5 Compact Track Plans
5 Compact Track Plans
618088
Scale: 1"=1'-0"
T
You can pack a lot of model railroad- he Chippewa Central is a fictional The grade and upper level
ing fun into a small space, and in this Minnesota short line connecting Building the grade and upper level is
booklet we’ll show you five ways to do it. two small agricultural towns with the only tricky part of this railroad.
The plans featured here have all appeared the outside world in the mid-1950s. Carefully mark the track locations and
in MODEL RAILROADER Magazine. Minnesota Junction is the interchange then saw the entire Clara City loop out
Each one has a unique theme, and all connection with the Great Northern. of the tabletop. Use 1 x 4 spacer blocks
contain a key element of modern model Then the Chippewa Central (CHC) to raise it above the main layout level.
railroad design – “fiddle” or “staging” heads northeast through Granite Falls Another cut makes it easy to start
yards. Simply put, these simulate con- and up a long grade at Maynard to the grade just past the switches at May-
nections with “the rest of the world” reach the end of the line at Clara City. nard siding. Gradually raise and sup-
beyond our layouts. Track plans are Meat packing provides most of the port the track until it reaches the height
jumping off points, so don’t feel you CHC’s traffic. The Andresen Farms stock- of a 1 x 4 spacer block near the bridge
have to conform to every line and illus- yard is the major shipper at Clara City, abutment. Try to make the track level
tration. We hope these plans inspire you but there’s also a grain elevator and a fuel for the last foot or so before the bridge.
to start building a layout. And remem- dealer. Granite Falls is home to the Pio- Cut the remaining roadbed for the
ber, this is a hobby, so have fun! neer Packing Co. and an icing plant. upper level from another piece of ply-
wood and support it on wood blocks.
Benchwork
CONTENTS A single 4 x 8-foot sheet of 1⁄2" ply- Wiring
wood is the basis for many beginners’ Insulated joints and feeder connec-
Chippewa Central . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 layouts, but in this case, a 2 x 4-foot tions are shown for operating the rail-
Atlanta Central . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 addition provides space for a lot more road from a conventional DC power
Pike City Belt Line . . . . . . . . . . . .8 creativity. Wood screws will work well pack. Two reverse loops are involved.
Northeastern Alberta Rys. . . . . .10 to attach the plywood to the framing. Maynard siding should be wired so a
Kootenay Lake Navigation Co. . .12 Bolt the sections together so they can second train can be held there until it’s
be separated for moving or expansion. needed to switch cars at the junction.
4 GREATESTHOBBY.COM
Bill of materials
Atlas Model Railroad Co.
Code 100 Snap-Track
821 9" straight (34)
822 6" straight (5)
823 3" straight (4)
825 11⁄2" straight (1)
833 18"-radius curve (18)
834 1⁄2 18"-radius curve (1)
835 1⁄3 18"-radius curve (3)
836 22"-radius curve (26)
843 bumper (2)
Rix Products
101 vintage highway bridge (2)
ILLUSTRATIONS BY RICK JOHNSON
Walthers
3036 rural grain elevator (1)
3048 packing plant (1)
3047 stockyard (2)
3049 icing plant (1)
Lumber
4 x 8 sheet of 1⁄2" plywood (1)
2 x 4 sheet of 1⁄2" plywood (2)
8-foot pine 1 x 4s (10)
6-foot pine 2 x 4s (4)
8-foot pine 1 x 2s (6)
Hardware
3
⁄16" x 21⁄2" bolts (14)
3
⁄16" x 3" bolts (legs, 16)
3
⁄16" nuts (30)
3
⁄16" washers (30)
11⁄8" drywall screws (100-count box)
Scenery thick so be careful to maintain a mini- color scheme and engine number, but
Most of this layout’s scenery should mum clearance of 3" between the bot- paint over the name and add CHC ini-
be gently rolling hills with some foliage tom of the bridge deck and the railheads tials on the cab with decals.
and level town areas. The raised grade below it.
