Tom Gordon's Seaboard Air Line - West Georgia Subdivision [Norcross, GA] (HO)

Layout Tour Dates

Saturday, October 30, 2021 - 10:00am to 2:00pm
In-person tour of an indoor model railroad. Host REQUIRES THAT ALL GUESTS BE VACCINATED FOR COVID-19, AND BRING & WEAR A FACE MASK while on their property. Host will also limit the number of guests to be inside at one time.
Seaboard Air Line - West Georgia Subdivision [Norcross, GA]
5460 Vineyard Park Trl
Norcross, GA 30071
See map: Google Maps
New on Tour
Contact Information
Tom Gordon
678-643-6022
tgordon@mindspring.com
Wheelchair Accessible: 
Yes
Layout Details

For 2021, this will be an in-person tour of this indoor model railroad.

Layout Description:

This layout is a loose representation of the most mountainous portion of the Seaboard Air Line from Atlanta to Birmingham, in the late summer of 1954.  It is designed for lots of industry switching and has a number of seriously modified kits and scratch built structures.  The track is a combination of flex track and handlaid industrial sidings. Locomotive power is provided by first generation diesels – with some ‘retired’ SAL steam on the industrial switching area in Rockmart.

The layout is a new one (replacing a similar layout at a different location, last on tour in 2018), but it is fully functional.  Much of the wiring and infrastructure can still be seen.  This will likely be covered within the year, so if you wish to see what goes on beneath the scenery, this is an opportunity to see what’s there.

The physical plant is controlled via a C/MRI system, with propulsion via DCC.  Since this current rendition of the layout is less than 2 years old, the signal system is in the process of being installed.

Scale

 HO

Size

 40’ x 35’, L-shaped

Prototype

 Seaboard Air Line

Locale

 Atlanta/Birmingham, Rockmart, Cedartown, and Ragland

Era

 1954

Style

 Walk In/Around

Len. of Mainline

 170’

Layout Height

 45”-47”

Benchwork

 Various

Roadbed

 Homabed and Cork

Trackwork

 Peco Code 83, Micro Engineering 70 & Handlaid 55

Turnouts

 Mostly #8 Mainline, #6 Branch

Min. Radius

 30” Main, 24”Branch

Maximum Grade

 None

Scenery

 Hardshell – 3% Complete

Backdrop

 Masonite

Controls

 C/MRI + JMRI Control & Signal with CVP DCC

Wheelchair Accessible

 No

Directions 

Proceed to Peachtree Industrial Blvd, going outside the Perimeter.  Continue to Reps Miller Road, and turn right.  At the end of Reps Miller (the first and only stoplight), turn right, and then make another right about 200 feet down into the Adams Vineyard neighborhood.  Turn left at the 4 way stop, and the layout is 4 houses down on the left.  Most GPS systems can find the house without any difficulty.

Important Notes About Parking:

Please do NOT park on the grass, as the irrigation system is only a couple of inches from the curb, and has been shown to be quite fragile.  Also, please park on the ‘house’ side of the street.  For additional parking, there is a parking area as you first enter the neighborhood (on the left) that is covered with pea gravel.  From there, it is only a short walk to the house.

To get to the layout, come around the right side of the house to the back (5460 Vineyard Park Trl).  It would be difficult to maneuver a wheelchair to the back of the house.