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How To Large Scale Layouts The Dunckley Northern Railroad

The Dunckley Northern Railroad

By Angela Cotey | March 31, 2008

| Last updated on January 11, 2021


Bonus photographs of this cover story!

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Don’t miss the Dunckley Northern Railroad, our cover story for the June 2008 issue! Enjoy these bonus photographs, which will not be in the magazine.
A busy morning at Wombat Station, with passengers eagerly awaiting the arrival of the morning Comet. The catenary is only installed from Inshed (In the train room) to Wombat, and an electric commuter train is operated occasionally. Electric helper service is also available. The older part of town is in the background. The newer brick buildings show the town is becoming quite prosperous. These brick building fronts are from the Colorado Model Structures range and include the Weedon Feed Store. All of the buildings and streetlights are lighted.
Marc Horovitz
The overnight train, complete with sleeping cars, is departing Pasheo in the charge of Garratt Nº 18, a 2-8-2+2-8-2, on the final leg of its journey to Wombat. The engine was scratchbuilt on two LGB 0-8-0 chassis. Most of the passenger cars were kitbashed from LGB Barmer Mountain Coaches and have six-wheel trucks. Sea pinks in the left and mid foreground display light pink flowers.
Marc Horovitz
The Wombat Loco Depot engine shed and turntable, with the mainline passing behind them on its way to Inshed (located in the train room). The usual junk is lying around. This part of the railway is over four feet off the ground, on a “table” topped with cement board and rolled roofing. The engine shed and turntable are scratchbuilt.
Marc Horovitz
The Comet is holding to its accelerated schedule as it climbs the grade through Black Boulder Pass on its way to Wombat. The Comet is an articulated diesel powered train inspired by the Australian Silver City Comet and the Denver Zephyr and was built in the DNR shops. It was designed to provide faster passenger service on the existing trackage. The model is powered by a single Aristo-Craft three-axle diesel motor block with custom side frames. Car bodies are from the LGB ICE train. Sheep graze on blue star creeper.
Marc Horovitz
The sleepy town of Blue Spruce is shaken by the passage of a heavy freight hauled by CCC Mallet Nº 110. Judging by the number of cars out front, the BS General store is busy today. Most of the residents are in their houses, which are shaded by large trees. The locomotive was scratchbuilt on an LGB European Mallet chassis and the station building is a Korber kit, with a platform and toilet added. Flanking the pink house, Prelude pieris bears white flower clusters in spring.
Marc Horovitz

The railway at a glance

Railway name: Dunckley Northern Railway (DNR)
Size of railroad: Covering an odd shaped garden approximately 70′ x 70′
Scale: 1:24
Gauge: 45mm for 3’6″ gauge and 64mm for standard gauge
Era: Late 1930s
Theme: The DNR is a Colonial railway in an undisclosed country. The Consolidated Concentrates Conglomerate (CCC) branch is owned by a US mining company and connects the DNR to its standard-gauge parent, The Mason Alameda & Dunckley Railroad Navigation & Drayage Company (MA&DR).
Age: 14 years
Motive power: Scratchbuilt and kitbashed steam, diesels, and railcars
Length of mainline: Approximately 900′
Maximum gradient: 4%
Type of track: Llagas Creek code 250 for the 3’6″ gauge; handlaid dual gauge.
Minimum radius: 6′
Structures: Scratchbuilt, kitbashed, and kit-built
Control system: RCS radio control of battery-powered locomotives

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