should be built on a fill with occasional The remaining structures aren’t spec- It’s your railroad
retaining walls near the bridges. ified as there are numerous possibilities Like most track plans, this one’s
Minnesota doesn’t have a lot of tun- that will fit. Both towns should include intended to get your creative juices
nels, so the portals under Clara City six or eight small businesses. flowing. While our layout follows a spe-
should be camouflaged. Install a highway cific theme, there’s no reason why it
bridge across the front of each portal and Equipment couldn’t be turned into a mining rail-
add foliage on top of the tunnel behind it Short lines generally operate with road, a logging and lumber system, or
so the train seems to disappear into a cut. locomotives acquired from a nearby even a tourist line. It all depends upon
larger railroad. In this case, a single the character you provide through the
Structures EMD GP7 or a yard switcher from the equipment and structures you put on
A Central Valley truss bridge is used GN or any of the other nearby railroads the railroad. Be creative and try new
for the long span. This bridge’s deck is 3⁄4" would be perfect. Retain the original ideas. After all, it’s your railroad! 1
W
hen most model railroaders start Operation in a small area cars will look and operate better on tight
out they just want to watch trains The HO scale Atlanta Central is curves. Small steam locomotives such as
run around an oval of track on a designed to start out as an oval for run- 2-8-0 Consolidations and 2-8-2 Mikados
4 x 8-foot sheet of plywood. ning trains. But as your interests evolve, or early diesels such F3s or NW2s will
Often this layout is rebuilt or the layout has a lot to offer opera- work best for the same reason.
scrapped because watching trains going tionally with its interlocking crossing The premise behind the Atlanta Cen-
around a basic oval of track gets . . . and interchange yard. tral is that it’s a terminal railroad
well, boring! Model railroaders want Because of the tight curves on the wholly owned by the Southern Ry.
operation to keep their interest up after Atlanta Central (18" minimum radius), Since the Southern really owned several
the scenery, buildings, and details are we’ll set the era in the late 1940s when subsidiaries like this, the scheme is
in place. freight cars were shorter. Those smaller quite plausible.
Scale: 3⁄4"=1'-0"
6 GREATESTHOBBY.COM
Freight cars are exchanged between river base. Make the river banks from be yards, staging tracks, or even more-
the Southern and the Atlanta & West plaster-soaked gauze covered by a finish elaborate trackage running along the
Point through the interchange yard coat of Sculptamold. High-gloss varnish walls of the room to other destinations.
near the crossing. Locomotives from or two-part resins such as Enviro-Tex Let your imagination be your guide,
both roads can be seen working in the will make convincing water. and the Atlanta Central can be as great
yard, but the Atlanta Central is the only as the city it’s named after. 1
road that delivers cars from the yard to Trackwork
the local industries. All of the track is Atlas code 83 Snap-
Track and flextrack. I chose the code 83
Construction techniques track (the rail is .083" high) because it Structures
Building the Atlanta Central is really looks more prototypical than code 100
straightforward, with a 4 x 8-foot sheet (.100" high). Besides, lighter rail is more 1. Atlas 704 signal tower (Howell
of plywood resting on a frame of 1 x 4s appropriate for the 1940s. Tower)
that is supported by sawhorses or book- The Atlas 90-degree crossing helps 2. Campbell 303 curved trestle
cases. The detail drawing below shows increase the prototypical operations of 3. Wm. K. Walthers 933-3095
the basic benchwork. the layout. The crossing, located near Railway Express Agency
The only tricky part of the bench- Howell Tower, is where the A&WP 4. Wm. K. Walthers 933-3029
work is making the river. Cut out the crosses the Southern Ry. Both of these Merchant’s Row II
plywood where the river goes, remove railroads provide interchange traffic for 5. Design Preservation Models 119
11⁄2" of the exposed 1 x 4s, and refasten the Atlanta Central. M. T. Arms Hotel
the removed chunk of plywood as the There are a few pieces of flextrack in 6. Design Preservation Models 202
the plan. These are used because sec- Pam’s Pet Shop
tional track in these locations would 7. Design Preservation Models 204
require several pieces be cut to fit. Walker Building
Instead we’ll only make two cuts on 8. Design Preservation Models 108
each piece of flextrack. If you feel com- Goodfellows Hall
fortable working with it, flextrack could 9. Atlas 750 lumberyard
be used for the entire layout, eliminat- 10. City Classics 103 Smallman
ing a lot of the rail joints that some- Street Warehouse
times cause electrical problems later. 11. Wm. K. Walthers 933-3080
Miranda’s Bananas
Room to grow 12. Bachmann 45153 water tank
The Atlanta Central can be expanded 13. Wm. K. Walthers 933-3044
by building extensions past the Howell Hardwood Furniture Co.
