The Division officers are working on an update of this information. Here is the content that was on the old website. Please send changes to layouts@gatewaynmra.org.
John Kalin, Rio Grande Southern
John Kalin’s Rio Grande Southern captures the Ridgeway to Rico route of this narrow gauge railroad at the end of the thirties. Trains start at Ridgeway/Rico (which is a double-ended hidden staging yard), and proceed to Vance Junction, Ophir, the High Line, and Lizard Head. At Vance Junction, the Telluride Branch runs to Telluride and Pandora. The run from Ophir to the High Line includes all seven trestles. The layout is 23’x50′ with about 225 feet of mainline track and another 150 feet on the Telluride Branch. Operations use Easy DCC and engines equipped with SoundTraxx decoders.
Kirkwood Railroad Association
This large 30’x40’ HO club layout has two large freight and passenger yards along with a scratchbuilt St. Louis station and engine facility. Long steam and diesel powered trains run on this 1950-1970 era railroad. Double track main line folded loop, 4 yards, engine facility, 250′ mainline run.
Herb Koenig, Cordite and Flatriver
The C&F is a fictitious narrow gauge railroad located in Colorado during the 30s. This HO/HOn3 Colorado layout occupies an 18’x22’ room. Breathtaking scenery, with the layout extending from knee level to the ceiling, and a seven foot curved trestle, greets the visitor while hand laid ties and rail make this step back to railroading’s glory days complete. See the scratchbuilt model of the Devil’s Gate Bridge of George Town Loop fame. Backdrop painted by Greg Gray. Digitrax DCC.
Hank Kraichely, Burlington Route
Hank’s layout depicts the St. Louis to Hannibal portion of the CB&Q Railroad’s North Bound main known as the K Line in 1963. The Francis branch running from Old Monroe to Francis is also modeled. The layout runs through rural areas and has six towns, two cement plants, along with paper, chemical and power plants. There are also two interchanges on the Francis branch, at Wellsville with the Wabash and at Francis with the GM&O. The following commodities are either being shipped into and out of most towns; grain, gasoline, LPG, coal, cattle, farm equipment and consumer goods. There is a factory in Louisiana, Wells Lamont, which receives hides and produces leather gloves. Team tracks are prevalent as are small stations along the main and branch lines. Hank’s previous HO layout was featured on the cover of the June 2001 issue of the NMRA Bulletin.
Kenneth Kroschwtz, K-10 Model Trains
Ken has a huge HO layout construction, which fills a 60×81 foot room. The layout is designed for operation with two 255-foot loops powered by conventional DC block control. In addition, Ken also has two upper level Digitrax DCC loops which combine into a single main line. These loops cover 550 feet in a twice around the layout movement. The layout features three very large yards and a switching branchline. The layout room has an elevated viewing area and is completely handicapped accessible. The K-10 Hobby Shop (618-288-9720) is located at the front of the same building. See http://www.k-10smodeltrains.com.
Richard and Venita Lake, El Dorado & El Reno Railroad
This golden era layout is a free-lanced shortline railroad with heavy Rock Island influence, running northwest from Lillie, Louisiana, to El Reno, Oklahoma, with the modeled portion ending at Howe, Oklahoma. It also serves as a bridge route for the CRI&P Railroad through El Dorado, Arkansas, to Howe, Oklahoma. The major industries served include a paper mill, lumber mill, coal mine, chemical industry, and oil refinery. The El & El operates on a single track mainline with both passenger and freight service. Four Rock Island trains run in each session adding additional freight and passenger trains. Interchanges are with the Cotton Belt and the Rock Island at Camden, Arkansas, and with the KCS at Mena, Arkansas. Multiple staging tracks at both ends of the line allow realistic 1950s era operation with both steam and diesel power. North Coast Engineering DCC (radio) and many Soundtraxx equipped locomotives.
