LAYOUT TOURS

The following layouts are scheduled to be open for the convention. Maps and a printed list of the layouts will be available at registration. The layouts will be grouped by area; South, East, West and North. This should make visiting the layouts easier and in a logical order. Check back often as we will be adding more layouts!

NEW FOR 2024 – VIDEO TOURS

As can be seen on the clinic schedule, room 525/527 is listed as VIDEO. What this means is that we will be showing video tours of the model railroad layouts that are scheduled for our NCX convention. This is being done, as we have many attendee’s that cannot go up and down stairs. All but one layout on tour is in the basement of the owners house. These video’s will allow you to see these layouts, safely!! We hope you will enjoy this NEW part of our NCX convention. Sit back, relax and enjoy!!

In-Person Layout Tours

For in-person Model Railroad Layout Tours, our schedule incudes multiple times on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Please refer to your information package at check-in for exact times and addresses for these tours.

Friday: 12PM – 5PM

Saturday: 1PM – 9PM

Sunday: 11AM – 5PM

FRIDAY

Mike Tranquilla’s Burlington Pacific

  • Scale: HO
  • Size: 28×28
  • Era: 1920-present
  • Track: 90% complete
  • Scenery: 40% complete
  • Prototype: Proto-freelance – Midwest

This layout has an around the walls Mainline with 5 branch lines in the center. Lots of switching for operations and a large passenger yard. The layout contains a mixture of kit and scratch built structures.

Pierre Willamet’s Allegheny and Eastern

  • Scale: HO
  • Size: 20×25
  • Mainline: 460′
  • Era: 1950/Eastern
  • Track: 100% complete
  • Scenery: 100% complete
  • Prototype: Proto-freelance

The layout is designed for operations. It uses a loop to 2 end points with 5 Interchanges to other railroads. The layout also includes 3 main yards.

Bill Neale’s Pennsylvania Railroad Panhandle Division

  • Scale: HO
  • Size: 27×25, with 180 ft mainline
  • Era: September, 1939
  • Track: 100% complete
  • Scenery: 100% complete
  • Prototype: Erie Railroad

Bill Neale passed away on December 28, 2023. Bill’s wife Terry has graciously opened Bill’s layout to be viewed for this convention. The layout models the Pennsylvania Railroad Panhandle Division from MP 25 (Burgettstown, PA) to MP 45 (Mingo Jct., OH) in 1939. Operations are based on the significant east-west traffic, plus service to local industries and mines. Most eastbound trains require pusher service. 4-6-2’s, 2-10-0’s and 4-8-2’s dominate the mainline, while 2-8-2’s and 2-8-0’s handle local service. The layout is fully signaled and the scenery is 100% completed.

Mark Ellis’ Melville Railroad

  • Scale: HO
  • Size: 11×21
  • Era: 1950-1990
  • Track: 100% complete
  • Scenery: 85% complete
  • Prototype: Freelance Union Pacific

All turnouts are hand built using Fast Tracks jigs and operated by tortoise switch machines. Track is code 83 micro engineering track with an NCE DCC system. Mark likes animation so much of the layout has animation and lighting in many buildings. Mark lets visitors operate many of the animated feature to add interest to the layout. Macros are used in the back staging area to line up the turnouts to make moving in the yard easier.

Ron King’s Erie Railroad

  • Scale: HO
  • Size: 215′ mainline
  • Era: 1953
  • Track: 100% complete
  • Scenery: 100% complete
  • Prototype: Erie Railroad

With 215 feet of mainline, this railroad models the Erie Railroad from Hornell NY to Marion OH. This includes the large yard and engine terminal at Meadville.  The layout includes a large number of scratch built structures.  This layout has been published in a number of magazines.

SATURDAY

Jim Tilley’s PY&A Division Of B&O & PRR Railroads

  • Scale: HO
  • Size: 66×35
  • Mainline: 750′
  • Era: Transition 
  • Track: 100% complete
  • Scenery: 100% complete
  • Prototype: Proto freelance

Multi level urban and mountainous scenery Interchanges with the P&LE, Erie and C&O railroads. Staging North and South traffic is hidden in a separate room. Operations include freight and passenger and dedicated switcher service. Currently using switch lists. Deep Ravine with flowing river.

John Emley’s Soo Line, Latta Sub

  • Scale: HO
  • Size: 20×35
  • Era: 1993 
  • Track: 100% complete
  • Scenery: 97% complete
  • Prototype: Soo Line (ex Milwaukee)

Layout depicting the coal-hauling Soo Line in southern Indiana around Jasonville and Linton, focusing on rural and small-town scenery. Latta Yard is the centerpiece complemented with a river crossing, woods, and fields. About 1/3 of the structures are scratch built to match the prototype. The upper deck has a 90 foot long mainline plus staging and automated return loops. It is fully sceniced except for a few details while the lower deck has a branch line to a coal mine and no scenery yet. No operations yet. Published in Great Model Railroads 2019.

Rick Neibert’s Chessie System, Huntington Division

  • Scale: HO
  • Size: 35×45
  • Era: 1974-1984
  • Track: 100% complete
  • Scenery: 60% complete
  • Proto-freelance Chessie, Amtrak

Rick’s layout depicts the Chessie System in Appalachia from 1974-1984. Scenes include coal mining, mountains, deep cuts and painted backdrops. The layout is all DCC controlled with a double track mainline. Operations include through trains, local trains, Amtrak and a narrow gauge tourist line with D&RGW steam equipment.

