Z scale Cascade Mountain Railroad

ZscaleCascadeMountainRR

The layout at a glance Name: Cascade Mountain RR Layout designer: David Miller Scale: Z (1:220) Size: 12 x 13 feet Theme: freelanced Locale: Pacific Northwest Era: 1960s to present Style: island Mainline run: 45 feet Minimum radius: 12″ Minimum turnout: 13 degrees Maximum grade: 2.5 percent Benchwork: open grid Height: 42″ to 50″ Roadbed: […]

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Gn3 Denver & Rio Grande Western

Gn3DenverRioGrandeWestern

Gn3 Denver & Rio Grande Western track plan Name: Denver & Rio Grande Western Layout designer:  John Johnson Scale: Gn3 (1:22.5 proportion) Size: 20 x 55 feet Theme: D&RGW Locale: Colorado Era: 1950s Style: Continuous-run display Mainline run: 300 feet Minimum radius: 8 feet Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 4 percent Benchwork: Plywood on […]

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HO scale Grand Junction RR

HOscaleGrandJunctionRR1

HO scale Grand Junction RR from the February 2015 Model Railroader Name: Grand Junction RR Layout designer: Rolf Malmborg Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 13 x 24 feet Prototype: Union Pacific and Southern Pacific along the former Denver & Rio Grande Western Locale: western Colorado and eastern Utah Era: 2006 Style: walk-in Mainline run: 160 feet […]

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HO scale Milwaukee & Northwestern Wisconsin Division

MilwaukeeandNorthwesternWisconsinDivision

Name: Milwaukee & Northwestern Wisconsin Division Layout designer: Chuck Sable Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 13’-8” x 24’-0” Prototype: Chicago & North Western Madison and Lancaster Subdivisions Locale: Southern Wisconsin Era: 1955-1980 Style: Around the walls Mainline run: 100 feet Minimum radius: 24” (main), 22” (branch) Minimum turnout: no. 6 (main), no. 4 (industries) Maximum grade: […]

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N scale Red Oak

NscaleRedOak

Name: Red Oak Layout designer: staff of Model Railroader Scale: N (1:160) Size: 3′-0″ x 6′-8″ Prototype: Chicago, Burlington & Quincy RR Locale: Red Oak, Iowa Era: early 1960s Style: island, portable Mainline run: 15 feet Minimum radius: 13″ Minimum turnout: Peco no. 6 medium Maximum grade: none Originally appeared in the January 2015 Model […]

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O scale Aksarben Road/ATSF Wishbone Division

AksarbenRoadATSFWishboneDivision

Name: Aksarben Road/ATSF Wishbone Division Layout designer: John Armstrong Scale: O (1:48) Size: 26 x 32 feet Theme: freelanced short line and Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe branch line Locale: Colorado and New Mexico Era: Sunday, May 27, 1951 Style: walk-in Mainline run: 202 feet Minimum radius: 42″ (Aksarben), 48″ (Santa Fe) Minimum turnout: no. […]

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On30 Fernwood Lumber Co.

On30FernwoodLumberCocopy

Name: Fernwood Lumber Co. RR Layout designer: Pete Birdsong Scale: On30 (1:48 proportion, 30″ narrow gauge) Size: 12 x 24 feet Theme: narrow gauge Southern logging Locale: Southern Mississippi Era: 1910 Style: walkaround Mainline run: 64 feet Minimum radius: 22″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 2 percent Originally appeared in the January 2015 Model […]

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HO scale Nickel Plate Road, St. Louis Division

TheNickelPlatesThirdSub

Name: Nickel Plate Road, St. Louis Division Layout designer: Tony Koester Scale: HO (1:87) Size: 24′-6″ x 60′-6″ Theme: high-speed flatlands railroading Locale: west-central Indiana, east-central Illinois Era: fall 1954 Style: multi-deck Mainline run: 500 feet Minimum radius: 42″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 (yard), no. 8 (main) Maximum grade: 1.5 percent Originally appeared in the […]

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On30 Jemez & Rio Grande (“The Chili Line”)

On30JemezRioGrandeTheChiliLine

Name: Jemez & Rio Grande (“The Chili Line”) Layout designer: Jim Gore Scale: On30 (1:48 proportion on 30″ narrow gauge track) Size: 12 x 16 feet Prototype: Denver & Rio Grande Western Santa Fe Division Locale: northern New Mexico Era: October 1951 Style: island style layout with continuous run Mainline run: 64 feet Minimum turnout: […]

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Big steam in the coal fields

CTT-T1214_APLAN

Layout designer: Ray Stuber Scale: O Layout size: 8 x 12 Track type: Lionel Fastrack Minimum curve: O-31 Originally appeared in the December 2014 issue of Classic Toy Trains. Steam in the coal fields track plan Steam in the coal fields track plan schematic […]

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HO scale Bona Vista RR

BonaVistaRR

Name: Bona Vista RR Layout designer: Gerry Leone Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 14′-6″ x 30′-0″ Prototype: freelance Locale: northern Wisconsin and Minnesota Period: 1953 Style: walkaround Mainline run: 200 feet Minimum radius: 30″ Minimum turnout: no. 5 Maximum grade: 1 percent Originally appeared in Great Model Railroads 2015.   Click on the link to download […]

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N scale Burnt Hills & Big Flats RR

BurntHillsbigFlatsRR

Name: Burnt Hills & Big Flats RR Layout designer: Steve Prevette Scale: N (1:160) Size: 20 x 30 feet Prototype: inspired by NYO&W Locale: northern Pennsylvania and central New York Period: June 5, 1970 Style: Around the walls with peninsulas Mainline run: 203 feet Minimum radius: 12″ Minimum turnout: no. 4 Maximum grade: 3 percent […]

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