AM Tours

10am - 1pm

Keith Williams’s NYC and Atlanta

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I modeled (freelanced) the NYC main line from Buffalo to Chicago, double deck single track with 7 passing sidings. Fully signaled with CMRI interface, with a JMRI CTC Panel, fully functional. I tried to be true to a CTC plant from the 50's Three Yards, one in Buffalo (lower level) with 10 tracks, one in Chicago (upper level), with 8 tracks, and One in Toledo (lower level) about 1/2 way to Chicago. Having retired recently, I am now in full swing on working on the layout almost every day. I hope to have a lot of scenery done or at least started in time for the Pilgrimage! Hope to see you here!

City: Hoschton
Scale/Gauge: HO
Keith Williams

John Rieken’s Transcon Four

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The TC4 runs from the east on the Pennsylvania and from the west on the Great Northern and Burlington into Chicago. Trains are switched out and reassembled to run outbound from Chicago. The TC4 also has several industries to switch out along with locals. One will find both freight and passenger trains on this layout.

City: Homer
Scale/Gauge: HO
John Rieken

PM Tours

1pm - 5pm

Michael Hahn’s Northeast Georgia N Scale

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The Northeast Georgia N Scale club layout came about as a result of the merger of two model railroad clubs, the Athens Bend Track Club and the Metro Atlanta N Scalers, which took place in the Fall of 2020. At the same time, one of our members offered one of the out-buildings on his property for the club to set up a permanent layout. The club layout consists of three principal parts: Bend Track modules, N-Trak modules, and the Wood corner, which are connected by specially built transition zones specifically designed to facilitate train movement between the sections. The layout is essentially a double-track dog-bone that winds its way through the three rooms of the layout building and covers about 3200 sq. ft. The Bend Track modules can be taken out of the layout for exhibition at local shows without affecting the ability to run trains over the rest of the layout, which remains permanently installed in the clubhouse. In addition, single track choke points have been purposefully incorporated into the layout design to keep members on their toes and running sessions interesting. Reversing sections/loops have also been incorporated into the layout so that train directions can readily be altered. There is an elevated Mountain Line that is seamlessly incorporated into the layout design and runs throughout the layout, except for the Bend Track sections. The layout also incorporates multiple possible train routes that can be taken by engineers running their trains to add additional interest and complexity to running sessions. The layout features a 14-track 20 ft long staging yard, several smaller yards scattered around the layout, numerous industrial sidings, and a switching section for members that enjoy operations. The layout is digitally controlled using a Digitrax Chief as the brain and 11 boosters that provide power to the layout. All turnouts on the layout have Frog Juicers installed, and we have begun designing signaling for the permanent parts of the layout. Simplex, Duplex and WiFi throttles can be used to control trains. Scenery on the layout is foam board supplemented with crumpled paper, covered by plaster-impregnated gauze, which is painted and further covered with ground foam, foam ground cover and trees. Plaster cast rocks and carved plaster-covered foam board are used to create cliffs. Most of the modular parts of the layout (~30%) are fully sceniced; we are currently working on the scenery of the transition zones between the principal components of the layout.

City: Comer
Scale/Gauge: N
Michael Hahn

Justin Jankauskas’s Delaware and Hudson Penn Division

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The Delaware and Hudson Penn Division layout is based on the line from Wilkes Barre, PA (South Staging) to Oneonta, NY (North Staging). The line was a steep climb to Ararat Summit needing helpers in both directions. Operations ceased in 1984 when the D&H purchased the ex-DL&W line out of Scranton directly to Binghamton, NY. I aimed to recreate the memories of my childhood along the Penn Division in Carbondale, PA with colorful mixes of patched out motive power including many Alco powered road freights. The layout is an around the walls style with a lower staging level connected with 2 long ramp tracks.

City: Hoschton
Scale/Gauge: HO
Justin Jankauskas

Norman Stenzel’s The Brandywine & Benedictine Railroad

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The layout is set in Appalachian Virginia and West Virginia in 1953. It has a single track mainline loosely based on things I liked about the B&O, N&W, WM, and the Clinchfield. The layout is loop to loop with large staging yards at either end. It is designed for prototype operation and is fully signaled. It is designed to keep about 16 operators busy. It can be run under either CTC, ABS or TT&TO operating rules. Signals and dispatching use a computer with Railroad & Company software. The layout uses Digitrax DCC for train and layout control. We use any kind of Digitrax Throttle (Wired, Simplex Radio, or Duplex Radio). We also use WIFI throttles using JMRI. All locomotives are equipped with TCS WOWSound decoders and set up to sound and operate prototypically. All visible track and turnouts are hand laid using code 70 rail. Motive power is a 50/50 mix of steam and 1st generation diesel. The railroad runs a mix of freight and passenger trains but leans heavily toward coal traffic. Communication with the dispatcher uses a homemade telephone system.

City: Suwanee
Scale/Gauge: HO
Norman Stenzel

Randall Watson’s St. Louis and Southern R.R.

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Lower Level 28.5" off the floor, Main level 44.5" off the floor, Lever Three 60.5" off the floor Lever 3 and 1/2 is 78" high. L-girder on 1/2" plywood, Homasote over plywood on the lower level, Homabed on plywood on the Main level, Cork roadbed on plywood on level three and level three and 1/2. Atlas Code 83 flex track, Walthers turnouts #8 and #6 on mainline, #5 and #6 in yards. 32", 30" and 28" on mainline. 26" in some sidings. 2% in Helix and on some of the third levels. DCC Digitrax Radio Control, boosters, power managements, block detection.

City: Suwanee
Scale/Gauge: HO
Randall Watson