Midwest Quarry & Mining Co.

MRR-KC0912_A plan

The layout at a glance Name: Midwest Quarry & Mining Co. Layout owner: Bob Genack Scale: On 2 1/2 (1:48, narrow gauge) Size: 8′-6″ x 12′-0″ Prototype: freelanced Locale: Midwest Era: 1930s Style: L-shaped Benchwork: L-girder and open grid Height: 46″ Roadbed: cork Track: Atlas code 100 Mainline run: 57 feet Minimum radius: 24″ Minimum […]

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Chicago & North Western and Omaha Road, 1930

TM0802

This Map of the Month was featured in the August 2002 issue of  Trains magazine. If ever two railroads practiced seamless service decades before it became a railroad industry buzzword, it would be the Chicago & North Western and the Omaha Road. The Omaha Road, the usual shorthand for the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & […]

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Looping in Colorado

Colorado & Southern narrow gauge 2-8-0s Nos. 70 and 73 cross the high bridge on the Georgetown Loop with seven cars. The engines are moving at only 5 mph due to the frail nature of the bridge on May 14, 1938. Photo by R. H. Kindig […]

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Quanah, Acme & Pacific

Quana Acme Pacific

Name: Quanah, Acme & Pacific Layout designer: Steven Otte Scale: N (1:160) Size: 5′-9″ x 11′-0″ Prototype: Frisco subsidiary Locale: North Texas Era: early 1929 Style: donut with oNeTRAK modules Mainline run: 46 feet Minimum radius: 11″ Minimum turnout: no. 5 Maximum grade: none Originally appeared in the February 2012 issue of Model Railroader. Click […]

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HO scale Creamery Junction

Boston Maine - Boston Albany

Name: Creamery Junction Layout designer: Michael Tylick Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 4′-8″ x 16′-8″ Prototype: Boston & Maine and Boston & Albany Locale: Ware Valley, Mass. Era: variable Style: multi-level Mainline run: 150 feet Minimum radius: 24″ Minimum turnout: no. 5 Maximum grade: 2.6 percent Originally appeared in the December 2011 issue of Model Railroader. […]

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O scale Western Electric Empire, City & Suburban Lines

Western Electric Empire

Name: Western Electric Empire, City & Suburban Lines Layout designer: Bill Everett Scale: O (1:48) Size: 15′-11″ x 25′-0″ Prototype: Pacific Electric System Locale: freelanced, inspired by Los Angeles area Era: 1920s to 1940s Style: around the walls Minimum radius: 12″ Minimum turnout: no. 2 Maximum grade: 5 percent Originally appeared in the December 2011 […]

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OO scale London, Midland & Scottish Ry.

London Midland Scottish Ry

Name: London, Midland & Scottish Ry. (LMS) Layout designer: Greg Simpson Scale: OO (1:76 proportion on 1:87.1 HO gauge track) Size: 15 x 20 feet Prototype: (LMS) Locale: England, West Midlands Era: 1900s to 1960s Style: walk-in Mainline run: 100 feet Minimum radius: 18″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 (main), no. 4 (sidings) Maximum grade: 1 […]

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N scale Southern Ry. Spartanburg Subdivision

Southern Ry. Spartanburg Subdivision

Name: Spartanburg Subdivision Layout designer: Steven Otte Scale: N (1:160) Size: 3′-0″ x 5′-6″ Prototype: Southern Ry. Locale: upstate South Carolina Era: early 1940s Style: island Minimum radius: 9-3/4″ Mainline run: 11 feet Minimum turnout: no. 5 Originally appeared in the October 2011 issue of Model Railroader. Click on the link to download the PDF […]

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New Jersey, Indiana & Illinois RR

Name: New Jersey, Indiana & Illinois RR Layout designer: Dan Lawecki Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 21 x 24 feet Prototype: NJI&I (Wabash subsidiary from 1926 to 1966; Norfolk & Western branch line thereafter) Locale: South Bend, Ind. Era: 1920 or 1975 Style: walk-in Mainline run: 88 feet Minimum radius: 24 inches Minimum turnout: no. 6 […]

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The Denver & Rio Grande Western Chili Line

Name: The Chili Line Layout designer: Steve Amitrano Scale: Sn3 (1:64, 3-foot gauge) Size: 9′-6″ x 11′-6″ Prototype: Denver & Rio Grande Western Locale: Chama and Santa Fe, N.M. Era: mid-1930s to 1950s Style: doughnut Mainline run: 43 feet Minimum radius: 34″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Originally appeared in the Great Model Railroads 2008. Click […]

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Auxiliary tender and steam generator cars

TRN-AT0511_02

These two cars at Steamtown National Historical Site look similar but had different uses. Hank Ickes Q In the yard at Steamtown National Historical Site in Scranton, Pa., are two cars that I couldn’t identify. Do you know what purpose these cars had? — Hank Ickes, Arlington, Va. A One is an auxiliary tender or […]

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Rio Grande Southern

Rio Grande Southern

Name: Rio Grande SouthernLayout designer: Steve HarrisScale: HOn3 (1:87.1 proportion, three-foot gauge)Size: 9 x 25 feetPrototype: Rio Grande SouthernLocale: southwestern ColoradoEra: around 1939Style: double deck with helix, semi-mushroom peninsulaMainline run: 158 feet (excluding helix)Minimum radius: 18″Minimum turnout: no. 4 Originally appeared in the November 2004 issue of Model Railroader. Click on the link to download […]

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