Great Model Railroads 2020

Great Model Railroads returns with an extraordinary 2020 edition! From the editors of Model Railroader, the latest collection includes 10 spectacular layouts from hobby's top modelers. You'll find a variety of scales, sizes and locations that will inspire you to create your own layout.

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Features

Out and back on the Story City branch

by Clark Propst

A branch of the Minneapolis & St. Louis provides plenty of operation

Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 13 x 20 feet Prototype: Minneapolis & St. Louis Locale: central Iowa Era: Autumn 1949 to 1951

HO scale Minneapolis & St. Louis Story City Branch track plan

Big mountains, small space

by Lou Sassi

From Colorado Springs to the Rockies, this HO layout captures the D&RGW in 13 x 18 feet

Scale: HO scale (1:87.1) Size: 13'-0" x 18'-6" Prototype: Denver & Rio Grande Western Locale: Colorado Era: late 1950s to early 1960s

HO scale Denver & Rio Grande Western track plan

Look, Ma, no wires

by Lee Gasparik

This 43 x 70-foot O scale empire runs on battery power, radio control

Scale: O (1:48) Size: 43 x 70 feet Prototype: Pennsylvania RR and New York Central Locale: Northeastern U.S. Period: 1950s

O scale Pennsylvania & New York Central track plan

Pennsy's Elmira Branch in HO

by Anthony Daniele

A John Armstrong article inspired this huge layout, where PRR and NYC run joint coal trains

Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 22 x 45 feet Prototype: Pennsylvania RR, Erie RR, New York Central, and Lehigh Valley Locale: upstate New York Era: 1956

HO scale PRR Elmira Branch track plan

Making it mine

by Gary Schaff

Details, scenery, and structures put the personal stamp on an HO layout built by professionals

Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 13'-6" x 35'-0" Prototype: Central RR of New Jersey and Pennsylvania RR Locale: Jersey City, N.J., to Mauch Chunk, Pa. Era: early 1950s

HO scale Hudson, Delaware & Lehigh RR

Ride the Sandy River

by Lou Sassi

An MR contributing editor unveils his Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes

Scale: On30 (1:48, 30" track gauge) Size: 7 x 16 feet Prototype: Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes Locale: north-central Maine Era: mid 1930s

On30 Sandy River & Langeley Lakes track plan

The Blue Ridge Mountain Route

by Thomas Klimoski

Modeling a Georgia short line offers loads of operation in a small space

Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 9'-2" x 10'-6" Prototype: Georgia Northeastern RR Locale: Georgia Era: present-day

HO scale Georgia Northeastern RR track plan

Modeling the New Haven under wire

by Richard Abramson

An HO scale layout first seen in August's 2004 Model Railroader reaches completion

Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 12'-6" x 19'-6" Prototype: New Haven electrified zone Locale: southwestern Connecticut Era: 1950s to 1960s

HO scale New York, New Haven & Hartford RR track plan

The winds of Cajon past

by Dave Rickaby

Childhood memories inspired a Wisconsin modeler to re-create Southern California

Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 33'-2" x 40'-7" Prototype: Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; Union Pacific; and Southern Pacific Locale: Southern California Era: Early 1950s to early 1960s