Central Vermont Railway Southern Division in HO scale | In Northern California’s San Francisco Bay Area, a dedicated group led by Paul Weiss is passionately re-creating the Central Vermont Railway’s Southern Division as it existed in May 1956. This historically accurate project showcases meticulously replicated scenes from New London, Conn., to Palmer, Mass., portraying the transition from urban to rural landscapes. Notable landmarks include New London’s Union Station, the Winthrop Cove trestle, and the bustling East New London Yard.
Moving northwards, the model features the picturesque town of Montville with its vast R. Gair paper mill, as well as the iconic Montville passenger station. The layout further captures the essence of various towns like Norwich, Lebanon, and Willimantic, showcasing a diversity of industries and tracks reflecting the region’s character.
In Willimantic, special attention is given to a working Bridge Street Signal, creating a unique experience for operators. Passenger service adds an extra layer of realism to the layout and enhances the experience for visitors. The group’s dedication is evident, with re-created scenes like North Stafford Springs and Munson, demonstrating impressive backdrop artistry and historical accuracy. The journey culminates in Palmer, Mass., where the Central Vermont Railway crosses the bustling Boston & Albany main line. This collaborative layout represents a labor of love, offering enthusiasts a truly immersive experience and promises even more to come in the future.
I absolutely loved this video. I grew up in Palmer so it was a good trip down memory lane (Palmer is the town of 7 railroads). FYI: The river your train crossed from Monson into Palmer is called the Quabaug (pronounced quay bog). My elementary school was also called Quabaug, 8 room school 1st-7th grades. I was surprised you didn’t show the “X” at the Palmer station (which is now the Steaming Tender restaurant). Past that, is a rather large industry I think the CV serviced (Wickwire Manufacturing, which was real close to my old elementary school). Stafford Springs was another good memory for me. A great modified race track there that my dad took me to back in the day. When I was 18, we used to take “Packy” runs down to Stafford because the Connecticut drinking age was 18 while Massachusetts was 20 back then :). Keep up the good work, your layout is fantastic!!
Whenever I watch videos of these amazing club layouts or read articles on them, Im simply amazed and in awe of how these layouts are built with such detail and realism These are truly works of art. Just like we go to art museums to see paintings and sculptures made by the old masters or we attend a concert to hear a symphony orchestra play a stirring classical piece or symphonic piece so are these model layouts and should be ranked up there with classic paintings or works of art and classical music The amount of work and detail and realism that goes into creating these minature worlds is beyond words and definitely should take their place as masterpieces and high works of craftsmanship and beauty Joseph C Markfelder