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Posted in Layout Designs by Rob Chant. (Updated Thursday, February 16, 2023 at 19:55:00 AST.)
Thursday, February 16, 2023
N SCALE: Whitfield & Northern RR
This N-scale layout was done for a client back in June 2017, who wanted a design loosely based on a track plan for the Ettrick & Northern RR by Gordon Odegard. (It was featured as a 'railroad you can model' in the September 1987 issue of Model Railroad, page 84.) I always like the simplicity of the Gordon's track plan for the E&N RR...
![2023.02.16D-[AA].gif (54639 bytes)](uploads/2023.02.16D-[AA].gif)
Views: 263 | Comments: 0
Posted in Articles by Rob Chant. (Updated Thursday, February 16, 2023 at 19:31:00 AST.)
Thursday, February 16, 2023
ARTICLE: Modern-Era Branch Line in a Bedroom
I did this design for a client back in July 2015, and wanted to use it as an example of how to squeeze a modern-day branch line railway into a 12x12-foot bedroom. I have always felt that the best way to do a good job of designing a layout for your space is to keep it simple and not try to squeeze track into every square inch. I have always been of the...
![2023.02.16C-[AA].gif (93651 bytes)](uploads/2023.02.16C-[AA].gif)
Views: 365 | Comments: 0
Posted in Layout Designs by Rob Chant. (Updated Thursday, February 16, 2023 at 14:11:00 AST.)
Thursday, February 16, 2023
HO SCALE: Backwater River Railway
I am going through some of my old files and unfinished projects that I can update and share on my blog. This simple HO scale layout was done for a client back in March 2020 who originally just wanted an Inglenook inspire track plan that served a grain elevator he had sitting on a shelf along with a few other typical 'small town' industries. With a footprint...
![2023.02.16A-[AB].jpg (157879 bytes)](uploads/2023.02.16A-[AB].jpg)
Views: 622 | Comments: 0
Posted in Layout Designs by Rob Chant. (Updated Tuesday, February 14, 2023 at 22:17:53 AST.)
Tuesday, February 14, 2023
N SCALE: Lapeer Industrial RR (Lapeer, MI)
A member of the Micro/Small Model RR Layouts Facebook group requested an N-scale track plan for the Lapeer Industrial RR located in Lapeer, Michigan to fit his 6-foot long space. Since I was already familiar with the prototype, I knew it wasn't going to be much of a challenge fitting in into that footprint. I had played around with a HO-scale track...
Views: 4576 | Comments: 3
TAGS: Layout Size: Mini Layouts, Theme: Regional / Short Line Railway, Theme: Single Station / Town, Type: 3 Turnout Layout, Type: Based on Actual Location(s), USA (States): Michigan, American Railways: Lapeer Industrial RR
Posted in Layout Designs by Rob Chant. (Updated Sunday, February 12, 2023 at 14:30:05 AST.)
Sunday, February 12, 2023
HO SCALE: Lexington Junction (ISL)
I was contacted by a client back in August 2018, who was looking for my input on a design he was contemplating to fit in his L-shaped space. He also sent along a few concept drawing of what he had planned for his version of the modern industrial switching layout. After looking at his drawings, I thought the space could be better...
Views: 3814 | Comments: 2
TAGS: Design Feature: Interchange, Layout Size: Compact Layouts, Theme: Single Station / Town, Theme: Switching Operations
Posted in Layout Designs by Rob Chant. (Updated Friday, February 03, 2023 at 22:13:29 AST.)
Friday, February 03, 2023
On30 SCALE: Palmetto Brick Company Railway
Back in 2017 I found a thread on another railway related forum that highlighted the Palmetto Brick Company's railway located in Wallace, South Carolina. The 3-foot gauge line used small 8-ton Plymouth locomotive to haul steel side-dump clay cars from its quarry to the brick kilns, which were still in service at that time...
Views: 1934 | Comments: 7
TAGS: Layout Size: Compact Layouts, Theme: Industrial Railway, Theme: Narrow Gauge Railway, Type: 3 Turnout Layout, Type: Based on Actual Location(s), USA (States): North Carolina, American Railways: Palmetto Brick Company Ry, Types of Industries: Clay Processing Plants, Types of Industries: Quarries
Posted in Articles by Rob Chant. (Updated Friday, January 27, 2023 at 21:45:24 AST.)
Friday, January 27, 2023
ARTICLE: Evaluating a Track Plan
One of the usually open discussions on model railroading related forums and groups is the topic of what is involved when planning/designing a new layout, and the steps that must be followed to achieve your desire goals. I think inevitably you will look for a published track plan that closely matches the vision you have for your space, and then you...
Views: 1430 | Comments: 3
TAGS: Articles: Layout Design
Posted in Articles by Rob Chant. (Updated Friday, December 02, 2022 at 21:12:05 AST.)
Friday, December 02, 2022
ARTICLE: Branch line operations on a 4x8 sheet of plywood in HO Scale
Back in April of 2019, I was asked to design a HO-scale layout on a 4x8 sheet of plywood based on the same operating scheme that I proposed for use with my Central Alberta Railway (CARY) design. For those not familiar with my CARY track plan, it was an N-scale layout I designed back in 2010 using a hollow core door. How that layout was operated was partly inspired...
