I have spent to much time looking for a back issue of MR that featured an article that was based on the original Gum Stump & Snowshoe track plan. It had structures such as SP Freight house based on River Station Freight houses in downtown LA. also kitbash of Life-like Belvedere Hotel and several Magnuson structures among others. The key to plan is on page 73 of whatever issue it is. I believe it was either in 1990 or soon thereafter. Does anyone know the exact month and year so i can try and locate Magazine?
MR has just restarted their Magazine Index. Go to the light gray line at the top of this page. Click on RESOURCES to find it. You seem to have enough information to enter and find.
Bob Smaus also mentioned in the Original article on his layout that he was unhappy with the track plan after creating the layout. It was still a beautiful layout.
The articles that Rich mentioned (Bob Smaus’ Los Angeles Harbor 2.5 x 6 project layout) are some of my favorite articles of all-time in Model Railroader. That very series made it clear to me that you can portray “big time railroading” in a small space. They were a real eye opener. The layout I’m currently building is influenced by those articles from when I was a teenager!
(this isn’t related to your original question, but possibly interesting anyway).
While I’m at it, here’s his website with images of his larger LA early 1950’s-era layout (hasn’t been updated in a while, the layout has been torn down - I think he’s possibly working on a new one):
This layout was covered in the March, 1999 and July 2006 issues. Check out the index - he’s had many articles over the years. One of my favorite MR authors.