Boy’s Life magazine, the official publication of the Boy Scouts of America, ran an article on model railroading in one of their issues in 1968. They had a large photo of a superbly done HO layout that appeared to be based on Linn Westcott’s book, HO Railroad That Grows. There were two young men in the picture whom I presume built the layout. The article discussed model railroading in a general way, but gave no details about the layout or it’s builders.
I was eleven years old in 1968. I was just becoming aware that other people liked trains besides me. I spent hours reading and re-reading the article and studying that picture. It was an early inspiration I guess.
My questions are these; Does anyone know anything about the Layout? Who the builders were? If they are still in the hobby? Did they ever write articles for MR? I have always been curious.
George, I don’t know about that layout, but I know what you mean about being attached to one. Those first layouts make the biggest impression on you, don’t they?
The first layout I saw as a kid was an O scale 2-rail layout at the Los Angeles county fair. For some reason, no other layout can ever live up to what that layout represented.
Sorry I don’t have any info for you, but I know exactly what you mean.
P.S., the impressions certain music made on me as a kid is even more powerful!!!
Sorry I dont know the article your referring to, but I do understand, I had a few old MR mags as a boy and would regularly flick through them and drool…I still remember the day I finally understood how block controll worked…
I don’t know about that layout either, but I do know that Boy’s Life carried an entire series about building a layout during the late 50’s. I wasn’t a scout, but my best friend was and I was able to borrow some of his issues.
I remember that the layout had a lot of Revell equipment on it. They had an SW type switcher and most of their line of buildings.
I could swear it was slightly earlier though, maybe 1962-63? I graduated HS in 65 and I thought the layout was in Boys Life when I was a Sophomore or Junior.
There was a book by Kalmbach tited HO Layout That Grows. It is the layout that you are talking about. It was built in 7 steps. I built this MRR when I was 15. It was a good RR , I enjoyed it very much.
Tom
It had a two stall engine house with a turntable in the foreground. The turn table had a Union Pacific GP or SD-9 on it. There was also a Santa Fe warbonnet F pulling a train on a different part. I guess I need to dig out the issue ( I still have it in the train room in one of my boxes ) and verify the date and some other details.
Thanks for the replies. Tommy R, those are some good pictures.
My brother and I modeled the Boy’s Life Layout. It was in the early to mid 60’s and I don’t remember all that much about it. It had an elevated section to it, a tunnel through a mountain at one end, a small switching yard and plenty of features to expand the layout. We never did fini***he scenery on it, just the trackwork. I’m looking for this layout again since I’ve recently gotten back into the hobby. So if anyone comes across it I would like a copy.
I remember that layout in Boy’s Life magazing. I believe it was based on “The HO layout That Grows.” I built “The HO layout That Grows” by Linn Westcott around 20 years ago and I still have the book. I thought it was a great layout for a 4x8 space (I actually built it in a 5 1/2 x 11 space and increased everything proportionally so I could use 24" radius curves). I still think it’s a good layout for a person who wants an island-type layout. All one would have to do is use the basic track plan and build it with the modern track and equipment products that are available today.