Valley Grain in New Ulm, MN, is the embodiment of visual interest, making it an ideal modeling subject. Third Street, on the left, cuts across the entire yard. I was recently contacted by an existing customer about exploring concepts for a layout to possibly be built in a spare bedroom. He is a lifelong CNW enthusiast, and if I could come up with something along the famed "Alco Line" that would be a plus. With a somewhat blank canvas, I began researching towns up and down

Several decades ago, I was contacted by a customer in the Chicago area who wanted a fairly large layout that would allow for both casual train running and industrial switching. The basic theme was somewhere in the Rust Belt during the 1950's. Shown above is the design we came up with. It's essentially just a large double-track loop with industries along the perimeter and a large yard on the top. It measured 32' x 11'. We set the minimum radius at 36 inches to accommodate

For the past eighteen months the project in the shop has been a rendition of CNW's famed Alco Line, plying the prairies of Southern Minnesota. The layout was done in three phases. The third, and final section, set in the region around Waseca is now complete. I've add five images of this phase to the photo gallery. Here's the final track plan.

A trio of faded RS3s rolls westward past the iconic station in Mankato, MN. The exquisite model was scratch-built by Jeff Kraker. Phase 2 of the Alco Line project is now complete. (Phase 1 was the cover story in the November issue of RMC). Phase 2 models Mankato and the regions just to the east and west. Join me as we take a photo tour of the latest progress updates. Here is the track plan. Phase 2 is in the middle of the room. After passing the station, and continuing