Topic: Model Railroad Branch Line Track Plan Design
Imagine faded RS-2's pulling short trains through the river valleys of Vermont or New Hampshire with tree covered mountains in the distance. Small towns, brick mills, dairies, covered bridges, it's no wonder that the New England branch line theme is a perennial favorite among model railroaders.
A classic New England mill sits in the sun on this chilly day in 1939. Scenes like this are a favorite among model railroaders. A good starting point for the mill would be the Atlas Middlesex Manufacturing kit, perhaps two of them laid end to end as I showed on the plan in this blog. Jack DeLano. Library of Congress.
At 15' x 22', the plan below would fit in your typical half basement. Although l've labeled it as a branch, most of my design clients prefer continuous run formats so I've taken that liberty. Operationally however, you could treat it as an out and back branch with the local leaving the main yard and running out and back to the foreign road interchange (Canadian Pacific maybe?). I've deliberately kept the track density low but there is room to add a few more spurs if you wanted, perhaps serving a lumberyard or fuel dealer. The design is meant to be a platform for the train runner that loves the look of green tree covered mountains and valleys, streams, lots of bridge crossings, and New England-style structures.
Need help coming up with a custom layout design for your own situation? Drop me a note and let's talk.
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