Tower crossing. These extensions can
Three-story building F
Retail stores Used car lot Quality Clean Retail Upstate Beverages Alliance Fenced yard
Industrial Uniforms stores Distribution warehouse Appliances with guardhouse
Thacker Avenue
Alliance
Interlocking tower
Telephone shanty (abandoned)
Fred Frigid
Crestwood Arms Hotel
Frozen Foods
Abandoned
24" aisle crossover
Pocket track
24" aisle
H
ere’s a compact model railroad This railroad is designed for a 1996 issues of MODEL RAILROADER.
that provides a lot of interesting 10 x 12-foot room. One side fits against However, the railroad will need to be
switching opportunities in a met- the long wall with the short leg extend- fairly tall so the double-sided structures
ropolitan setting. The Pike City Belt ing out into the room. A 24" aisle pro- can effectively separate the 25th Street
Line’s linear design packs in four dis- vides access to the 25th Street Yard. Yard from Oakton.
tinctly different switching locations and For portability, the railroad can be This plan is designed for easy con-
a small staging yard. A variety of scenic built in three sections 18" wide and 72" struction using Atlas flextrack and Peco
dividers separate the scenes and make long following David Barrow’s domino small-radius turnouts. These turnouts
the railroad seem larger than its 50 construction methods which were pub- are made with switch point toggle
square feet. lished in the September and October springs – ideal for manual operation.
8 GREATESTHOBBY.COM
1 Staging track 2
Alliance Appliances should be large terminal and allows you to use a variety
and busy-looking with a variety of roof of switchers or Geeps.
lines showing additions through the The engine pulls its train past the
Four-story building
years. It is more than 48" long to con- abandoned interlocking tower and into
ceal the staging tracks along the wall. the 25th Street Yard. There, the cars are
Two-story building Where the track enters the building, a sorted and organized for delivery as
small section of loading dock detail can both facing and trailing point switch
be used to mask the empty interior. moves are involved.
A two-sided building-and-scene Next, the crew begins visiting the
divider separates the 25th Street Yard various industries to pick up the out-
The Pike City
Belt Line from Oakton. The Pike Furniture fac- bound cars. A caboose is necessary to
ce HO scale – Peco small tory faces the Oakton side, while the provide a safe platform for the crew as
radius turnouts opposite side of the structure represents cars are shoved across busy streets.
Scale: 3⁄4" = 1'-0"
the alley view of three other businesses, While the switcher is away from the
which aren’t serviced by the railroad. yard, a transfer run pulls in from stag-
ILLUSTRATION BY KELLIE JAEGER
This large structure also provides a ing track one. It arrives on the front
three-dimensional transition into the track so the engine can escape. After the
city backdrop that divides the rest of runaround move is done, the transfer
the peninsula. job shoves its cars into an empty track
and the engine is parked in the pocket
Enhancing realism track while the crew heads for lunch.
The quantity and sizes of the indus- When the PCBL switcher returns, it
tries on the PCBL enhance its realism gathers the outbound cars for the trans-
and believability. Three businesses – fer job. By then, the transfer crew has
Pike Furniture, Alliance Appliances, returned so they couple onto their train,
and the Pike City Eagle newspaper – are make a brake test, and depart into stag-
large enough to require daily switching. ing track one.
The beverage distributor, paint ware- Next, the PCBL crew sets two cars
house, and frozen food plant will need and the caboose on the front track
less frequent switching, while the other while the switcher runs through the
remaining small industries are worked escape track to get behind them. It now
only about once a week. shoves the train, caboose first, across
Naming all of the different locations Lee Street and into Alliance. Then it
on the railroad also enhances its real- reverses direction and pulls the cars
ism. The “Oakton” name sounds across Lee Street again and around the
like a suburb or city neighbor- curve into Oakton. The caboose is left
hood. In typical prototype fash- on the Lee Street curve while the crew
ion “Thacker Avenue” shoves the two cars across Thacker
refers to an area near a Avenue and spots them at Excel Elec-
city street or some tronics and the Leonard Paint Co.
other similar land- When it returns to the yard, the
mark. “Alliance” switcher gathers its outbound cars. An
comes from the air test is made, and then the train clat-
name of the major cus- ters across the diamond and heads into
tomer at that location. staging track two. Between operating
Using these names in reference sessions, you’ll need to back the trains
to train movements will add proto- out and rearrange their consists with
typical flavor to an operating session. extra cars that are stored nearby.
