A compact backyard line

The P&BW Railroad

Railway at a glance Name: P&BW RR Size of railroad: 30′ x 40′ Scale: 1:29 and 1:20.3 Gauge: Nº 1 (45mm) Era: Late 1800s to present Theme: Colorado railroading then and now Age: 4 years Motive power: USA Trains diesels, LGB and Bachmann steam locomotives Length of mainline: Lower loop, 106′; upper loop, 146′ Maximum […]

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The Baker & Grande Ronde Railroad

1:24 scale garden railroad

Railway at a glance Name: Baker & Grande Ronde Railroad Size: 60′ x 185′ Theme: 1880s narrow gauge, mining, and logging Age: 9 years Scale: 1:24 Gauge: Nº 1 (45mm) Type of track: Code-250 brass rail handlaid on redwood ties Turnouts: #4 stub, #6 stub, and #4 three-way stub, all scratchbuilt Length of mainline: 560′ […]

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Santa Fe Ry., Emerald Springs Division

SantaFeRy.EmeraldSpringsDivision

Name: Santa Fe Ry., Emerald Springs Division Layout designer: Tom Noblitt Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 28-1⁄2 x 55 feet Prototype: Freelanced Locale: Southern Colorado Era: September 1956 Style: Walk-in Mainline run: 192 feet Minimum radius: 36″ (main) Minimum turnout: Peco no. 6 Maximum grade: 3.5 percent Originally appeared in the May 2013 Model Railroader. Click […]

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The Gypsy Trolley Line

Name: The Gypsy Trolley Line Layout designer: John Kosma Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 2 x 34 feet Prototype: freelanced, inspired by the Chicago, North Shore & Milwaukee and The Milwaukee Electric Ry. & Light Co. Locale: Milwaukee Era: 1939 to 1941 Style: freestanding, modular display Mainline run: 68 feet Minimum radius: 7″ Minimum turnout: no. […]

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Scratchbuild a small factory

SullivanMfg.drawing

These days modelers are blessed with an abundance of materials for scratchbuilding. Sheet and strip styrene, ABS plastic, brass, copper, aluminum, and wood are just some of the products available. However, when I build structures for my S scale Buffalo Creek & Gauley RR (see Great Model Railroads 2011), I use mat board, rose board, […]

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