René LaVoise, Sedalia & Warsaw Railway
The Sedalia & Warsaw is based on a Missouri Pacific branch line in western Missouri extending 43 miles from the connection with the Missouri Pacific at Sedalia to the Osage River at Warsaw. There are four intermediate stations – from north to south they are Mora, Cole Camp, Tahoma and Lincoln. Interchange is with the Missouri Pacific and the Missouri, Kansas & Texas at Sedalia. On-line industries include stock pens, bulk oil and coal dealers, saw mill, stone works, clay loading, grain elevators, feed and seed dealers and team tracks. The S&W Freight House, grocer warehouse and city power plant are located adjacent to Graham yard at Sedalia. This 1929-era layout is a point to point single track main design using Digitrax DCC control for prototype-style time table and train order operations.
John Leahy
This freelance 12’x20’ HO railroad runs throughout the Midwest in the late 1950s to mid 1960s. You’ll see steam and diesels running through a double helix from the lower staging to the main level. Burlington, Frisco, UP and IC trains operate on this layout. Digitrax DCC.
Bob Lenz, Colorado & Western
Be treated by this HO/HOn3 layout set in Colorado. The standard gauge Colorado and Western interchanges with the narrow gauge Aspen Junction in a dual gauge yard. The narrow gauge mining line climbs from 48″ to 74″ through a series of switchbacks as it serves the mining district around Basalt and Aspen. The layout occupies a 20’x40’ room with bridges, trestles, lots of rockwork, and scenery to the ceiling. Night operation is simulated with black light which displays the fully lit town to its fullest. Take in the tons of detail and the many trestles.
Genevieve & James Liston
This “L” shaped layout is constructed of two 4’x8’ boards and features over 70 feet of trackage. It is a multi-era Lionel layout with numerous working accessories. Department 56 ceramic building and trees covers the portion of the layout not already covered by track. Half of the layout is a quaint village with City Hall, Mayor’s mansion, library, churches, homes and a town square with streetlights. The other half has an industrial setting with yard lights, smoking chimneys, telephone poles, crossing gates, station, diner and coaling station. Be prepared for a walk down memory lane when you visit this fine Lionel layout.
Litchfield Train Group
The Litchfield layout depicts the ever-gentle rolling countryside of Illinois from Centralia to Chicago. The main room is set in the 50s and 60s era when steam engines were becoming extinct and the “new” diesel locomotives were gaining in popularity. The smaller room is “Chicago.” Chicago is set in the 70s and not only provides additional destinations with modern industries, you can also find a mix of old and new railroads, buildings and equipment throughout the area. In the rail yards, you’ll see railcars to service the old meatpacking plants, warehouses, factories, gravel and milling operations, as well as high-tech inter-modal, auto loading, chemical companies, and barge facilities. Operators can store hundreds of cars and stage 14 trains each 16 feet long.
Dave Lyon, The Downe & Audt Line
The freelance HO layout is set in the 1950-1960 era and represents a small branchline that struggles to service the local timber trade (mostly defunct) and an abandoned bat guano mining operation. A small farm trade and passenger service to nearby Downe Town completes the revenue picture for this small line. With trackage winding through the mountainous plains area of somewhere in mid-America, the D&AL features steam and early diesel motive power acquired somewhat late in life from various better known lines. Digitrax DCC.
New Switzerland Club
This mixed era, freelance, NTRAK modular 17’x28’ layout features walkaround radio control, staging yards running into the center of the layout, and a mountain branchline. The 24 members are especially proud of their coal mine, grain elevators and cities on this N version of the Boulder, Denver & Northwestern, which was called the “Switzerland” line.
Ray Magoffin
The 11’x22’ HO railroad is a modified version of the Atlas “Pan Handle” over and under design with additional track and siding. The four track classification yard and small locomotive service facility is connected to the mainline with two wyes. Three cabs operate steam and diesel motive power of different railroad, past and present.
Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) Model Railroad Club
These two modular layouts are housed in trailers owned by the group and set up for charitable organizations and train shows.
Metro East Model Railroad Club, Litchfield & Madison
This 18’x27’ layout of the Litchfield & Madison is built in a fire station in Glen Carbon, IL. The 900 total feet of trackage depicts scenes from historic Glen Carbon between 1920 and 1945 and features its three main railroads: Illinois Central, Nickel Plate, and Litchfield & Madison. The layout includes Peter’s Station grain elevator, the brick works, three coal mines, IC and NKP stations, and many other local landmarks and industries. 91 Tortise powered turnouts and six cabs.
