Name: Cale, Bear Mountain & Harrisonville
Layout owner: Vern Sargent
Scale: Z (1:220)
Size: 2′-0″ x 3′-2″
Prototype: Milwaukee Road and Monon
Locale: southern Indiana
Era: 1945 to 1955
Mainline run: 15 feet
Minimum radius: 811⁄16″
Minimum turnout: no. 41⁄2
Maximum grade: 4 percent
Benchwork: extruded-foam insulation board
Height: varies
Roadbed: cork on 1⁄4″ plywood
Track: code 55 flextrack
Scenery: lightweight plaster
Backdrop: commercial photograph
Control: direct current
This track plan originally appeared in the November 2017 Model Railroader. Click here to download a PDF of this track plan
I would not recommend this layout for a beginners, like myself. I picked it for its small size and have been attempting to build it. I have not been able to make it work. I think the grades must be greater than 4% as I have not been able to get it to work. It would have been helpful if this had elevations and more information on how to build.
This is a beautiful little Z scale layout, emphasis on the little. I firmly believe that the primary advantage of the small scales, N and Z, is the ability to really get a lot of RR for your space. Briefcase layouts are fine, but just imagine what the Chicago Museum of Science and Technology could have had for their three million dollars if they had used N scale instead of HO scale. Realistic curves, twice as much scenery, the city of Chicago portion of the layout built to scale instead of 3/4 scale, etc.