Chicago & North Western Des Moines Subdivision

Name: Chicago & North western Des Moines Subdivision Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 24′-0″ x 38′-0″ Prototype: C&NW Period: 1955 Style: walk-in Minimum radii: 28″ main line Minimum turnout: no. 6 main line, no 4 spurs Maximum grade: 1 percent Originally appeared in the July 2008 issue of Model Railroader. See a PDF version of this […]

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San Bernardino, Calif.

Track plan at a glance Name: Santa Fe Scale: HO (1.87.1) Size: 24 x 49 feet Prototype: Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe and Union Pacific Era: 1951 Style: walk-in and around-the-walls Mainline run: 150 feet Minimum radius: 30″ Minimum turnout: no. 8 Maximum grade: 2.5 percent Originally appeared in the June 2008 issue of Model […]

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Virginia & Western RR

Track plan at a glance Name: Virginia & Western RR Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 25 x 37 feet Prototype: freelanced, based on Norfolk & Western Era: 1940s Style: walk-in Mainline run: 600 feet Minimum radius: 32″ on main line, 24″ on branch line Minimum turnout: no. 6 on sidings and branch line, no. 8 on […]

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New York Central

Track plan at a glance Name: New York Central Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 29′-0″ x 33′-4″ Prototype: New York Central RR Era: late 1960s Style: double-deck Mainline run: 300 feet Minimum radius: 32″ Minimum turnout: no. 6, main; no. 5, sidings Maximum grade: 2 percent Originally appeared in the March 2008 issue of Model Railroader. […]

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Bayport Division of the Soo Line

Track plan at a glance Name: Bayport Division of the Soo Line Scale: HO (1:87) Size: 21 x 30 feet Prototype: free-lance division of the Soo Line Period: 1970s Style: around-the-walls walk-in with peninsulas Mainline run: 126 feet Minimum radius: 18″ (most mainline curves are 30″) Minimum turnout: no. 4 Maximum grade: 3 percent Originally […]

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Cat Mountain & Santa Fe

Track plan at a glance Name: Cat Mountain & Santa Fe Scale: HO (1:87) Size: 30 x 36 feet Prototype: Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Era: 1978 Style: linear walkaround Mainline run: 400 feet Minimum radius: 29″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 2.25 percent Originally appeared in the September 1999 issue of Model Railroader. […]

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Rod Stewart and model railroads

Glamour shot of Rod Stewart from 2007.

WAUKESHA, WI — Hall of fame rock-n-roller, Rod Stewart, unwinds after a concert by kitbashing and scratchbuilding. These terms may sound like code words that explain the mysterious antics of a world-famous celebrity, but instead they describe techniques for one of the world’s most popular hobbies: model railroading. The acclaimed songwriter of hits like “Forever […]

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SBB Gotthard Line

Track plan at a glance Name: SBB Gotthard Line Scale: Z (1:220) Size: 30 x 50 feet Prototype: Swiss Federal Rys. Era: contemporary Style: island Mainline run: 310 feet Minimum radius: 10″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 2.5 percent Originally appeared in the December 2007 issue of Model Railroader. See a PDF version of […]

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Southern Pacific Bakersfield Subdivision

Track plan at a glance Name: Southern Pacific Bakersfield subdivisions Scale: N (1:160) Size: 9 x 30½ feet Prototype: Southern Pacific’s crossing of the Tehachapi Mountains (Santa Fe has trackage rights) Theme: heavy freight and passenger mountain crossing Period: 1950s to present Style: around the walls and peninsula Minimum radius: 21″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 […]

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Central Vermont

Track plan at a glance Name: Central Vermont Scale: N Originally appeared in the February 2000 issue of Model Railroader. See a PDF version of this track plan by clicking here. […]

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Virginian & Ohio

Track plan at a glance Name: Virginian & Ohio Scale: HO (1:87) Size: 33 x 51 feet Prototype: free-lanced Ohio to Virginia bridge route Period: 1975 Style: linear walkaround Minimum radius: 30″ on main Minimum turnout: no. 6 on main line, mostly no. 8 on new addition Maximum grade: 2.5 percent Originally appeared in the […]

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