ILLUSTRATION BY TERRI FIELD Most switch jobs have an official job
number or name, but many prototype Optional additions
railroaders create their own nicknames There’s space to add a third staging
for these runs. Some typical names for track within the appliance plant to
the PCBL’s switch job might be the 25th intensify operations. However, expand-
Street Switcher, the Thacker Avenue ing the number of industries may be
Job, or the Oakton Turn. The “turn” ref- counter-productive. You don’t want
erence in the name means the switch tracks to fill every bit of real estate.
Scenic challenge job goes out, works, and then returns Instead, I’d change a few industries to
The major challenge in building this to its starting point. ones with higher volumes of traffic that
layout is in modeling the industries need more switching.
served by the PCBL. The structures A day on the PCBL As it is, the PCBL will give you an
located against the walls and scenic Let’s follow a PCBL switch crew as idea of what switching is like in a met-
dividers can be simply built as flats. they go to work. Their engine, five cars, ropolitan area. The layout will provide
However, the appliance plant and fur- and a caboose are spotted on staging many hours of excitement and con-
niture factory, both large structures, track two, which represents the main stantly changing switch moves that will
need some three-dimensional areas to PCBL yard in another part of Pike City. challenge both newcomers and veteran
look convincing. This eliminates the need for an engine model railroaders. 1
T
his track plan will give you ideas on Setting the scene lay your hands on. Firsthand observa-
how to improve an otherwise ordi- The scenery should suggest gently tion and photos of the prototype area
nary 4 x 8-foot HO layout. The rolling farmland dotted with clumps of will give you many great ideas.
Northeastern Alberta Rys. (NEAR) is set white poplar and evergreens. The trees
in the farmlands east of Edmonton. are used to disguise the backdrop open- Operation
Most of the NEAR’s traffic is agricul- ings the trains will pass through. To Without a fiddle yard, operation on
tural goods, shipped out of the region model the tall prairie grass, I’d try the the NEAR would be hampered by the
on the Canadian National’s Edmonton method that Eric Bronsky described in lack of a runaround at Royalite and by
to Lloydminster, Alberta, line. the book Scenery Tips & Techniques, the lack of someplace for the train to go
At Mann Lake, the layout’s opera- published by Kalmbach (books can be other than around the oval. The fiddle
tional center, there is a short passing purchased by telephone at 800-533- yard helps solve both problems.
track and a good-sized frame depot. On 6644 or by e-mail to customerservice@ The yard is a 6" x 36" shelf attached
the opposite side of the backdrop, a kalmbach.com). For an illusion of drop-leaf style to the end of the layout,
small passenger shelter and storage greater depth on each side of the back- with a length of track to connect the
shed mark Royalite, a village that drop, the fur’s texture and coloring spur with Royalite junction. The spur
largely owes its existence to the United could be evened out slightly toward the represents the interchange with CN.
Grain Growers elevators. In addition, a rear of each scene. You’d begin a typical day’s operation
spur leaves the main line at this point to on the NEAR by assembling a train in
connect with a drop-leaf fiddle yard. Detailing the fiddle yard and running the train
One advantage of a small layout is through the junction onto the main.
Track plan that you can go all out on detail with a After running a fixed number of laps
The plan is designed to use Atlas lot less work than on a larger system. around the oval, you’d stop the train at
no. 4 Custom-Line turnouts and Mann Lake and Royalite should look as Mann Lake, having reached the mod-
18"-radius curves on the main line. though they’ve been around a while. eled “end of the line.” You’d switch the
However, I decided to give the fiddle Plant flowers in the ditches and tall two industries here and run the engine
yard lead a 30"-radius curve. The tracks, weeds as appropriate, and load the around by way of the short passing
roads, and backdrop run at angles to roads and parking lots with as many track. If there are more than just a few
the benchwork edges for visual effect. vehicles for your chosen era as you can cars in the train, it could take a couple
10 GREATESTHOBBY.COM
of trips through the siding to get the
locomotive and caboose on opposite
ends of the consist. If you’re sharp you’ll
remember to keep any cars bound for
Royalite blocked next to the engine
for the trip back.
