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Type: Based on Actual Location(s)

Posted in Layout Designs by Rob Chant. (Updated Sunday, October 13, 2019 at 16:11:00 ADT.)

Sunday, October 13, 2019

N SCALE: Florida East Coast Railway (Fort Pierce, FL)

This N-scale design was done for client who wanted to duplicate yard operations in Fort Pierce (FL) on the Florida East Coast Railway. I knew from the beginning that even small yards tend to get visually boring, and looking at the area in street view, I was kind of disappoint with how barren the real yard looks. It wasn't until...

2019.10.13G-001.gif (15186 bytes)

Views: 1760 | Comments: 0

TAGS: Layout Size: Compact Layouts, Theme: Yard Operations, Type: Based on Actual Location(s), USA (States): Flordia, American Railways: Florida East Coast Ry



Posted in Layout Designs by Rob Chant. (Updated Monday, October 10, 2022 at 15:01:34 ADT.)

Monday, October 10, 2022

HO SCALE: Canadian National (Sydney Subdivision)

Back in 2014 I was considering a HO-scale layout based on Canadian National's Sydney Subdivision in the 1980s. I had been a rail fan of the trains running on the east end of the subdivision, and came to know the area first hand. At the time I was having a very hard time squeezing everything into my 10'10" by 12'6" dining...

2019.10.12B-001.gif (66103 bytes)

Views: 1901 | Comments: 4

TAGS: Layout Size: Small Layouts, Staging Options: Staging Yards, Theme: Switching Operations, Type: Based on Actual Location(s), Canada (Provinces): Nova Scotia, Canadian Railways: Canadian National Ry



Posted in Layout Designs by Rob Chant. (Updated Saturday, October 12, 2019 at 11:46:00 ADT.)

Saturday, October 12, 2019

HO SCALE: Santa Fe (San Jacinto District)

This design is based on AT&SF's San Jacinto District, but by no means it is meant to be a match for the line. I have been aware of this branch line since reading "The San Jacinto District: An HO switching railroad for a 9 x 12-foot room," by Andy Sperandeo in Model Railroader [February 1980, page 107]. There have also been many...

2019.10.12C-001.gif (150598 bytes)

Views: 1319 | Comments: 0

TAGS: Design Feature: Train Elevator, Layout Size: Small Layouts, Theme: Branch Line Railway, Type: Based on Actual Location(s), USA (States): California, American Railways: Santa Fe



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...

2019.10.12F-001.gif (16248 bytes)

Views: 1896 | 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 Layout Designs by Rob Chant. (Updated Monday, October 25, 2021 at 6:42:21 ADT.)

Monday, October 25, 2021

On2 SCALE: Gilpin Tramway (Plus the Colorado & Southern Ry in On3)

This is quite a different design for me. As you may know, I prefer layouts built around the walls on narrow shelves, and generally stay away from shelves over 30-inches wide. However, I felt to do this design justice I had to go another route. The layout called for wider bench work to accommodate both the scenery...

2019.10.12G-001.gif (151381 bytes)

Views: 1223 | Comments: 2

TAGS: Layout Size: Large Layouts, Theme: Industrial Railway, Theme: Narrow Gauge Railway, Type: Based on Actual Location(s), USA (States): Colorado, American Railways: Gilpin Tramway



Posted in Layout Designs by Rob Chant. (Updated Monday, October 14, 2019 at 10:59:07 ADT.)

Monday, October 14, 2019

HO SCALE: Almanor Railroad (Collins Pine Company)

For the last few years, I have taken a keen interest in finding small railway lines that would make a great subject for an "achievable layout" which is a term coined by Trevor Marshall. I honestly believe that these practical and doable layouts are the future direction of layout planning and building, and I am always interested in learning about...

2019.10.12M-001.gif (50245 bytes)

Views: 1008 | Comments: 2

TAGS: Design Feature: Interchange, Layout Size: Medium Layouts, Theme: Industrial Railway, Type: Based on Actual Location(s), USA (States): California, American Railways: Almanor Railroad (Collins Pine Company)



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...

2019.10.12O-001.gif (27342 bytes)

Views: 2381 | 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 Layout Designs by Rob Chant. (Updated Sunday, October 13, 2019 at 14:56:00 ADT.)

Sunday, October 13, 2019

HO SCALE: Tallulah Falls Railway (Cornelia, GA, to Franklin, NC)

Back in October of 2014, I was asked by a member of a railway forum to help design a big basement layout based in the Tallulah Falls Railway in HO scale. The railway ran from Cornelia, GA, where it interchanged with the Southern Ry, to Franklin, NC. At first, the owner just wanted to model the line from Cornelia to...