Norm Charbonneau’s Northbrook Railroad

  • Scale: O
  • Size: 28×36
  • Mainline: 157′
  • Era: Mid to late 1950s
  • Track: 100% complete
  • Scenery: 100% complete
  • Prototype: Northeast Industrial/Appalachian PRR/B&O/C&O/N&W

O scale 3 Rail layout set in the late steam/diesel transition era featuring many scratch built structures. All trains are fully weathered and converted to Kadee couplers.

Barry Hensel’s Reading Lines – Central Division

  • Scale: HO
  • Size: 24×40
  • Mainline: 2 Mainlines at 190′ each
  • Era: 1970
  • Track: 100% complete
  • Scenery: 100% complete
  • Prototype: Proto-freelance, Reading Lines/SE Pennsylvania

The Reading Lines – Central Division – is set in 1970 and is completely operational. OPS sessions are held every 2.5 months with 5 crews and dispatcher. At this time, the Reading Line is going strong moving coal and freight, along with commuter traffic to those who are working in the big city of Philadelphia. The RDG Lines is a 2 track mainline with continuous running and is operated with EasyDCC for full sound in all locomotives. The layout is L shaped, approx. 40 x 24.

SUNDAY

Fox Run Model Railroad Club

Due to circumstances beyond our control, the Fox Run Model Railroad Club Open House has been cancelled. We apologize for any inconvenience!

Ken Chick’s Danforth Hadley & Northern

  • Scale: N
  • Size: 38×52
  • Era: 1950’s Montana
  • Track: 98% complete
  • Scenery: 90% complete
  • Prototype: Pro-Freelanced loosely based on the Northern Pacific Mountain Division.

Point to point designed for operations. 10 towns with a large yard, engine facilities, and two staging yards. Supports lots of switching and several passenger trains. The layout includes some 250 hand laid code 55 turnouts which are all powered. This layout has been published in several magazines!

Byrne Blumenstein’s AT&SF Eagle West Division

  • Scale: HO
  • Size: 35×20
  • Mainline: 450′
  • Era: 1960’s
  • Track: 70% complete
  • Scenery: 70% complete
  • Prototype: Proto freelance AT&SF

Come see the world’s only model railroad “Wonkavator” created to carry multiple mainline tracks, at three different heights, across an aisle, and then retract pneumatically into the benchwork when aisle access is needed. The layout models Santa Fe freight service from L.A and Barstow, across the desert southwest and past the Grand Tetons, into Chicago Corwith yard. Passenger service is the Super Chief from LA UPT to Chicago Dearborn Union Station, interchanging Pullman cars with the Pennsy Broadway Limited into NY Penn Station

Jay and Brook Qualman’s Michigan Lines

  • Scale: HO
  • Size: 91×33
  • Mainline: 900′
  • Era: Early 1950’s
  • Track: 100% complete
  • Scenery: 75% complete
  • Prototype: SE Michigan PM/NYC/GTW/WAB+

“A model railroad masterpiece” is how CBS TV described the Qualman’s 3,000-square-foot HO-scale empire. Also featured in national and regional print media, the prototype layout depicts the major rail lines radiating from the Detroit/Windsor riverfront in the early 1950s, resulting in complex trackage, many junctions, four turntables/roundhouses, and a dozen yards. Capturing and preserving family history was a core goal. Portions of 20 cities meaningful to Jay and Brook are modeled, including family homes and businesses, schools, churches, and favorite stores. With the invaluable contributions of John Bussard, the result is a structure-intensive layout, with hundreds of unique scratchbuilt and kitbashed buildings. Special features include steel benchwork, five precision aisle lift bridges, coved corners, multi-level lighting, sunrise/sunset effect, illuminated structures, and seamless facia. The home’s layout level overlooks the Lake State/CSX north-south mainline…so a 1:1 train is possible anytime!

Bill McMillan’s Detroit Windsor Connecting Railroad

  • Scale: G (indoor)
  • Size: 24×30
  • Era: 1972
  • Track: 100% complete
  • Scenery: 40% complete
  • Proto-freelance CN, CP, NYC, DT&I, C&O

The Detroit Windsor Connecting Railroad is a 1/29th scale G guage railroad. Unlike many large scale layouts the DWCRR is an indoor layout . NCE DCC is used. The layout models select locations in the southwest Detroit area, primarily Delray and West Detroit. Many of the class 1 roads are represented including; the C&O, NYC, CN CP, DT&I, and of course, the fictitious DWCRR. The layout has been designed for operations and supports two trains running concurrently. It has incorporated many unique components such as a transfer table to accommodate escaping from the stub end yard.

Norm Logan’s Michigan Southern Lines

  • Scale: HO
  • Size: 25×25
  • Mainline: 460′
  • Era: 1970’s
  • Track: 100% complete
  • Scenery: 95% complete
  • Prototype: Proto-freelanced Michigan and South

The MSR is HO and uses NCE DCC. It is a 25X25 three deck layout modeled in the ‘70s to service the Auto industry. A single main, 460’ long, with passing sidings is designed for OPS. The layout is signaled, a CTC board, and uses train orders with thumb tacks for car forwarding. The scenery is 95% finished with hand painted backdrops and LED lighting.