Cumberland & Ohio

Name: Cumberland & Ohio Layout designer: Michael Tylick Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 4 x 8 feet Theme: coal mining Locale: Appalachian Mountains Era: variable (1900-1970) Style: island Mainline run: 20 feet Minimum radius: 15″ Minimum turnout: no. 4 Originally appeared in the January 2013 Model Railroader. Click on the link to download the PDF of […]

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Sundance Central

Sundance Central

Name: Sundance Central Layout designer: Sundance Central modular railroad club Scale: 1:20.3-proportion, 3-foot gauge track Size: 40 x 45 feet Theme: none Locale: southwestern United States Era: late 1930s to early 1940s Style: open grid Mainline run: 115 feet Minimum radius: 5′-6″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: none Originally appeared in the December 2012 […]

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Yosemite Valley RR

Yosemite Valley RR Middle level

Name: Yosemite Valley RR Layout designer: Jack Burgess Scale: HO (1.87.1) Size: 20 x 20 feet Prototype: shortline railroad to Yosemite National Park Locale: San Joaquin Valley and Merced River Canyon in California Era: August 1939 Style: multi-level Mainline run: 112 feet Minimum radius: 22″ with spiral easements Minimum turnout: no. 5 Maximum grade: 2.3 […]

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Western Pacific RR

Western Pacific RR

Name: Western Pacific RR Layout designer: Bob Grech Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 17′-6″ x 25′-6″ Prototype: freelanced Locale: freelanced Era: 1935 to mid-1940s Style: walk in Minimum radius: 26″ (main line), 24″ (hidden reverse loop) Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 2 percent Originally appeared in the October 2012 issue of Model Railroader. Click here […]

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Whiskey Barrel & Gotham

Name: Whiskey Barrel & Gotham Layout designer: M.C. Fujiwara Scale: N (1:160) Size: 2 x 4 feet Prototype: freelanced Locale: mountain railroading Era: 1900 to 1970s Style: island or shelf Mainline run: 9 feet Minimum radius: 9-3/4″ Minimum turnout: no. 4 Maximum grade: none Originally appeared in the September 2012 issue of Model Railroader. Click […]

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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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