Alejandro’s “Random Semi-arid Railroad” (RSAX) is a small shelf layout set somewhere between 1970 and 1990. The layout is intended to be lightweight and portable, so that it can be hung upon storage. […]
RSAX shelf layout update
Era: 1971 - 1999
American Orient Express
‘American Orient Express’ observation car ‘New York’ at Denver in June 1996. Ten years later, the train would be rebranded as GrandLuxe Express. Chip Sherman Q What happened to the American Orient Express? It appeared on several railroad videos from the 1990s. – Frank Klos, San Diego, Calif. A The genesis of the American Orient […]
N scale Rio Grande, Alpine Division
Name: Rio Grande, Alpine Division Layout owner: Matt Carpenter Scale: N scale (1:160) Size: 14 x 32 feet Prototype: Denver & Rio Grande Western Locale: Colorado mountains Era: 1985 Style: walk-in with partial upper deck Mainline run: 250 feet Minimum radius: 18″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 3 percent Benchwork: open grid on heavy-duty wood shelf […]
VIDEO: N scale Norfolk Southern Pocahontas Division
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page Scott Teague’s N scale Pocahontas Division models the Norfolk Southern through West Virginia in the 1990s. Plenty of coal and intermodal traffic snake through the Appalachian Scenery of this 18 x 42-foot layout featured in Great Model Railroads 2019. As an online bonus […]
VIDEO: N scale Norfolk Southern Pocahontas Division
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page Scott Teague’s N scale Pocahontas Division models the Norfolk Southern through West Virginia in the 1990s. Plenty of coal and intermodal traffic snake through the Appalachian Scenery of this 18 x 42-foot layout featured in Great Model Railroads 2019. As an online bonus […]
HO scale Quisling, CA
Name: Quisling, CA Layout owner: Brian Moore Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 21 inches x 24 feet Prototype: proto-freelanced Southern Pacific Locale: Central/Northern California Era: circa 1982 Style: modular Mainline run: 24 feet Minimum radius: 42″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: none Benchwork: extruded-foam insulation board sheets, wrapped in plywood Height: 45″ Roadbed: none Track: […]
HO scale Soo Line Latta Sub
Name: Soo Line Latta Sub Layout owner: John Emley Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 26 x 28 feet Prototype: Soo Line Locale: southern Indiana Era: summer 1993 Style: around the walls Mainline run: 50 feet plus reversing loops Minimum radius: 32″ (main), 28″ (reversing loops), 24″ (branch) Minimum turnout: no. 6 (main), no. 5 (yard) Maximum […]
HO scale Burlington Northern Peoria Subdivision
Name: Burlington Northern Peoria Subdivision Layout owner: Ken Thompson Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 22 x 36 feet Prototype: Burlington Northern Locale: northwestern Illinois Era: May 1980 Style: around the walls Mainline Run: 120 feet Minimum Radius: 36″ Turnout Minimum: no. 6 Maximum Grade: 1 percent Benchwork: open grid Height: 40″ Roadbed: Homasote Track: handlaid code […]
N scale Pocahontas Division
Name: Pocahontas Division Layout owner: Scott Teague Scale: N (1:160) Size: 18 x 42 feet Prototype: Norfolk Southern Locale: West Virginia Era: mid-1990s Style: walk-in Mainline Run: 436 feet (main), 198 feet (branch) Minimum radius: 28″ Minimum turnout: no. 8 Maximum grade: 3 percent Benchwork: L-girder Height: 47″ to 74″ over three levels Roadbed: AMI […]
Tune up your modern-style starter set for the holidays
Lionel no. 31960 The Polar Express and other holiday train sets that come with trains, track, and a transformer are ideal for creating a display under the Christmas tree. Jim Forbes Around my house, all the holiday decorations that adorn our walls are clearly the result of my wife’s dedicated efforts. Wisely, she doesn’t trust […]
HO scale Clinchfield RR
Name: Clinchfield RR Layout owner: Stuart Wrightson (original version designed by John Armstrong) Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 14 x 32 feet Prototype: Clinchfield RR, CSX Locale: From Elkhorn City, Ky.,to the Tennessee/North Carolina border Era: Original plan, 1978; existing layout, present day Style: walk-in Mainline run: 223 feet (original) Minimum radius: 30″ Minimum turnout: no. […]
Seatrain containers on Penn Central
Penn Central and Santa Fe teamed up to provide coast-to-coast transport of containers for Seatrain Lines in August 1972. Here, four PC General Electric units are in charge of the train at Perlman Yard in Selkirk, N.Y. Carl H. Sturner photo […]
