Model Railroader – October 2019

West

Aiken

Helix down

Susquehanna River

East

Van

Bibber

West Van Bibber Belcamp

Watlow

Materials

Rossville

Yard office

CSX

Bayview

Yard

BALTIMORE

Engine servicing facility

Mount Royal

Upper level (60")

B

A

October 2019 31

on the line. The information they pro-
vided helped as I designed the layout.
I also traveled the subdivision taking
pictures and notes.

Applying lessons learned

When I started work on the layout in
1994, it was point-to-point with no

staging. About five years later, I started

hosting operating sessions, which

opened my eyes to many things. I made

changes as needed, but the lack of

staging was becoming an issue. It also

became apparent that I needed to have a

continuous-run option when the layout

was on display during open houses.

The layout at a glance

Name: CSX Philadelphia Subdivision

Scale: HO (1:87.1)

Size: 42 x 56 feet

Prototype: CSX

Locale: Philadelphia to Baltimore

Era: modern day

Style: multi-deck walkaround

Mainline run: 1,000 feet

Minimum radius: 36"

Minimum turnout: no. 6

Maximum grade: 2.25 percent (helix)

Benchwork: L-girder (lower level); 2"

extruded-foam insulation board on brackets

(upper level)

Height: staging, 22"; East Penn RR, 33";

lower level, 45"; and upper level, 60"

Roadbed: Homabed and cork

Track: Atlas code 83 and Micro Engineering

code 70

Scenery: carved 2"-thick extruded-

foam insulation board with various textures

Backdrop: painted on walls and photos

Control: Digitrax Digital Command Control