Scale: HO & HOn3
Era: 1953
Key Features:
- The Soo Line prior to the consolidation with the WC and DSS&A from North Central Wisconsin -- Sault Ste. Marie (the Soo) to Minneapolis
- The model railroad is approximately 50’ long and from 12 to 22 feet wide It is an “around the walls” layout with a long center peninsula
- The main line is a 200’closed loop with two single ended, “nose-to-nose” staging yards. These represent Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. and Minneapolis
- A 100’branch represents the WC to Superior, Wisc. and the Bessemer, Mich. iron mine complex. Another branch goes to Rice Lake, Wisc.
- There are 60 industries and spots plus four standard gauge interchanges
- There are three classification yards
- Track authority granted through verbal communication with Dispatcher.
- Fast clock and Homemade car card and waybill system
- Digitrax simples & duplex throttles
- 9 person operating crew: Dispatcher, 3 yard masters, 3 engineers + a spare if some road jobs take longer than planned
- The narrow gauge Thunder Lake logging railroad transfers hardwood logs to the PSL at Robbins Junction
Scenery:
- 65% complete.
- Backgrounds are “Stamp Art” by Bob’s wife Prue
Began construction: April 15, 2000 Operating Sessions Started: Jan 2001
Owner: Bob Johnson
Pets: big black lapadore dogosaurus
Accessibility: Stairway to basement with relatively high, wide, easy duck-under to enter the layout area. For wheel chair bound visitors there is a fairly steep sidewalk to the basement level with a low step up to the floor level.
Photo Gallery
Click photos to enlarge