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Layout Size: Mini Layouts
Posted in Layout Designs by Rob Chant. (Updated Saturday, February 29, 2020 at 6:22:00 AST.)
Saturday, February 29, 2020
On30 SCALE: Small Engine Terminal
Back in February of 2016, I was asked to design a small engine terminal in On30. The space was only 12" x 72", but I was able to come up with a workable plan based on a inglenook design. The owner was looking to build his very first On30 layout, and he only had very limited shelf space available. Although my client wanted something that...
Views: 2533 | Comments: 0
TAGS: Layout Size: Mini Layouts, Theme: Engine Terminals, Type: 2 Turnout Layout, Type: Beginner Layout, Type: Inglenook, Type: No Run-Around Track
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: 6072 | 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 Sunday, May 29, 2022 at 9:05:02 ADT.)
Sunday, May 29, 2022
HO SCALE: Kendallville Terminal RR
Back in August of 2018, I was asked to do a small layout based on the 1.1 mile long Kendallville Terminal RR in Indiana. After reading up on the line, I thought it would make an excellent choice for a small layout. I wanted to include all major features of the line if I could, and decided as a minimum that I had to include the Rush Street Yard; the salt...
Views: 6745 | Comments: 7
TAGS: Layout Size: Mini Layouts, Staging Options: Sector Plate, Theme: Regional / Short Line Railway, Theme: Single Station / Town, Type: Based on Actual Location(s), Type: Inglenook, Type: No Run-Around Track, USA (States): Indiana, American Railways: Kendallville Terminal RR
Posted in Layout Designs by Rob Chant. (Updated Friday, January 21, 2022 at 23:15:55 AST.)
Friday, January 21, 2022
HO SCALE: Weston (End of Prairie Branch Line)
This started as a simple Inglenook plan, but as I added more structures, I could see that I needed more track to get the industries I wanted in the design. I was hoping to include as many car types as possible to make operations a bit more varied. As it is now, there are options for grain cars, box cars, flats, gondolas, tank, hoppers, reefers, and...
Views: 3375 | Comments: 11
TAGS: Layout Size: Mini Layouts, Staging Options: Cassette Staging, Theme: Canadian Prairies, Theme: End of Line Station, Theme: Single Station / Town, Type: 3 Turnout Layout, Type: Inglenook, Type: No Run-Around Track, Canada (Provinces): Alberta, Canadian Railways: Canadian National Ry
Posted in Layout Designs by Rob Chant. (Updated Tuesday, May 05, 2020 at 14:01:07 ADT.)
Tuesday, May 05, 2020
HO SCALE: Allied Manufacturing Company (Single Industry Design)
I just completed this design for a client who wanted a HO-scale layout of a modern single industry using an Inglenook. The space available was a generous 16-inch by 9-feet but the layout had to be self contained without any additional staging tracks or add-ons. Although my client hasn't determined what type of industry he will eventually model, I decided...
Views: 2650 | Comments: 2
TAGS: Layout Size: Mini Layouts, Theme: Single Industry, Theme: Switching Operations, Type: 2 Turnout Layout, Type: Inglenook, Type: No Run-Around Track, Articles: Minimalist Approach to Layout Design, Types of Industries: Manufacturing Plant
Posted in Articles by Rob Chant. (Updated Thursday, September 23, 2021 at 17:27:30 ADT.)
Thursday, September 23, 2021
ARTICLE: The Sissiboo Pulp & Paper Mill (Getting the most out of your small space)
This article is more about getting the most out of the space you have available than it is about modeling a pulp and paper mill. I just used a paper mill as an example of how an industry that covers a great deal of real estate in the 1:1 world can be shoe-horned into a reasonably sized footprint. However, to attain my goals for this project I had...
Views: 6148 | Comments: 9
TAGS: Design Feature: Train Elevator, Layout Size: Mini Layouts, Staging Options: Cassette Staging, Theme: Industrial Railway, Theme: Single Industry, Type: Inglenook, Type: No Run-Around Track, Types of Industries: Pulp and Paper Mills
Posted in Layout Designs by Rob Chant. (Updated Monday, July 11, 2022 at 6:41:43 ADT.)
Monday, July 11, 2022
HO SCALE: Nova Scotia Railway ( Sydport Industrial Park )
Back in August of 2018, I was looking at building a small HO layout for myself based on an Inglenook design that would keep me occupied switching a few cars around. The layout was only 1' x 6' and would use a hollow core door as the base sitting on a few metal shelf brackets. I planned to put the layout in my spare room, but that changed. (For those that...
Views: 7961 | Comments: 1
TAGS: Layout Size: Mini Layouts, Staging Options: Cassette Staging, Theme: Industrial Park / District, Theme: Switching Operations, Type: 2 Turnout Layout, Type: Based on Actual Location(s), Type: Inglenook, Type: No Run-Around Track, Canada (Provinces): Nova Scotia, My Projects: Nova Scotia Railway
Posted in Layout Designs by Rob Chant. (Updated Sunday, March 08, 2020 at 11:12:00 ADT.)
Sunday, March 08, 2020
HO SCALE: International Pulp and Paper Company
This design was done for a client back in March of 2019 that liked the paper mill I used on my Great Lakes & New England Ry design which was actually taken from another layout that was in progress for yet another client and his Brownville & Ashland Ry (Yes, I do like to recycle my pixels.) This latest client was looking for a single...