Views: 10495 | Comments: 6
TAGS: Design Feature: Continuous Run Option, Layout Size: Compact Layouts, Theme: Branch Line Railway, Canada (Provinces): Ontario, Canadian Railways: Canadian National Ry, Articles: Operating Small Layouts
Posted in Layout Designs by Rob Chant. (Updated Thursday, November 17, 2022 at 9:29:15 AST.)
Thursday, November 17, 2022
HO SCALE (6-foot Broad Gauge): Middleburgh & Schoharie RR in Proto87
I was asked by a member of a railway forum to design a layout based on the Middleburgh & Schoharie RR during its 6-foot gauge era. Although the client only wanted a freelance railway using a combined time saver design and inglenook, I thought that Middleburgh would make an excellent single station LDE design after I did...
Views: 2432 | Comments: 4
TAGS: Layout Size: Mini Layouts, Staging Options: Cassette Staging, Theme: End of Line Station, Theme: Single Station / Town, Type: Based on Actual Location(s), USA (States): New York, American Railways: Middleburgh & Schoharie RR
Posted in Articles by Rob Chant. (Updated Wednesday, November 16, 2022 at 15:17:25 AST.)
Wednesday, November 16, 2022
ARTICLE: A case study in the minimalist approach
There was some talk on a Facebook group where I am a member about taking a minimalist approach to layout design. I welcomed the debate because it is a trend that I do believe should be followed when designing a layout. As others had mentioned during the discussions, taking a minimalist approach can be very rewarding, if you also take the time...
Views: 4299 | Comments: 18
TAGS: Layout Size: Small Layouts, Staging Options: Staging Yards, Theme: End of Line Station, Theme: Regional / Short Line Railway, Theme: Single Station / Town, Type: Based on Actual Location(s), Type: No Run-Around Track, USA (States): Wisconsin, American Railways: Escanaba & Lake Superior RR, Articles: Minimalist Approach to Layout Design
Posted in Layout Designs by Rob Chant. (Updated Saturday, November 12, 2022 at 13:09:42 AST.)
Saturday, November 12, 2022
HO SCALE: Pacific Northwestern
A member of the Micro/Small Model RR Layout group requested a lumber and pulpwood reload facility to fit his 24x48-inch space done in HO scale. It didn't take me very long to see that it was going to be problematic to fit what I wanted to see in the footprint, once I started placing a mainline and some turnouts. With the length of...
Views: 1243 | Comments: 3
TAGS: Layout Size: Mini Layouts, Staging Options: Sector Plate, Theme: Single Industry, Type: No Run-Around Track, USA (Regions): Northwest, Types of Industries: Pulpwood Dealer
Posted in Layout Designs by Rob Chant. (Updated Thursday, November 10, 2022 at 14:12:17 AST.)
Thursday, November 10, 2022
N SCALE: Cape Breton & Central Nova Scotia Railway
This layout was done back in 2000 for a client that was quite a railfan, and I just recently updated the design with some roughed in 3D scenery. The owner of the layout loved watching and taking photos of trains, especially those running through some of the most beautiful scenery along the Bras d'Or Lakes on Cape Island....
Views: 1385 | Comments: 6
TAGS: Layout Size: Medium Layouts, Staging Options: Staging Yards, Theme: Mainline Trains, Theme: Regional / Short Line Railway, Theme: Scenic (Bridges), Type: Based on Actual Location(s), Canada (Provinces): Nova Scotia, Canadian Railways: Cape Breton & Central Nova Scotia Ry
Posted in Layout Designs by Rob Chant. (Updated Sunday, October 30, 2022 at 10:40:49 ADT.)
Sunday, October 30, 2022
HO SCALE: Omaha, Lincoln and Beatrice Ry (OLB)
This is my version of the Omaha, Lincoln and Beatrice Railway (OLB), "The Big Red Line", which still operates in the city of Lincoln, Nebraska, as a 2-mile long Class III switching railroad. The line interchanges cars with Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe and serves industries such as Ag Processing, Inc., ADM Farmland, Snyder...
Views: 1804 | Comments: 3
TAGS: Layout Size: Small Layouts, Theme: Single Station / Town, Type: Based on Actual Location(s), USA (States): Nebraska, American Railways: Omaha, Lincoln and Beatrice Railway
Posted in Layout Designs by Rob Chant. (Updated Friday, October 28, 2022 at 14:52:03 ADT.)
Friday, October 28, 2022
This 18-inch by 60-inch HO-scale switching layout was designed for a member of a railway forum I frequent and and his freelanced Fallen Flags RR during the transition era. The owner wanted the layout set in more of a Midwest locale, but I couldn't find a backdrop that I was happy with, so I moved it east a bit. My client wanted a stockyard, a meat packing plant...
Views: 6077 | Comments: 8
TAGS: Layout Size: Mini Layouts, Staging Options: Drop Down, Theme: End of Line Station, Theme: Single Station / Town
Posted in Layout Designs by Rob Chant. (Updated Thursday, October 27, 2022 at 20:09:46 ADT.)
Thursday, October 27, 2022
N SCALE: Wisconsin & Southern RR
This modern-day Wisconsin & Southern RR layout was done in N-scale for member of the Micro/Small Model RR Layout group. I had an area up to 2'x8' to work with, and that is a lot of territory in N-sale. I decided to go with a rounded front fascia just to be a bit different. The member wanted the switching layout to be based on a small town ...
Views: 1263 | Comments: 3
TAGS: Layout Size: Compact Layouts, Theme: Regional / Short Line Railway, Theme: Single Station / Town, USA (States): Wisconsin, American Railways: Wisconsin & Southern RR