Poll: Favorite layout plan

Hi Everyone,

I wag going through my back issues of Model Railroader. I noticed all of the track plans the magazine printed throughout the years. So I got curious about what other model railroaders thought of all the various track palns out there.

So here is my question: What is your favorite track plan that has been printed in ANY model railroading magazine from 1930's to the present? Why is it your favorite?

Mine is the Peace River from the 1987 issue of MR. I like the fact that it is small, and the theme captures the laid back, mountain railroading that I like.

I still don't have room to build it yet. but someday...

 

I would have to go with the Fair Haven Terminal Railroad also in Model Railroader. I don't remember which issue it's in, but it's in one of the Model Railroader track plan books.

 

I like the Pigeon Creek and Thawville-a 4X8 with a 2X8 yard extension, also from MR, 1967

 

Lots of possibilities to pick from... but my personal pick would be the Manufacturer's Junction Ry. from MR June 1987. N scale on a 4x8 that is cut in half on a diagonal and the 2 pieces rearranged into a parallelogram shape. The prototype was the Western Electric complex in Chicago with 1.75 miles of main line and 8.37 miles of sidings, basically linear along N-S axis and connected to 5 railroads. What I like is the use of a new shape from the routine 4x8 rectangle and the ingenious adaptation of a basically linear railroad to an over-under twice-around track plan (the ingenious part is incorporating 4 of the 5 interchanges and simulating the double-track BN mainline as well).

 

Something about the project layout Marquette and independance from 1974 has always stuck with me. It was a fairly large dogbone 14x4 foot. It had a small yard and many industries for switching. I still have the pages with the articles.

 

I also forgot the Pasco, Spokane, & Wallace. Also from the same book.

 

"The East Glass Top" N Scale 2x4. 1970 I think. It was about putting an N Scale layout inside a coffee table. I was in High School and thought that would be the coolest thing to have in the living room.

Sorta off topic but:
My favorite published in a book is plan #14 from "101 Track Plans". A small easily scalable point to point which I used for my first layout.

 

Spokane, Pasco, and Wallace.

The "diagonal peninsula into a room with shelves" topology is something I haven't seen repeated anywhere else. And the guy who designed it is a class act - I had him as a professor for Thermodynamics and Mechanics of Materials (basic second-year engineering stuff).

 

Hah, I didn't even see this.

Here's the track plan, from a Google Books screencap:

 

Easy for me... Favorite small plan, The original Gorre and Daphetid. Favorite big plan... the last Gorre and Daphetid:tb-biggrin:

 

Alkali Central....90's

Provided inspiration for my design...which I hope to build someday.

 

I really like David Popps Naugatuck Valley RR. It is compact but fits alot of action and switching into a reasonable space.

 

I like Chuck Hitchcock's Santa Fe Raton Division (off the top of my head) that was featured in Great Model Railroads in 1991 or 92.

I also have to agree with some other mentions of the various stages of the Virginian & Ohio, Allegheny Midland and Carrabasset & Dead River. There are a couple others that escape me at this time, I will ahve to look through my archives and see what I can find.

 

This is one of my favs. It was posted in Model Railroader March 1983. I remember reading and rereading this article in study hall so many times. “ The last days of the Duquesne “. My second fav would have been the “Webber valley” also printed in the 80’s. I’m still looking for that one.

 

This one ^ is really neat, thx for sharing!:thumbs_up:

 

My favourite has always been the Aberdeen & Rockfish from the Nov. 1965 issue - a Gordon Odegard plan. The Duquesne, BTW, was Paul Dolkos's layout and he has gone on to be possibly the best layout photographer of all time!

David

 

Is that the same trackplan as this guy? The White River and Northern Model Railroad: Track Plans for Other People

 

I really like the Cripple Creek Central from Kalmbach's book "HO RAILROAD from start to finish." I know most people dont like 4x8 HO set ups for the most part but its a simple track plan that can be changed to any industry, region, short line or branch thay want. Plus it was my first railroad book my dad bought me that introduced me to the hobby when i was younger.

I would never use Unitrack but whatever

 

No. It was a relatively large point to point around the walls shelf layout terminating on a peninsula. A slight variant of it was also featured in one of the two books published by Kalmbach in the 70s, reprising selected Railroad You Can Model articles from the past. Once I track down the magazine, I'll contact you in the next few days.

David