2019.10.13F-001.gif (91315 bytes)

Views: 1087 | Comments: 0

TAGS: Layout Size: Large Layouts, Staging Options: Staging Yards, Theme: Regional / Short Line Railway, Type: Based on Actual Location(s), USA (States): Georgia, USA (States): North Carolina, American Railways: Tallulah Falls Ry



Posted in Layout Designs by Rob Chant. (Updated Saturday, October 31, 2020 at 21:12:01 ADT.)

Saturday, October 31, 2020

N SCALE: Railserve (Murfreesboro, TN)

This is a bit different from my usually designs: it is a track-for-track copy of an actual industry served by Railserve, Inc. (Railserve is a contract railroad services company that that provides in-plant railcar switching for over 70 companies in North America.) This layout is based on the General Mills' Pillsbury Plant in...

2019.10.13H-001.gif (11359 bytes)

Views: 1675 | Comments: 2

TAGS: Design Feature: Interchange, Layout Size: Small Layouts, Theme: Single Industry, Type: Based on Actual Location(s), USA (States): Tennessee, American Railways: Railserve



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....

2019.10.21C-001.gif (73475 bytes)

Views: 1353 | 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 Wednesday, March 04, 2020 at 6:06:12 AST.)

Wednesday, March 04, 2020

HO SCALE: Florida Central Railroad

This HO-scale Florida Central RR design was done for a client back in March of 2019 that wanted a small layout based on an industrial park in Orlando, Florida. I was very impressed with the possibilities in the area depicted on the layout; the curves are sharp and the equipment is modern, making for quite a contrast. Many buildings have rounded...

2020.01.01K-001.gif (43197 bytes)

Views: 3981 | Comments: 2

TAGS: Layout Size: Compact Layouts, Theme: Industrial Park / District, Theme: Single Station / Town, Type: Based on Actual Location(s), Type: No Run-Around Track, USA (States): Flordia, American Railways: Florida Central 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...

2020.01.04S-001.gif (37259 bytes)

Views: 4255 | 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 Thursday, September 08, 2022 at 20:23:44 ADT.)

Thursday, September 08, 2022

HO SCALE: Canadian National (Sydney Sub)

This is a small proto-based switching layout designed for a friend of mine back in November of 2014, to fit his 12'6" x 6'0" room. The layout was based on Jefferson which was is located on the Sydney Subdivision of the Canadian National. The time frame was set in the 1980s before the secondary mainline was sold to the Cape Breton...

2020.01.05E.gif (38001 bytes)

Views: 1731 | Comments: 2

TAGS: Layout Size: Small Layouts, Theme: Switching Operations, Type: Based on Actual Location(s), Canada (Provinces): Nova Scotia, Canadian Railways: Canadian National Ry



Posted in Articles by Rob Chant. (Updated Tuesday, February 04, 2020 at 14:10:41 AST.)

Tuesday, February 04, 2020

ARTICLE: Duplicating prototypical track work as a small end-of-line station

This design was just completed for a member of a the Railroad Line Forums, who was looking for some inspiration for a small layout project he was considering. The design depicts the small rural station of Werley (WI) on the Chicago & North Western RR's "Dinky Line". Although the diagram below is not entirely accurate, it is a simple rendition of the...

2020.01.18A-001.gif (31403 bytes)

Views: 2578 | Comments: 4

TAGS: Layout Size: Mini Layouts, Staging Options: Cassette Staging, Theme: End of Line Station, Theme: Narrow Gauge Railway, Theme: Single Station / Town, Type: 3 Turnout Layout, Type: Based on Actual Location(s), USA (States): Wisconsin, American Railways: Chicago & North Western RR, Articles: Operating Small Layouts



Posted in Layout Designs by Rob Chant. (Updated Saturday, February 22, 2020 at 10:04:00 AST.)

Saturday, February 22, 2020

HO SCALE: Stewartstown RR (Stewartstown, PA, circa 1966)

A member of the Micro/Small Model RR Layouts Facebook group asked me to do a layout based on Stewartstown, PA in HO scale. The reference material for this layout came from an article which appeared in Model Railroader ["A Railroad You can Model: Stewartstown RR," October 1966, pg 50.] The layout era is circa 1966, and of course I had to take...

2020.02.22B-001.gif (40924 bytes)

Views: 2633 | Comments: 0

TAGS: Layout Size: Compact Layouts, Theme: Single Station / Town, Type: Based on Actual Location(s), USA (States): Pennsylvania, American Railways: Stewartstown RR

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