Randolph Meyer, MMR, Canyon & Rocky Mountain Railroad
A 54’x26’ Sn3 John Armstrong custom designed layout using coved background corners and ceiling set in the high mountains of Colorado. The scenery extends from near the floor to the ceiling, with extensive scenic backdrop paintings by Greg Gray. The backdrop and scenery are designed to highlight the extensive collection of highly detailed PBL narrow gauge (Soundtraxx equipped) engines. The line climbs from a 52″ dual gauge yard at Salida to a 67″ switchback mining area in the Red Mountains. Two branchlines provide additional lumber and mining traffic for the mainline narrow gauge D&RGW. Control is with Digitrax DCC. Randy is famous for his plaster scenery clinics (where he covers the room in plastic first).
Midwest Valley Modelers
This layout depicts individual scenes in Illinois and Missouri you would find along “Route 66” during the fifties. A unique aspect of this transportable 35’x9.5’ layout is the uniformly flowing scenery between “modules” providing tight integration of the scenes. The layout features a “sunlight” quality directional lighting system, handlaid code 70 track, scale wheelsets, and prototype-sized turnouts including number 20 crossovers. The scenery features a number of novel techniques and materials to create extremely realistic and photogenic effects. Ten modelers, including nationally known Ken Patterson and Mike Buddy, have combined their talents to make this a truly captivating layout. Featured in Great Model Railroads 2001, all the national modeling magazines, Walthers catalogs, and numerous model railroad product ads.
Ralph Miller, Midwest & Northern Rail System
The MW&N leases engines and rolling stock, operates yards, and does repair work on railroad equipment. It operates throughout Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. The main operating theme is the mining of iron ore – from pit to steel mill. The layout is in a 15’x20’ room and built on two levels. The “L” shaped upper deck features a large yard and adjacent big city. The lower “G” shaped deck supports mining and other industries. A hidden inner railroad climbs the wall, connecting the two levels. A five track hidden staging yard is located beneath the lower deck. The railroad has 540 feet of track and 63 turnouts. It uses Digitrax DCC.
Don Morice, Illinois Central St. Louis Division
Don Morice has built a detailed recreation of the Illinois Central Railroad St. Louis Division in Southern Illinois, Carbondale to DuQuoin, of the 1955-1960 (steam to diesel) era. This HO scale model railroad is a walk-in design with access gate and 59-foot double track main loop with a 56-foot branch line. Scenery is 100% complete and the railroad features a Masonite backdrop with building flats, DC cab control using MRC remote walk around throttles, and train order/switch list operations for a crew of five. 90% of the steam locos have sound and are modified to IC style.
Glenn Mueller, Mississippi Valley Traction Co.
This O scale interurban layout consists of a 9’x18’ section of “city” and 12’x15’ section of “suburban” landscape. All power is delivered through the overhead trolley which Glenn swears works flawlessly when only he is observing. The roster contains five passenger interurbans (including a Pacific Electric 1300 series combine and an Indiana RR lightweight), a North Shore locomotive, Pacific Electric and Indiana RR freight motors and a motorized Corgi St. Louis PCC streetcar. An Illinois Terminal Alton center door car has been recently added. Most of the buildings in the “city” are scratchbuilt copies of actual 19th century buildings in St. Louis. Drawings were scaled from photos and the models built of 5/16″ cast hydrocal walls.
Pat Mullins, Connecticut Yankee RR
This 1960s northeastern HO railroad, in a 16’x22’ room with hidden staging in an adjoining room, has over 200 feet of track and conventional two-cab control. See mountains, wood and steel trestles, and a kitbashed bridge.
Bob O’Neill, Pennsy & NYC
Big steam rules this beautiful PRR & NYC interchange point O scale 16’x32’ railroad in a dedicated room above a two-car garage. A large yard with city scene is the setting for the 22 engines (some with PFM sound) and over 200 freight cars which operate on this layout. Bob also has a very large tinplate collection that will also be on display.
