Home2023 Annual Meeting - Layouts

2023 Annual Meeting Layouts

A number of local PRRT&HS members have graciously invited us to view and, in some cases, operate their personal layouts. Here, we present them to you with descriptions and some pictures. We hope that you will take the opportunity to get to see them in person.

In deference to our members' privacy, we are not providing addresses here, but they will be available at the registration desk at the meeting.

Dan Adair – (Layout Tours only) (Friday, May 19, 2023 from 7-10 and Sunday, May 21, 2023 from 11-5).

The Marietta Division, is an HO scale DCC-controlled layout that models a PRR line from Cambridge, Ohio to Newcomerstown, Ohio (25 miles). This is a shelf type layout that is a 650’ long single track main with 9 passing sidings, 2 hidden staging yards, and detection using PRR ABS signaling. The scenery is 99.5% complete and the layout hosts monthly operating sessions with up to 10 operators. The layout is operated as prototypically as possible using walk around wireless cabs, a CTC board, and radios. There are 2 helper districts on the layout that assist in getting trains from the lower level to the upper levels. Every year, the era is rotated, starting with 1957 (PRR), 1968 (PC), and 1977 (Conrail). In 2023 the era will be 1957. Dan’s “early” layout was featured in the Aug 2006 Rail Model Journal.

Dick Briggs, MMR – (Layout Tours only) (Sunday, May 21, 2023 from 11 – 5).

This HO scale layout is in a 12’ x 120’ basement area. It is a point-to-point adaptation of the PY&A from Ashtabula, OH to Pittsburgh, PA. The layout has the 2011 Society’s Best of Show and Yagodich award winning scratch-built lake boat and dock in harbor in Ashtabula and a steel mill complex in Niles, OH. Modeled in the steam to diesel transition era with locals switching freight maneuvering around thru trains of ore, coal, and steel products. Layout is controlled by Digitrax DCC and has working position light and dwarf signals controlled by track detection and Dispatcher. Train movement controlled by train order and switch lists. Layout is about 75% completed, but will never be complete, always something to improve. Lots of scratch built and kit bashed structures.

Chad Cook – (Layout Tours only, May 21, 2023 from 11-5 PM). The Lake Division, Bucyrus Ohio centered layout is an HO scale DCC controlled layout that models the PRR in Bucyrus. It interchanges with the NYC and features a brewery (Cook’s Brewery), as well as manufacturing and local industries. It also features an ine facility. Scenery is about 50% completed. Operating sessions use up to four operators, including the Dispatcher.

Matt Goodman – (Layout tours only, May 21, 2023 from 11-5 PM). The Norfolk and Western Scioto Division, models a single city in the agricultural area of the Scioto Valley – Circleville OH, in 1938. This is a 15x23 foot layout and the goal is to accurately represent the city’s track layout and agricultural industries that existed in 1937. The layout includes an interchange with the PRR’s Zanesville Branch (former C&MV). Track work is about 75% complete and the scenery is 10% complete. The layout features a slide-out staging yard, homasote spline sub-roadbed, hand laid turnouts, Central Valley Model Works ties, and a continuous aluminum trim-coil backdrop. Layout control is TCS DCC command station that accommodates LCC, WiThrottle, and NCE throttles.

Bill Hanna – (Operations on Friday, May 19, 2023 from 7:30 to 10:30 PM and Layout tours on Sunday, May 21, 2023 from 11-5 PM). The Union Northern Railway – is a fictitious bridge line set in the mid-1950s. The locale is east central PA, somewhere west of Scranton. The proto-type inspiration for the RR is the P&LE near the mills of Pittsburgh; inspiration came from the late 70s articles about Allen McClelland’s V&O. The UN Ry connects with the P&LE and B&O in the west, the NYC and Erie to the east, and the LV, WM, and PRR to the south. The UN has about 400’ of main line with several long passing sidings, a major classification yard, passenger terminal, and industrial areas. A third of the layout uses electric locomotives running on catenary lines (non-working). This is a DCC layout using Digitrax and with the beginnings of a CTC system. The layout has a 1.9% max grade and has four off line storage yards for the storage of 23 trains for use in prototype operations.

