Introduction

Collections of track plans are great construction. Project layouts often popular on U.S. model railroads,
for inspiration as you develop ideas stretch over multiple issues, with but they can expand operational
for building a model railroad. The detailed information on building possibilities without taking up a
original 101 Track Plans for Model benchwork, laying track, wiring, great deal of space. Look for
Railroaders, first published in 1956, and scenery. Railroad You Can opportunities to add fiddle and
is still going strong and is one of Model articles generally provide staging tracks as a way of updating
Kalmbachs all-time best-sellers. extensive prototype information these older plans.
This new collection takes up where and photos but little information on The modeling scale listed with
the original left off, with 101 actually building a layout based on each plan is what was intended by
additional plans originally pub- the plan. the original designer. Most of the
lished in Model Railroader magazine Other information with each plans listed as HO can be built in N
from the early 1960s through the plan includes the designers scale with few problems, using
1980s. (See the index on page 86.) intended era and region and the narrower shelves and peninsulas if
As you look through these overall space required. The era and desired. When reducing plans, keep
designs, dont necessarily examine region are, in most cases, merely in mind that each dimension in N
them with the idea of copying a suggestions. scale takes up 54 percent of the
plan foot-by-foot and turnout-by- This book also includes track equivalent dimension in HO scale. In
turnout. Instead, look at each plan plans of some of the hobbys more planning, try to keep shelves narrow
in depth for innovative ideas, famous model railroads throughout enough that the entire scene can be
creative use of space, interesting the years, including Frank Ellisons reached comfortably (generally 24" to
towns and industrial areas, and Delta Lines, Paul Larsens Mineral 30" at most). Corners can be a bit
scenes that can be incorporated into Point & Northern, John Armstrongs deeper, but avoid turnouts or com-
your final model railroad design. Canandaigua Southern, and John plex trackwork thats out of reach.
The plans fall into four catego- Allens Gorre & Daphetid. The plans are shown as they were
ries. Most were published as track originally presented in the maga-
plans only, and were never actually zine. The amount of detail and
built by their designers. Some Track planning information provided varies widely
reflect home layouts, and were The art of layout design has evolved from plan to plan. Some include
published in conjunction with significantly over the past couple of center points of curves and details
stories on those layouts. A few were decades. The trend has been toward on turnout sizes, curve radii, and
the basis of project layouts in MR, around-the-walls walkaround track elevation. Other plans are
where layout construction was plans that allow operators to follow simply track routes with basic
presented in a series of articles. Yet their trains. This has become scenery and structure outlines.
others were designed following especially trueand made much Space precludes offering tips on
specific prototype (real) railroads, easierwith the advent of Digital track, benchwork, and wiring.
and presented along with articles on Command Control (DCC) and Check out books such as Basic
these railroads as part of MRs wireless throttles. Model Railroad Benchwork, by Jeff
popular Railroad You Can Model Many of the plans in this book Wilson, and Easy Model Railroad
series. The type of plan is listed were designed before extensive Wiring, by Andy Sperandeo, to
with each design. staging tracks and staging yards assist you when you get to the
If you decide to track down back became popular for holding extra construction phase. You can often
issues of MR for any of these plans, trains. Staging tracks can be added mock up scenes on a piece of plain
be aware that designs published as to many of these plans in the plywood or foam board by tacking
track plans only (especially those existing space; others may require turnouts, sectional track, and
published into the early 1970s) have an extension, expansion, or modifi- flextrack in place to get an idea of
very little additional supporting cation of the original track layout. how a scene will really look or
information. Youre generally on Fiddle yards are another option whether the trackwork will actually
your own for figuring out bench- youll find on some plans. These are fit in a given space.
work, scenery, wiring, and other similar to staging yards and tracks, Enjoy studying and perusing the
details. The articles with plans but fiddle tracks are designed to plans. Do your best to find and
featuring home layouts include have cars and locomotives develop a design that works for
photos of the model railroad, and exchanged by hand during operat- your railroad and era interests and
for some, the owner discusses ing sessions. Long popular in your available space.
methods used for various aspects of Europe, fiddle yards havent been as Jeff Wilson
15 Gold Hill Central HO
4 x 6 feet
17 Buckley & Onarca
Era: Steam
Region: West
Date published: March
1984 (project layout)
Jim Kelly