Views: 3094 | Comments: 0
TAGS: Layout Size: Mini Layouts, Staging Options: Cassette Staging, Theme: Single Industry, Type: 3 Turnout Layout, Type: No Run-Around Track, Types of Industries: Pulp and Paper Mills
Posted in Layout Designs by Rob Chant. (Updated Friday, August 06, 2021 at 21:48:49 ADT.)
Friday, August 06, 2021
HO SCALE: Milwaukee Road Beer Line
This design was originally done in April of 2018 for a 4-square foot challenge put forth by the admins of the Micro/Small Model RR Layouts Facebook group. I was asked to redo the design in a larger 12" by 96" space. The layout owner wanted to see an HO-scale switching layout based on the Milwaukee Road Beer Line, and set in the transition...
Views: 2770 | Comments: 1
TAGS: Layout Size: Mini Layouts, Staging Options: Drop Down, Theme: Single Industry, USA (States): Milwaukee, Types of Industries: Breweries
Posted in Layout Designs by Rob Chant. (Updated Sunday, March 08, 2020 at 12:56:00 ADT.)
Sunday, March 08, 2020
HOn30 SCALE: The Island of Misfit Trains
This 2x7-foot transitional era HOn30 layout was done for a member of the Micro/Small Model RR Layouts group using Atlas code 80 turnouts and flex track. The owner dubbed the layout the mythical "Island of Misfit Trains" which would focus on the beer brewing industry on the shores of Lake Michigan. The owner wanted a hops farm, a wharf...
Views: 1439 | Comments: 0
TAGS: Layout Size: Mini Layouts, Theme: Single Station / Town, Theme: Waterfront, USA (States): Michigan, Types of Industries: Breweries, Types of Industries: Wharves
Posted in Layout Designs by Rob Chant. (Updated Tuesday, May 31, 2022 at 8:46:03 ADT.)
Tuesday, May 31, 2022
HO SCALE (6'0" Broad Gauge): Happy Valley RR in Proto87
Back in July of 2018, I had a request from a member of the Micro/Small Model RR Layouts group to do a 2'x8' layout based on John Allen's timesaver track plan. The layout was to be done in broad gauge (6-foot wide) using Proto:87 standards with all track hand laid. It is proto-freelanced based on the Middleburgh & Schoharie RR during its 6-foot gauge...
Views: 2184 | Comments: 1
TAGS: Layout Size: Mini Layouts, Theme: End of Line Station, Theme: Single Station / Town, Type: Time Saver Design, USA (States): New York
Posted in Layout Designs by Rob Chant. (Updated Sunday, March 08, 2020 at 15:43:00 ADT.)
Sunday, March 08, 2020
On30 SCALE: Crooked Mountain Railway
This design was done back in February of 2018 for a member of the Railroad Line Forums who was looking for ideas for an On30 layout to fit on a 36"x6'8" hollow-core door in his office. The layout owner wanted a continuous run with a few sidings, however, he was more interested in watching trains run during the workday, than operating the layout. I adapted...
Views: 1491 | Comments: 0
TAGS: Design Feature: Continuous Run Option, Layout Size: Mini Layouts, Theme: Industrial Railway, Theme: Narrow Gauge Railway, USA (Regions): Southwest
Posted in Layout Designs by Rob Chant. (Updated Sunday, March 29, 2020 at 18:07:29 ADT.)
Sunday, March 29, 2020
HO SCALE: Port Able Railway (ISL)
This HO scale Port Able Railway industrial switching layout design was done for a member of Micro/Small Model RR Layouts to fit his 18-inch by 96-inch space. The line is located in the Northeastern United States during the 1979 IPD box car era. The layout owner wanted to include a food processing company, a manufacturing company, a furniture...
Views: 2617 | Comments: 2
TAGS: Design Feature: Modular Benchwork, Layout Size: Mini Layouts, Theme: Switching Operations
Posted in Layout Designs by Rob Chant. (Updated Thursday, December 31, 2020 at 14:10:22 AST.)
Thursday, December 31, 2020
HO SCALE: Port Carbon Industrial Railway (with Car Float)
Back in March 2018, there was some talk on a railway forum about using car floats/ferries as staging on a small layout to make it a "stand alone" design. Since many people are very limited when it comes to layout space, they may not even have any additional room for staging. With that in mind, it is always good to have an option of...
Views: 1958 | Comments: 2
TAGS: Layout Size: Mini Layouts, Staging Options: Car Float, Theme: Industrial Park / District, Theme: Single Station / Town, Theme: Waterfront, Types of Industries: Wharves
Posted in Layout Designs by Rob Chant. (Updated Wednesday, February 03, 2021 at 7:33:24 AST.)
Wednesday, February 03, 2021
I was asked by a member of the Micro/Small Model RR Layouts to do a single town scene in N-scale on a hollow core door. However, by the time I had finally gotten around to designing the layout, the member had left the group, so I never made contact again. I decided to go ahead with the design anyway, but I didn't put as much detail or effort into...
Views: 3333 | Comments: 4
TAGS: Design Feature: Continuous Run Option, Layout Size: Mini Layouts, Staging Options: Staging Yards, Theme: Single Station / Town