HO scale West Wisconsin RR

HOscaleWestWisconsinRR1

Name: West Wisconsin RR Layout owner: Mark Digerness Scale: 1:87.1 (HO) Size: 27 x 27 feet Prototype: Chicago & North Western Locale: northwest Wisconsin Era: early 1990s Style: walk-in Mainline run: 300 feet Minimum radius: 30″ Minimum turnout: no. 4 Maximum grade: 2.5 percent (helix) Benchwork: open grid Height: 36″ (lower deck), 59″ (upper deck) […]

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BONUS ARTICLE: N scale through the Northwoods

NscaleMissabeJunction20131

Steve Miazga’s updated N scale Missabe Junction is featured in the September 2018 Model Railroader. Check out This first article about Steve’s layout from the November 2013 Model Railroader. Steve Miazga grew up less than two blocks from the Soo Line main in Rhinelander, Wis. As a kid, he saw the Soo’s first Geeps and […]

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N scale Missabe Junction Ry. (2018)

NscaleMissabeJunction

Name: Missabe Junction Ry. (2018) Layout owner: Steve Miazga Scale: N (160:1) Size: 18 x 22 feet Prototypes: Soo Line; Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range; Wisconsin Central/Fox River Valley; Canadian National; and Missabe Junction Ry. Locale: north-central Wisconsin Era: 1960 to 1990 Style: island walk-in Mainline run: 150 feet Minimum radius: 15″ Minimum turnout: no. […]

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Amtrak’s P40s

AmtrakGenesisP40AMD103

Amtrak P40s that didn’t make the first cut for rebuilding wait their turn in Bear, Del., on June 7, 2010. Bob Johnston Q Whatever became of Amtrak’s P40s? They were numbered in the 800 series and looked very similar to the P42s in service today. What’s the difference between them? Does Amtrak still have any […]

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Oregon, California & Eastern RR

Name: Oregon, California & Eastern Ry. Scale: HO scale (1:87.1) Size: 60 x 96 feet Theme: freelanced, bridge line based on the OC&E Locale: central, southern, and western Oregon Era: Fall 1975 Style: double deck, point-to-point with connecting staging yards Mainline run: 1,353 feet (20.5 scale miles); Sycan Branch, 118 feet; Coastal branch, 72 feet […]

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Passenger car beds

TRNAT0116_04

A sleeping berth shown set for feet first in the direction of travel on an Amtrak long-distance train. Bob Johnston Q I previously understood that the safest position to sleep while traveling by train was with feet first, but the past Amtrak trips I took had the bed set up head first. Is there an […]

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Track Plan: HO scale CSX Ridgecrest

HOscaleCSXRidgecrest

Name: CSX Ridgecrest Layout owner: Paul Newtson Scale: HO (1:87) Size: 2′-0″ x 6′-0″ Prototype: CSX Locale: no specific area Era: varies Style: module Mainline run: 6 feet Minimum radius: 18″ on sidings Minimum turnout: no. 4 Maximum grade: none Benchwork: tabletop Height: 40″ Roadbed: cork Track: codes 83 and 100 Scenery: ground foam Backdrop: […]

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HO scale Grand Trunk & Indiana

HOscaleGrandTrunkIndiana

Name: Grand Trunk & Indiana Layout owner: Russ Rettig Scale: HO (1:87) Size: 2 x 16 feet Prototype: New Jersey, Indiana & Illinois RR Locale: north-central Indiana Era: late 1970s Style: single deck Mainline run: 16 feet Minimum radius: 18″ Minimum turnout: no. 4 Maximum grade: none Train length: 8 to 10 cars Benchwork: 1⁄8″ […]

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