The key to this layout is a

24"-tall backdrop that divides
the railroad into two distinct
scenes. It goes a long way
toward making the layout seem
a lot larger than 4 x 6 feet.
Structures dominate one side of
the layout, with a building and
overhead walkway disguising
the track opening. Rural
scenery and a gold stamp mill
make up the other side, with
a tunnel entrance covering the
HO
track opening to the other side.
Tight (18"-radius) curves and 4 x 8 feet
No. 4 turnouts are needed to Era: Steam
get the trackwork into this tight Region: Unspecified
space. The structures could Date published: December 1966 (track plan)
easily be changed to reflect a Bill Baron
different era or region.

This plan could be based on a mountainous line in either the East

or West. The plan includes a lot of track for a 4 x 8-foot table.
Two ovals share a length of common track on one side, with half
16 Central Michigan of one oval ducking under the other via a tunnel. A switchback
reaches an industry (a sawmill) in the middle of the layout. The
plan is designed for sectional track with 18"-radius curves and
This folded-figure-8 plan crosses itself at grade, then uses tunnels tight turnouts (No. 4 or Atlas Snap-Switches).
N
to hide half of one loop of track. The main line includes a couple
4 x 8 feet of passing sidings (although for ease of access it might be wise to
Era: Unspecified consider eliminating the hidden passing track inside the tunnel),
Region: Midwest several industrial spurs, and an interchange track, as well as a
Date published: November 1972 compact yard. The bay and river effectively divide the layout into
(track plan) separate scenes. The main line has a 12" minimum radius, and Id
Gordon Odegard suggest No. 4 turnouts.

12 13
 54 Short Hills &
Eastern

53 Valley Western HO
6 x 9 feet
Era: Steam through early diesel
N Region: Eastern
6 x 9 feet Date published: May 1975 (track plan)
Era: Steam through early diesel Robert J. Lutz
Region: Eastern
Date published: May 1975 (track plan) An HO plan is workable in the space in plan 53,
Robert J. Lutz but with less track. This plan is point-to-point, with
a harbor and yard at one end and an option (right)
for a lower level, with removable car floats and a
The author of this plan (and No. 54) set out to see how much small yard. The car floats can be interchanged with
model railroad he could fit into the space of a typical office the float or ferry on the main level. Youll need to
cubiclethe answer is quite a bit. This plan features a rather long have access to the layout at the left side.
point-to-loop main line, with passenger terminals at each end and
several small towns in between. Youll need access at the side of
the layout to avoid a too-long reach from the center access area.
An optional lift-out section allows easier access to the operating
area.

38 39
79 Ozark Wilderness Line

HO Most large layouts dont fit a specific grid or shape. Instead,

12 x 19 feet theyre designed to fit into the nooks, crannies, and other unique
Era: Steam features of a basement or specific room or space. The Ozark
Wilderness Line is a good example of such a plan. The freelanced
Region: Ozark Mountains shortline railroad has a point-to-point main line with lots of
Date published: January 1981 (home layout) switching action and plenty of room for mountain and small-town
Vernon Hart scenery.

80 Northern Pacifics Palouse &

Lewiston Air Line

HO, N
14 x 19 feet (HO)
9 x 12 feet (N)
Era: Steam to diesel
Region: Pacific Northwest
Date published: January 1974 (railroad you can model)
Ray Poindexter

Based on the Northern Pacifics branch between Spokane and

Kendrick, Wash., this point-to-point plan also includes connections
with the Washington, Idaho & Montana and the Spokane &
Inland Empire (a former electric line) and a continuation on the
Camas Prairie Railroad. If space allows, the yards at Spokane
and Lewiston can be widened to better serve as staging; they can
also be used as fiddle yards, with cars and trains removed and
replaced between runs.

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