Looking to find information concerning Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry ATSF O scale layout. Were there any scale drawings ever done while constructing the layout or during one of it's renovations? I have seen the article from MR (I think it was the 40's - Don't have it in front of me) but the track plan is more of a sketch. Also are there any locations web, DVD's, magazines etc......That would have photograghs or information? I have heard Tracks Ahead did a program on it. Is it worth it? There was a gentleman, I believe was called the midnight railroader but the site is gone. I have many photos I took during the 80's but I am looking for more. Does anyone know if the museum would have information? Tried calling but it seemed useless. This is a "serious" request for any help or information. Thank you in advance for your time. It is greatly appreciated.
I have both the footage for Tracks Ahead, and some old 80's footage from a PBS special they did on the entire museum. I don't believe I've ever seen a schematic on the layout. You migh want to contact DHarrison (I might be wrong on that screen name, but I'm sure someone here can correct me), over on Atlas. He helps maintain the current layout, and is at least a good source to start with. I've been meaning to convert the PBS footage for some time.
If you are talking about the original layout then contact a guy that posts under the handle midnightrailroader on the MR forums. He use to have a whole website on it. It was a real good site. I think it "went of the air" about 6 months ago. The Tracks Ahead program I saw was all about new layout. ratled
I have attached the link to Exhibit from the Museums website. There may be some information in there that may be of benefit to you. If this does not answer the quetions you have, may I suggest that you click on the "contact us" link at the bottom of the page and email the person that handles press inquiries. They tend to be more responsive than the general information folks. http://www.msichicago.org/whats-here/exhibits/the-great-train-story/the-exhibit/
Chicago Museum of Science & Industry Minton Cronkite 1941 "O" display layout Model Railroader June2003 p.56 Cronkite, Minton, O display layouts of 1930s Model Railroader Janunary 1989 p.97 also in Warbonnet (publication of Santa Fe Rwy Historical and Modeliong Society 4th Quarter 1996 p.7,8,9 I visited the layout in 1973 and took some slides, which I had printed 2 or 3 years ago so they could be scanned and emailed. The museum had a balcony from which I photographed an overhead "plan" view of the layout, which may serve as a rough substitute for a scale drawing. I will try to find the photos and uphold them, but not tonight.
I searched my box of prints and did not find prints I had made of my 1973 slides. I will have to check my 17,000 color slides, and then see if I can find a place to print them. They used to take a week or so to get prints made. There don't seem to be very many photofinishing shops these days, nearly everything is digital. We'll see. Meanwhile, I found my notebook from my 1973 trip with a sketch of the layout track arrangements in straight-line schematic form. I should be able to make an approximate not-to-scale plan drawing. Will try to get back.
I went to try to reconstruct a trackplan from my 1973 sketches. Coulkdn't quite figure it out and looked up old magazine coverage. Model Railroader June 2003 p.56-57 has a page-and-a-half wide "aerial" photo of the entire layout in its 1954-1988 incarnation with the working hump yard. p. 59 has a plan of the layout as originally built. Since it would take me 3-4 hours to draw out the plan, and it's already there, I'm going to let Mr421 contact the magazine for a back issue, and I'm going to go lay some track for my own layout.
I've recently been looking for information on this layout. Read the sad story over on O Scale News: http://users.foxvalley.net/~osn/MintonCronhite2000.htm I've managed to find a postcard which I'll scan and post. And I've found a few other photos of the classic layout online. I'm up for joining in the hunt for info on the layout. Send a PM. --Mike
Here's the scan of the postcard from the Museum of Science and Industry. No date on the postcard, but the back says "Photography by Vince Townsley" and "Pub. by Cameo Greeting Cards Inc., Chicago, Ill." The caption on the back is "America's Modern Railroads. Aerial view of true-scale replicas of the actual sections along the transcontinental tracks of the AT"&SF RR. The block signal system in the foreground is the same as those that control traffic on full-sized railroad systems."
