Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Welcome to the PRR Middle Division in N Scale

This is my time machine to the 1950s for some trackside railfanning. The layout is small (30 inches by 10 feet) but it is well detailed and I use it like a movie set for photos and videos to recreate long lost railfan images. I like prototype modeling and most of what is on the layout is accurate for the PRR of the 1950s. I give myself some latitude in dates as I include both steam and first generation diesels. Passenger equipment includes some two-tone Fleet of Modernism paint scheme, but mostly tuscan cars. Freight equipment is mostly Circle-Keystone scheme, but there is some Shadow-Keystone. The freight equipment includes a prototypical mix of PRR and off-line roads. I am in the process of weathering most of the freight equipment (factory-air loving collectors turn away now!).

The layout consists of a double track mainline (yes, it should be four-track) and six staging tracks in the hidden rear half of the layout. The curved tracks at either end are also hidden to avoid viewing unprototypical sharp curves. The foreground tracks includes an interlocking plant, and pass through a town loosely modeled on Huntingdon, PA. I have scratch-built HUNT Tower. If I ever get around to rebuilding the layout, I will probably model Huntingdon more accurately including the tower, station, 4th Street grade crossing, and the Huntingdon & Broad Top interchange at the station.

Enjoy the photos and let me know your comments.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Doug,

Very nice web site. I really enjoy your modeling. It is truely an inspiration to see what can be accomplished in N Scale. It also shows that you don't need a basement empire to produce stunning and realistic photographs. Keep up the great work and thanks for sharing.

Bill Denton

John J said...

Doug, this is truly outstanding. It sets the standard for me as I work on my PRR Allegheny Division. Your attention to detail and your modelling show that N Scale can be a "modellers" scale.

John Johnston

Bernie said...

Great stuff. Your photos are wonderful. The lighting is perfect. I look forward to seeing more of your layout and modeling.

Unknown said...

Really says Pennsylvania Railroad to me, you really captured the flavor of PRR

Anonymous said...

Some of the best I have seen. Any overall layout shots?

Brian Sklarski

Christopher said...

Doug,
Fantastic layout, very well done. Your work is great as well as your photography.

Chris Brimley
www.nscalelimited.com

KelvinT said...

Great site, Doug. Your layout was an inspriration for my layout. I have so many interests that it's taken me 7 yrs. for my layout and it's close to being finished. Mine is more of a freelance type RR. I sure would like to see the business district pictures of your RR. You have created a big time railroad in such a small space, great job.

Kelvin Thomas

John Hickson said...

Doug,
Wonderful layout. I am also a fan of Jeff Madden's "Come-and-go" design and have gone through much paper in planning my layout. Yours really does a great job of doing this in such a small space. Your article in Jan 2001 MRR was great but it would have been nice to see a lot more pictures. The High Street business district would be nice to see. Any chance you will post more shots of the business district as well as rest of the layout?

John Hickon

Bluff River Road said...

Hi Doug,
I look forward to more of your work. I have just looked at your upgrade of the MTL Heavyweight on the Railwire. How hard would it be to include the ice bunker layout on your blog. I will eventually get my Huntingdon, PA layout completed down under.
Really good modelling which deserves the best of compliments.
Regards
Al Cutmore