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As I posted about this layout in another Thread, and people liked what they saw, I really should run a thread of it's own about this US-outline, UK-resident 2-rail layout!!

In O scale terms it's pretty small; by American standards it might as well be a Micro Layout!!!

It is 12ft by 2ft, divided into 8ft scenic section and 4ft hidden staging. The trackplan is very simple - just two switches, three spurs, depicting an Interchange between a Class 1 (CP Rail, on an Ex-Soo Line branch) with my fictional 'Portway Terminal RR', which has an Atlas RS3, in a "heritage" D&H livery (a bit like the Batten Kill RR).

 

 

 

 

 

Although the track is "wrong" for this layout, using mostly Peco UK-style track as it's what I had (obtaining Atlas track in the UK is expensive!!) I tried to capture the 'rock'n'roll' run down nature of US secondary track by shimming the ties in places, to make the rolling stock lean over. I also depicted staggered rail joints, something not done in the UK

 

 

It is supposedly located somewhere in Minnesota's plains region; so I'm trying to depict "wide open spaces" across a baseboard depth of just 24inches...

Here it was being closely examined at the annual Trent Valley North American Modellers Show (near Lichfield, West Midlands, UK)  in June this year

 

 

This pic was taken before the scenery was fully finished, but it's people's favourite part of the layout at Shows - the skid marks & oil spill tell their own story!!

 

Thanks for looking!!!

Remember - "Lack of Space is merely a Challenge to the Imagination".

 

 

 

Last edited by SundayShunter
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Originally Posted by Mill City:

The landscape reminds me of rural western regions of the state. I must ask how or why you selected such an obscure location as Minnesota to model? A remarkable rendition, considering you have never actually seen it. The magic of the internet.

Minnesota "obscure"..??!! MN is the center of my Railfan Universe!!! The Twin Cities were a major location for this rather wonderful Railroad, and these great locos it used to run -

My main interest is the Soo Line, and these are some of my O Scale collection.

 

Minneapolis/St Paul also plays host to this Short Line -

 

and this one, which used to run this loco -

 

Center of the Universe.

The PGR & MNNR models are in HO, pictured on a layout I was building up in my loft (attic), until recently, when I rather foolishly did a size comparison with my O Scale stuff -

... so the HO track has been torn up & I am starting work on an O Scale layout up there, too. Actually another reason was that I needed to simplify my focus - trying to work in two scales has meant really accomplishing less in either.

 

CoasterP - The track plan is really simple & this under-construction photo from last December shows it all, really.

 

The line enters the scenic section past Allports Truckstop, which is a Bachmann Plasticville model which has come up rather well, I think, from what is essentially a 'toy' item.

 

I like a bit of humour on a layout, if it's subtle...

"I know I left that dang thing here someplace!!"

 

This is my take on an old classic (was it Chuck Youngirth(spelling??) )

 

This has been done before as well on a US layout in the UK. There's an old Country & Western song "King of the Road". The two opening lines of it are here, if you look closely -

 

Finally my rickety track from another angle.

 

Thanks for the interest!!

 

Last edited by SundayShunter

The Ex-MILW Bandit GP-40 is a "kitbash" of a Weaver GP38-2 combined with Atlas SD40 & GP35 parts, & brass plow and all-weather window. It has a Pittman motor, Weaver/P&D chain drive, & a "super Tsunami" from Protocraft, the one they do modified to a 3amp capacity.

 

Here's a pic of it under construction. Black parts are Weaver, gray Atlas.

It uses a slightly shortened Atlas SD40 long hood (old weaver GP38 hood to the side) and battery boxes under the cab. The dynamics blister is Atlas GP35.

 

The Weaver fuel tank seems to be a short-range type? I may have got this wrong, but from the photos I could find of MILW GP40s, they seemed to have longer tanks, so I made a couple of brass overlays to make the tank longer.

 

The great thing about the Soo Bandit scheme was that I didn't have to buy any Milwaukee Road decals, and could have a Soo Line loco that was utterly different to the White & Red scheme!! I painted the black with a rattle-can, and hand-brushed the orange, finishing the weathering with dry-brushing & an airbrush. Decals were dry-rub 'Letraset' type lettering.

 

 

The reference photo in particular that I used for her dates from about 1990, so that's about the time period for the condition my model is depicted in. As I understand it, the real #2041 is still in CP Rail service. Now she has plated-over class lights, fitted ditch lights, and is still in this "temporary" black-patch scheme, but looking even more decrepit than ever!! Clearly CP Rail are as reluctant to spend money on paint as the Soo Line was!!!

Last edited by SundayShunter

Thank you J.

 

I'm always attracted by the dark side big scales: big scales like O are good for many things. I always come back to O scale. I like this scale a lot.

 

I'm planning a small O scale (2-rail) US shortline layout. Something I haven't yet try!

I've still built several layouts (N US shortline, HO US shortline (locomotives), On30/Oe French, O French shortline) and now, I have been hooked by the impressive look of the O scale standard gauge models from the USA.

 

I like your tiny but interesting layout. It's enough "big" to have a realistic operation with its only 2 turnouts. Great.

A small layout permits to add a lot of details and to save time because I don't have a lot of time and motivation to make a large layout like our American friends.

 

At this time I'm preparing some US Weaver and Atlas rolling stock and I'm scratchbuilding two flat cars.

 

ì stay tuned to learn more informations and see more photos of your layout.

 

I hope my English isn't too bad.

 

Cheers,

 

Jack

Last edited by SJVRR

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