Layout Tours

There will be a number of great area home layouts open for tours during the convention. Here’s a sampling of the layouts you can visit.

NNGC-Schedule

Fully HOn3, this layout is a freelance connection between the prototype EBT and the Tuscarora Valley
railroads in southcentral PA. the layout is centered around the real PA town of East Waterford in the
Appalachian Mountains. Point to point with switching operations covering mercantile and logging
interests in the surrounding area. The layout is 15’ x 20’ with the time period in the early 1900’s. DC
block control is used to operate the trains. Track work is complete with scenery at the 99%+ level.

This HOn3/HO layout is an historically freelanced extension of the real East Broad Top RR set in
southcentral PA during peak fall foliage two years pre WWII. It also features an abridged section of the
PRR Cumberland Valley Branch. Operations center on a small blast furnace served by both railroads with
a Long Branch spur to an iron ore mine at the top of a mountain, coal turns for the coke ovens and
mixed freight and passenger service. Narrow gauge power is mainly Colorado prototype lettered for the
local railroad. With pre WWII PRR steam and an occasional early diesel. The layout is 17’ x 21’ x 11’ in a
U shape in a first floor studio/office space. Track work is complete with scenery at the 90%+ level.
Control is wireless Digitrax.

This group operates both HO and N layouts on two levels of this former retail building. Both depict life in the
upper Ohio River valley from 1940 through 1965. Both are DCC controlled. The HO has logging, steel,
coal, and heavy industry on multiple levels with interspersed towns for the scale workers. Steam and
diesel work the sidings around the layout. The N has a large city, water operations, and various
industries requiring switching with diesels doing most of the work. Construction began in 2000 with both
layouts being 95%+ complete.

This On30/On18 layout is a set of interconnected modules in a spare bedroom depicting life in the area
around Santiago, Chile in the 1970‘s. Originally from that area, Alberto wanted to capture the feeling of
railroad life in his childhood hometown. The layout has harbor scenes, mining, and scenes of life around
town. Operations are accomplished via DCC. The modules are fully sceniced with extreme attention to
the details of life in the area at the time. Trackwork is complete with 100% scenery.

This three rail O layout is set in southcentral PA depicting the PRR during the 1930’s through today. This
is accomplished by `aging’ the scenery and surroundings through time as the layout goes from east end
to west. This allows for operation a wide range of steam and diesel power. Towns, farms, and industries
are highly detailed for the ear they represent. Extreme attention to prototype engineering practices was
paid to assure the most realistic appearance. Fully signaled with multiple train operation. Track work is
complete with scenery at the 98%+ level.

This HO layout is a freelance heavy industrial switching operation filling 800sqft. The mainline is over
120ft with three long branch lines. Based in SW PA, it is transition era with 19 industrial spurs switching
900 cars with steam and diesel hauling the loads. Steel, coal, and manufacturing of all sorts dominate
the layout. Operation is the main focus for this layout. There is occasional passenger service. It is fully
signaled with NCE DCC wireless control. Track work is complete with scenery at the 99%+ level.

This HO layout is a heavy industrial freelance layout with three branch lines, 189 spurs, 900
cars on the layout in 800sqft! It features late steam and early diesel power the trains. DCC
operations with full signaling through a custom distributed computer network.

The D.A.R.E. Model RR Club featured multiple layouts from N to G scale. Three are HO, one of
which depicts the Montour RR in the 1970’s. Another is a complete steel mill operation. The N
scale is new and under development. O scale railroads feature Lionel and MTH with DCS
(digital control). The G layout is multiple loops with a back and forth line. HO is a mixture of DC
and DCC. Layouts are all under constant construction and upgrading by the students with adult
supervision. Completion is 5% to 100% per layout. Additionally, the Montour RR Historical
Society has its archives displayed in the facility. Located in an old school that is now part of the
municipal park, they occupy the second and third floors of the building located in Venetia, PA.

Click here to learn more about each of the club’s layouts.

Situated in a former union hall, the 2200sqft HO & HOn3 is about to celebrate its 75th anniversary. The area modeled is Cumberland, MD to Erie, PA. Featuring a large steel mill, logging, and a street car line between towns.

My Hon3 railroad models the Rio Grande Southern from Rico to Ridgway along with the Telluride branch. Additionally, I model the entire East Broad Top, and the Colorado & Southern Gunnison division. All are modeled in 1957 and all are physically connected and profitable unless you talk to the auditor who happens to be my wife. The layout is DC block control with PFM and PBL sound. Each railroad is a bit over 90 yards long and they are housed in a building approximately 24 by 66 feet. Most of the pike is scenicked, at least the first layer, with many areas basically complete. Operations are TTTO using working order boards controlled by the dispatcher. A telegraph and telephone system allows communication. Most buildings are accurate for their location, some are not. Many scenes are reasonably like the prototype, some are complete whimsey. I will be open noon to 4 pm on Sunday, September 15^th.

Woodlawn Southern RR

Scale:    HO
Prototype:    PRR, B&O, W&LE
Area Modeled:    Northern WV & SW PA
Era:    19Late 1940’s to 1954
Mainline Length:    60ft
Bench work:    Grid & L girder
Grade:    1.5%
Track:    Code 100
% sceniced:    80%
Control:    DCC
Photos Allowed:    Yes
Located in:    Alliquippa, PA

Open for tours: Wednesday 12 Noon – 5 PM, Friday 10 AM – 3 PM

The Woodlawn Southern is a 19’ x 13’ single mainline dog bone with a switch back branch. The branch line power is geared locos including Shays and Climaxes. Mainline power is late era steam and first generation diesels. Although freelance power and rolling stock follow prototype practice.

Bob Prehoda – Huntingdon Valley Northern

A freelanced HO railroad focusing on operations between two cities in SW PA in the 1962 timeframe. Steam and diesel power provide the oomph to get the trains moving through the switching operations between the cities. Coal, steel, and lumber are among the facilities on the layout along with extensive scenery transitions between industrial sites. Passenger service is also provided. It is 24’ x 26’ with DCC control. Track work is complete with scenery at the 100% level.