When ready to return you’d start the
train out and run half the number of
laps around the oval that you used to
reach Mann Lake; the train could then
arrive in Royalite. After you switch the
elevators, you’d take the train out again
for a similar number of laps before tak-
ing the junction turnout and ending the
run back in the fiddle yard.
Equipment
The NEAR’s equipment should be
representative of a prairie branch line.
For the steam era, 40-foot boxcars
would be dominant on the freight ros-
ter, with an assortment of tank, flat, and
refrigerator cars added for variety. A
2-6-0 Mogul or 4-6-0 Ten-Wheeler
would be typical of locomotives used on
the prairie branch lines.
For a modern-era NEAR you’d want
a small fleet of government-owned
cylindrical grain hoppers. An EMD
switcher or a Geep would do nicely to
stretch the slack.
The NEAR’s sharp curves put it in
the freight-only category for most mod-
elers, but for the steam era a short
combine at the end of the train might
be used to offer mail, express, and pas-
senger service to the prairie villages.
Royalite
Gas station, International Hobby Corp.
no. 4108
Passenger shelter, Atlas no. 701
(use without tower supports)
Storage shed, Con-Cor no. 9033
Store, Design Preservation Models
116 Carr’s Parts
Store, Design Preservation Models
102 Robert’s Dry Goods
Grain elevator, Campbell no. 384
with no. 449 storage bin
ILLUSTRATIONS BY ROBERT WEGNER
O
val track plans are popular for first operations on lakes in British Colum- Procter and Lardeau, B. C. At Lardeau
layouts or tight spaces, but they’re bia. Instead of transferring loads from the train took to the rails again on the
often outgrown as their builders freight cars to ships, the railroad loaded branch north to Gerrard.
realize the implausibility of a closed- the cars onto ferries or barges. The main industry in this part of
loop rail system. Railroads, even model The last of these operations, on Slo- Canada is lumber and wood products.
ones, need interchange connections to can Lake, used a barge and a tugboat. There’s also a little agriculture to the
survive. Here’s an oval plan for a branch The whole train was ferried up the lake east so we’ll use some modeler’s license
line using a barge to connect with the to work a branch from Rosebery to and add a grain elevator to give more
outside world. Naksup and New Denver. variety in freight cars.
Structures
1. Model Power
1522 gantry crane
2. American Model Builders
610 grain elevator
3. Design Preservation Models
514 Erik’s Emporium
4. Wm. K. Walthers
933-3224 Merchant’s Row II
5. Life-Like
7463 country store
6. Wm. K. Walthers 933-3201
Water St. Freight Terminal
(lumber mill main office)
7. Design Preservation Models
506 Gripp’s Luggage Mfg.
(millwork warehouse)
8. Wm K. Walthers 933-3236
Mountain Lumber Co. Sawmill
(main mill building and
slash burner – 9)
STEVE PATTERSON
12 GREATESTHOBBY.COM
used on top of the thicker piece to raise The finished layout can be set on a You can use latex Liquid Nails to
the subroadbed above lake level. The dining room table for operation and attach the cork roadbed to the foam
foam makes the layout light and easy stored under a high bed or in a closet. board and lay track on that, or you can
for one person to move. However, if the layout doesn’t need to use self-adhesive roadbed, such as
The 3 x 6-foot size was chosen so the be moved around, you can make it AMI’s Instant Roadbed.
railroad can go through just about any more permanent by attaching it to a Since the KNC would probably only
doorway. Because foam board comes in pair of shelving units. need one locomotive at a time, you can
4 x 8-foot sheets, you’ll have some mate- wire this railroad without any electrical
rial left over after you trim it to its fin- Trackwork and wiring blocks. However, you can run two
ished size. The track plan combines Atlas N trains independently with cab control
The leftover foam pieces can be scale sectional and flextrack. Start by or Digital Command Control (DCC).
carved and piled in layers to make the laying the sectional track through The plan shows insulated rail joiners
ridge that serves as a view block down Lardeau and the two half circles, and and feeders for blocks with common
the middle of the layout. Figure 1 shows then cut the flextrack sections to fit. All rail wiring for cab control.
how this is done. Use a Stanley Surform of the straight track sections are 5" long For more information on common
rasp to give the mountain and the edges and unmarked curves are 11" radius. rail wiring and using flextrack, take a
of the lakes their finished shape. Unmarked turnouts are no. 6s. look at the Kalmbach book Beginner’s
14 GREATESTHOBBY.COM