VIDEO: N scale Norfolk Southern Pocahontas Division

model trains on a bridge and the cover of Great Model Railroads 2019

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Scott Teague’s N scale Pocahontas Division models the Norfolk Southern through West Virginia in the 1990s. Plenty of coal and intermodal traffic snake through the Appalachian Scenery of this 18 x 42-foot layout featured in Great Model Railroads 2019. As an online bonus […]

Read More…

HO scale Quisling, CA

Name: Quisling, CA Layout owner: Brian Moore Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 21 inches x 24 feet Prototype: proto-freelanced Southern Pacific Locale: Central/Northern California Era: circa 1982 Style: modular Mainline run: 24 feet Minimum radius: 42″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: none Benchwork: extruded-foam insulation board sheets, wrapped in plywood Height: 45″ Roadbed: none Track: […]

Read More…

HO scale Soo Line Latta Sub

HOscaleSooLineLattaSub

Name: Soo Line Latta Sub Layout owner: John Emley Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 26 x 28 feet Prototype: Soo Line Locale: southern Indiana Era: summer 1993 Style: around the walls Mainline run: 50 feet plus reversing loops Minimum radius: 32″ (main), 28″ (reversing loops), 24″ (branch) Minimum turnout: no. 6 (main), no. 5 (yard) Maximum […]

Read More…

HO scale Burlington Northern Peoria Subdivision

HOscaleBurlingtonNorthernPeoriaSubdivision

Name: Burlington Northern Peoria Subdivision Layout owner: Ken Thompson Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 22 x 36 feet Prototype: Burlington Northern Locale: northwestern Illinois Era: May 1980 Style: around the walls Mainline Run: 120 feet Minimum Radius: 36″ Turnout Minimum: no. 6 Maximum Grade: 1 percent Benchwork: open grid Height: 40″ Roadbed: Homasote Track: handlaid code […]

Read More…

N scale Pocahontas Division

NscalePocahontasDivison1

Name: Pocahontas Division Layout owner: Scott Teague Scale: N (1:160) Size: 18 x 42 feet Prototype: Norfolk Southern Locale: West Virginia Era: mid-1990s Style: walk-in Mainline Run: 436 feet (main), 198 feet (branch) Minimum radius: 28″ Minimum turnout: no. 8 Maximum grade: 3 percent Benchwork: L-girder Height: 47″ to 74″ over three levels Roadbed: AMI […]

Read More…

Tune up your modern-style starter set for the holidays

polar_expresslead

Lionel no. 31960 The Polar Express and other holiday train sets that come with trains, track, and a transformer are ideal for creating a display under the Christmas tree. Jim Forbes Around my house, all the holiday decorations that adorn our walls are clearly the result of my wife’s dedicated efforts. Wisely, she doesn’t trust […]

Read More…

HO scale Clinchfield RR

HOscaleClinchfieldRR1

Name: Clinchfield RR Layout owner: Stuart Wrightson (original version designed by John Armstrong) Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 14 x 32 feet Prototype: Clinchfield RR, CSX Locale: From Elkhorn City, Ky.,to the Tennessee/North Carolina border Era: Original plan, 1978; existing layout, present day Style: walk-in Mainline run: 223 feet (original) Minimum radius: 30″ Minimum turnout: no. […]

Read More…

HO scale West Wisconsin RR

HOscaleWestWisconsinRR1

Name: West Wisconsin RR Layout owner: Mark Digerness Scale: 1:87.1 (HO) Size: 27 x 27 feet Prototype: Chicago & North Western Locale: northwest Wisconsin Era: early 1990s Style: walk-in Mainline run: 300 feet Minimum radius: 30″ Minimum turnout: no. 4 Maximum grade: 2.5 percent (helix) Benchwork: open grid Height: 36″ (lower deck), 59″ (upper deck) […]

Read More…

BONUS ARTICLE: N scale through the Northwoods

NscaleMissabeJunction20131

Steve Miazga’s updated N scale Missabe Junction is featured in the September 2018 Model Railroader. Check out This first article about Steve’s layout from the November 2013 Model Railroader. Steve Miazga grew up less than two blocks from the Soo Line main in Rhinelander, Wis. As a kid, he saw the Soo’s first Geeps and […]

Read More…

N scale Missabe Junction Ry. (2018)

NscaleMissabeJunction

Name: Missabe Junction Ry. (2018) Layout owner: Steve Miazga Scale: N (160:1) Size: 18 x 22 feet Prototypes: Soo Line; Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range; Wisconsin Central/Fox River Valley; Canadian National; and Missabe Junction Ry. Locale: north-central Wisconsin Era: 1960 to 1990 Style: island walk-in Mainline run: 150 feet Minimum radius: 15″ Minimum turnout: no. […]

Read More…

Amtrak’s P40s

AmtrakGenesisP40AMD103

Amtrak P40s that didn’t make the first cut for rebuilding wait their turn in Bear, Del., on June 7, 2010. Bob Johnston Q Whatever became of Amtrak’s P40s? They were numbered in the 800 series and looked very similar to the P42s in service today. What’s the difference between them? Does Amtrak still have any […]

Read More…