Facts & features Name: Great Northern Scale: N (1:160) Size: 10-0′ x 16-0′ Prototypes: Freelanced Locale: Pacific Northwest Era: Mid-1960s Style: Walk-in Mainline run: 86 feet Minimum radius: 15″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Benchwork: Modified L-girder Height: 46″ Roadbed: Commercial foam roadbed Track: Micro Engineering code 55 (main), Peco code 80 (staging) Scenery: Extruded-foam insulation […]
Section: Track Planning
The Post cereal plant in Battle Creek, Michigan layout in N scale
Facts & features Name: Post cereal plant in Battle Creek, Michigan Scale: N (1:160) Size: 12-0′ x 14-0′ Prototypes: Grand Trunk Western and Penn Central Locale: Battle Creek, Michigan Era: 1970s Style: Single deck Mainline run: Not applicable Minimum radius: 18″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 3 percent Benchwork: L-girder with risers and open-grid […]
The HO scale Post cereal plant in Battle Creek, Michigan layout
Facts & features Name: Post cereal plant in Battle Creek, Michigan Scale: HO (1:87) Size: 12-0′ x 14-0′ Prototypes: Grand Trunk Western and Penn Central Locale: Battle Creek, Michigan Era: 1970s Style: Single deck Mainline run: Not applicable Minimum radius: 30″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 2 percent Benchwork: L-girder with risers and open-grid […]
The HO scale Bishop Street Branch layout
Facts & features Name: Bishop Street Branch Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 10′-6″ x 22′-0″ Prototypes: Guilford/Pan Am Railways Locale: Portland, Maine Era: Late 1980s through the 1990s Style: Walk-in Mainline run: None Minimum radius: 24” Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: None Benchwork: Open grid Height: 51″ Roadbed: 1⁄2″ birch plywood with N scale cork […]
Bob Cochran’s HO scale Vermont Rail System layout
Facts & features Name: Vermont Rail System Scale: HO (1:87) in standard, narrow (3-foot), and dual gauges Size: 22’-103⁄4” x 25’-7” Prototypes: Vermont Rail System, Rutland Railroad Locale: Vermont Era: 1960s to present Style: Walk-in Mainline run: 96 feet point-to-point, 106 feet loop Minimum radius: 24” Minimum turnout: no. 4 (yards), no. 6 (main) Maximum […]
End of the Line | Back on Track, Episode 25
In this episode, Gerry wraps up work on his model train layout and encourages everyone to start watching Spaces to Places. Getting to know Gerry Leone Back on Track host Gerry Leone is just as clever as he is comedic! But even better, he’s a masterful model railroader who’s knowledgeable in numerous areas of the […]
Finishing Scenery | Back on Track, Episode 24
In this episode, Gerry finishes up scenery work and gives a tour of final touches he’s making to his railroad. Getting to know Gerry Leone Back on Track host Gerry Leone is just as clever as he is comedic! But even better, he’s a masterful model railroader who’s knowledgeable in numerous areas of the […]
Rerouting track | Back on Track, Episode 23
In this episode, Host Gerry Leone acknowledges two areas on his layout where he needs to rethink the track arrangements. He discusses possible solutions and then shows how he rerouted the track on the lower and upper decks to fit his vision. Getting to know Gerry Leone Back on Track host Gerry Leone is just […]
The HO scale Eastern Loggers exhibition layout
Facts & features Name: The Eastern Loggers Scale: HO (1:87) in standard, narrow (3-foot), and dual gauges Size: 10 x 20 feet Prototypes: Pennsylvania logging railroads Locale: mountains of Pennsylvania Era: summer, early 1920s Style: sectional Mainline run: 60 feet Minimum radius: 18″ Minimum turnout: no. 4 Maximum grade: 6 percent Benchwork: open grid Height: […]
Where to find railroad maps online
Model railroaders have long relied on historic maps for information about track arrangements, trackside industries, and building footprints. With the continual growth of the internet, finding these railroad maps online is becoming easier all the time. Here are some helpful sources for finding both current and historic railroad maps online. Sanborn Fire Insurance maps Sanborn […]
Kirk Reddie’s N scale Chicago, Milwaukee & Puget Sound layout
Facts & features Name: Chicago, Milwaukee & Puget Sound Scale: N (1:160) Size: 48 x 96 feet Prototypes: Great Northern; Milwaukee Road; Northern Pacific; Pacific Coast RR; Spokane, Portland & Seattle; Tacoma Belt Line; and Union Pacific Locale: Pacific Northwest Era: circa 1950 Style: multi-deck walkaround Mainline run: approx. 1, 250 feet Minimum radius: 12 […]
Mark Carlson’s HO scale Baraboo Subdivision layout
Facts & features Name: The Baraboo Subdivision Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 10 x 24 feet Prototype: Chicago & North Western Ry., Madison Division Locale: Baraboo, Wis. Era: variable, from 1956 to 1995 Style: around the walls Mainline run: 38 feet Minimum radius: 30″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: flat Benchwork: 1 x 4 open […]