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 grade: none (main), 3 percent (staging)
Benchwork: open grid
Height: 52″
Roadbed: cork on plywood or foam board
Track: Atlas and Micro Engineering code 83 flextrack, with Walthers, Peco, and Micro Engineering turnouts
Scenery: extruded-foam insulation board
Backdrop: painted drywall with photos
Control: Digitrax DCC
This track plan originally appeared in Great Model Railroads 2019. Click on the link to download a PDF copy of this track plan.
Wow! This is a great layout due to it’s focus and hidden staging below the main yard. I will be borrowing this idea for my own Texas RR. I can now focus on one major yard, some long scenery and use hidden / portable staging to hide the through coal trains. This layout is brilliant.