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

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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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HO scale Pacific & Eastern

HOscalePacificandEastern1

Name: Pacific & Eastern Layout owner: Rogue Valley Model Railroad Club Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 26 x 52 feet Prototype: semi-freelanced Locale: southern Oregon Era: 1989 Style: double-deck walk-in Mainline run: 531 feet Minimum radius: 34″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 (main), no. 4 (sidings) Maximum grade: 2.5 percent (main), 4 percent (logging branch) Benchwork: engineered […]

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HO scale Train World Museum

HOscaleTrainWorldMuseum

Name: Train World Layout builder: Modeling group PAJ Modelbouw Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 16′-5″ x 19′-8″ PROTOTYPE: freelanced Locale: Ardennes region of Belgium Era: 1980s Style: museum display Mainline run: 181 feet Minimum radius: 223⁄4″ Minimum turnout: none Maximum grade: 2.2 percent Benchwork: open grid Height: 12″ to 60″ Roadbed: cork Track: Märklin K-Rail (visible […]

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N scale BC Rail Fort St. Johns Subdivision

NscaleBCRailStJohnsSub

Name: Fort St. John Subdivision Layout owner: Christian Javier Scale: N (1:160) Size: 12′-0″ x 21′-6″ Prototype: British Columbia Ry. Locale: Eastern British Columbia Era: 1977 Style: multiple-deck around-the-walls Mainline run: 90 feet (excluding helix) Minimum radius: 16″ Minimum turnout: no. 5 Maximum grade: 2.2 percent (in helix) This track plan originally appeared in the […]

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Montana Rail Link creation

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On Sept. 26, 2013, Montana Rail Link’s eastbound Gas Local passes a westbound BNSF coal train in Plains, Mont., bound for Roberts Bank, British Columbia. Tom Danneman Q What was the reason BNSF sold off trackage to Montana Rail Link? As an observer, it appears most trains on the railroad are of BNSF origin. – […]

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The HO scale Milwaukee, Racine & Troy in 1989

A track plan for the Milwaukee, Racine & Troy layout as it appeared in 1989

Name: Milwaukee, Racine & Troy (MR&T) Layout designer: Andy Sperandeo Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 28’-3” x 54’-9” Theme: freelanced Locale: southeastern Wisconsin Style: walkaround Mainline run: about 200 feet Minimum radius: 36” (main line) Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 3 percent   Click on the link to download the PDF of this track plan. […]

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HO scale Milwaukee, Racine & Troy RR (2017)

HOscaleMRTtrackplan

Name: Milwaukee, Racine & Troy RR Layout owner: Model Railroader staff Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 28 x 54 feet Prototype: freelanced bridge line Locale: Southeastern Wisconsin Era: 1980s and 1990s Style: walk-in Mainline run: approx. 200 feet Minimum radius: 36″ (main) Minimum turnout: no. 6 (main), no. 4 spurs Maximum grade: 3 percent eastbound, 1.5 […]

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