Steve Hipes – (Operations only, Friday May 19, 2023 from 7:30 to 10:30 PM) Columbus Belt Line depicts Columbus Ohio after the debut of Conrail. This proto-freelanced layout is set in the summer of 1977 and represents the truncated remainder of the proposed but never built PRR controlled belt line around the south side of Columbus OH. This is a switching layout only as there is no “main line”. There are six local switch runs and up to four transfers between Berwick Yard, the small classification yard that anchors the railroad, and the East Columbus five track staging yard, which represents the junction with the C&N Sub Division (Main Line Pittsburgh to Columbus). The crew is five operators and one dispatcher, Steve Hipes. The railroad uses Digitrax Simplex wireless DCC and switch lists for car placement and yard classification. Start time is 7:30 PM and ops last 2.5 to 3 hours. The layout also hosts two cats and one dog, all of whom will be in the basement from time to time.

Howdy Lamprecht, MMR – (Layout tours only, Sunday, May 21 2023 from 12 – 5 pm) Welcome to the Olive Grove Railroad & Lumber Company where lumber is king. Nestled between the Sapphire and Bitterroot Mountains in western Montana near the border of Idaho. This fictional privately named multi-level Model Railroad resides in a 13’ x 32’ area. Double tracked all around includes a paper mill and sawmill which are the major industries. The town of Olive Grove can only be reached by switchback. Shays, Heisler’s and a few Climax locomotives are on the OGLC roster along with early Alco diesel’s . The Olive Grove Railroad & Lumber Company has connections with Canadian Pacific and British Columbia Railways. DCC was added 2 years ago and an operating system is in it’s early stages. Over 175 feet of mainline and the scenery is over 90% complete.

George Stringer – (Layout Tours only) (Sunday, May 21, 2023, 11-5 pm). The 100% scenery layout is an upside down “L” shape, 23’ X 18’, with a 35 inch access isle proceeding down the center of the long length of the “L” and turning 22.50 to the right in the heel of the “L”. On the left side of the isle is an 8 track PRR Stub Yard. On the right side of the isle is a 7 track (partially run thru) Nickel Plate Yard. Using a duck under you have additional isle space behind a back drop that separates the town from the industrial section both behind the NKP yard.

The layout sits on 2 X 2 legs holding up doors saved from the remodel when we moved in. On top of the doors there is foam in various thicknesses, including a 2% double tracked grade that goes thru a massive plaster cast tunnel in the corner of the “L”. The layout is 45 inches off the floor and 48 inches down from the ceiling. I tried to maintain 42 inch radius track. Where walls come in contact with the layout Masonite was used to hold the Trackside Scenery.com backdrops which includes a water fall down a short river with three RR bridges and one highway bridge. There are clouds and sky above the back drop. These backdrops are are very realistic as they are real pictures on photo paper. In the other areas Realistic Backdrops.Com were used. There are 25 Miller Engineering neon signs on the layout. The cement roads on the layout were made from For Sale, For Rent, and Beware of Dog plastic signs.

George can easily run two trains at one time even though half of the pike is single track. In the social area of the partial basement is a room he calls the “waiting room”. Glass cases hold the remainder of the 150 engines, most of which are PRR, he cannot get on the run and park layout.

Christopher Walsh – (Operations May 19, 2023 from 7:30 t0 10:30 PM, Layout tours Sunday, May 21, 2023 from 11-5 PM). The PRR Panhandle Division is set in 1947 (with minor exceptions) and is a 2800 square foot layout in the beginning stages of construction. The layout starts with 10 staging tracks representing both St. Louis/Chicago and Pittsburgh PA. The visible part of the layout starts with the coke processing plant just south of East Steubenville on the east side of the Ohio river and then travels west to Steubenville/Mingo Jct and then interchanges at various points west until arriving at Richmond IN. Branch line operations include the Richmond Division to Hamilton OH, the PRR Newcomerstown Branch, the B&O branch at Urichsville OH, and the Nickel Plate branch at Bowerston to Cadiz Jct. OH. Richmond is very heavily modeled and includes the passenger trackage and a representation of the engine facility. It also includes an interchange with the C&O at the White River as well as a stylized version of the International Harvester plant. At this point, only the double track mainline is fully operational and only Richmond supports operations. Minimal scenery as of this writing. The layout is somewhat handicap accessible via a single step into the house and a chair lift down to the basement.

Delaware County Model Railroad Group - (Layout Tours Only, Sunday, May 21, from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM)

The Delaware County Model Railroad Group is located in the former Sunbury, Ohio station, along the former Cleveland, Akron and Columbus Branch (the CA&C) of the PRR. The group models time periods from the 60's thru the present day. Members range from teens to senior's. Motive power and consists reflect member's interests in various roads. Powered by Digitrax DCC. While primarily a display layout, the group is getting into operations. Located along the Sandel Legacy Trail - part of the Ohio to Erie Trail.