Cal-State Railroad Museum O and Standard gauge layout

overview of large room with model trains

What’s that? This is the summer when you visit every NASCAR track and Elvis memorial in Dixie? Forget it. Your passports are ready so you can take the kids to Six Flags over Cambodia? Put ’em away. There’s a family reunion in Wisconsin and you promised to bring the cheese curds and bratwurst? Let the […]

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Järfälla Model Railroad Club

Name: Järfälla Model Railroad Club Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 33 x 46 feet Theme: generic American Era: variable Style: walkaround Mainline run: 360 feet Minimum radius: 47″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 2 percent (main), 3.5 percent (branch line) Originally appeared in the March 2010 issue of Model Railroader. Click on the link to […]

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Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Brookfield Division

Name: Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Brookfield Division Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 26 x 36 feet Prototype: Chicago, Burlington & Quincy RR Locale: Missouri and Illinois Era: 1953 Style: linear walkaround Mainline run: 200 feet Minimum radius: 36″ main line, 30″ branch line Minimum turnout: no. 5 (main), no.4 (spurs) Maximum grade: 1½ percent Originally appeared […]

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Cascade Pacific

Name: Cascade Pacific Scale: O (1:48) Size: 15′-6″ x 44′-6″ Prototype: freelance Locale: Pacific Northwest Era: late 1960s Style: walkaround Mainline run: 96 feet Minimum radius: 42″ Maximum turnout: no. 5 yard, no. 6 main Maximum grade: 1 percent Click on the link to download a PDF of this track plan. […]

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Buffalo Creek & Gauley

Name: Buffalo Creek & Gauley Scale: S (1:64) Size: 25 x 44 feet Prototype: Buffalo Creek & Gauley Locale: West Virginia Period: 1957 Style: linear walkaround Mainline run: 110 feet Minimum radius: 32″ (visible track), 24″ (hidden track) Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 11/2 percent (BC&G), 2 percent (ERC&L) Originally appeared in the December […]

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Tuxedo Junction

Name: Tuxedo Junction Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 12 x 37 feet Prototype: Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Locale: Southwestern U.S. Era: 1952 Style: walk-in Mainline run: 235 feet Minimum radius: 32″ Minimum turnout: no. 8 Maximum grade: 2.5 percent Originally appeared in the November 2009 issue of Model Railroader. Click here to download a PDF […]

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Frisco Lines

Name: Frisco Lines Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 15 x 35 feet Prototype: St. Louis-San Francisco Locale: Missouri and Oklahoma Era: early 1950s Style: walkaround Mainline run: 200 feet Minimum radius: 30″ (main), 24″ (sidings and yard) Minimum turnout: no. 8 (main), no. 4 (sidings and yards) Maximum grade: 1 percent Originally appeared in the October […]

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History according to Hediger 5

Two men talking

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Thirty years ago on September 26, 1979, construction began on Model Railroader Senior Editor Jim Hediger’s influential HO scale Ohio Southern. Jim describes the concept and some of the challenges building his HO layout. Learn how a three and a half hour lunch […]

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History according to Hediger 5

Two men talking

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Thirty years ago on September 26, 1979, construction began on Model Railroader Senior Editor Jim Hediger’s influential HO scale Ohio Southern. Jim describes the concept and some of the challenges building his HO layout. Learn how a three and a half hour lunch […]

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Great Northern Ry.

Name: Great Northern Ry. Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 21 x 35 feet Theme: freelanced GN Locale: Pacific Northwest Date: September 15, 1955 Style: walkaround Mainline run: 344 feet Minimum radius: 32″ (main), 18″ (industrial areas) Minimum turnout: no. 6 (main), no. 4 (industrial) Maximum grade: 2.5 percent (main), 3.5 percent (branch lines) Originally appeared in […]

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Franklin & South Manchester

Name: Franklin & South Manchester RR Scale: HO (1:87) Size: 23 x 42 feet Prototype: free-lanced, based on Boston & Albany, Boston & Maine, and New York, New Haven & Hartford Locale: New England Period: 1935 Style: walkaround Minimum radius: 30″ Maximum grade: 2 percent Scenery construction: hydrocal on nylon screen over plywood forms Originally […]

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