimum turnout: no. 5 Maximum grade: 21/2 percent Originally appeared in the February 2010 issue of Model Railroader. Click on the link to download […]
