We are all different, so I suppose every one must have his own other landmark layouts. And in different category’s. Let say: Design, Scenery, Overall, Technics Electronics or whatever. Important is why you are feeling that a specific RR is the number one for you.
My top five are (the order has no importance at all)
for innovative design (walk along): C&S by John Armstrong
rural design and the less is beautifull approach for the very first time: SJ&SF by Andy Sperandeo.
suburban feel and less is beautifull: Miami South by Lance Mindheim.
Urban feel on a shelf: Kingsbury branch in Chicago by Bill Denton
For showing off railroading in the dark: The Maumee Route by Bill Darneby.
Difficult for me to say, and the ones I like I certainly wouldn’t rate numerically, because I feel that they all have things to contribute to the hobby.
Being primarily interested in layouts set in the West (especially the ‘mountain’ west), two that come to mind are John Allen’s classic “Gorre & Daphetid”, and Joe Fugate’s Siskiyou Lines. Allen was completely unafraid of winding his railroad around spectacular scenery, and Fugate continues to amaze me with the amount of detail as he sceinics his own line. Two very innovative railroads, IMO.
I always liked Allen McClellands V&O for its eastern Appalachian ‘feel’–those heavy coal trains in his lush, rugged eastern scenery.
I’d say that for my own Yuba River Sub, my major inspiration–both consciously and unconsciously–has probably been Allen’s G&D. Not because of his almost radical innovation, but primarily for the way his layout looked as if the scenery came FIRST and he wrapped the layout around the mountains accordingly. That’s the effect I’m trying to achieve–the railroad came way AFTER the mountains were formed.
I’ll split mine into two categories. Those that I only read about or saw videos of and those that I have actually been to.
Those I have not been to:
Gorre and Daphetid - this layout is spectacular by any standards but especially innovative consdering the time frame. Artistic and operationally ahead of its time…
Howard Zane’s Piedmont Div - The scenery and trains are spectacular. I often replay the Allen Keller videos.
Tony Koester’s Allegheny Midland - Scenery was adequate but the concept including the trains and operation really set it apart. I’ve developed a fondness for the NKP thanks to Tony’s layout(s) and articles.
Harold Werthwein’s Erie - I’m an Erie fan(and modeler) since growing up in Jersey City a few blocks from the Erie terminal. This layout is huge and truly captures the flavor of the Erie Railroad and totally realistic operationally.
Dick Elwell(sp) Hoosic Valley. - Anytime its featured in MR I’ve enjoyed it. I am waiting for the Allen Keller video of the new one. I can just imagine myself on a train lazily creeping through the New England fall scenery.
As I live pretty close to Harold and Tony maybe someday I’ll get to see these layouts and switch them to my viewed list [;)]
Actually been to:
George Selios’ Franklin and South Manchester. This layout is one of the few that I saw in pictures/videos and been to in real life and it is much more impressive in person(if that could be possible). Truly an imaginative work of art that you can tour for hours. Also my impression is that it would have excellent operational potential, something George is just getting into. By the way George along with some of his crew were very gracious and friendly.
My most memorial layout was one being created by a member of this forum. It was a mountainous setting in the West. It was a point to point with the town of A Rock at one end and the town of Hard Place at the other. In the middle was a “whistle stop” called Between.
I was was new to the forum and just beginning my layout when he was building this layout. For some reason it grabbed my imagination from the beginning and I still remember it and probably always will.
After some time passed with out seeing any further postings I learned that he had serious health problems. and was unable to complete it.
Now I surmise the modler knew his health condition and named it after his situation, beteen a rock and a hard place.
I like any well themed layouts but Thatchers Inlet has got to be one of my all time favs. While not much of a narrow gauge fan I love the waterside theme of this layout. Having lived in a harbor town for twenty eight years(Sitka,Alaska) and now Lewiston the idea of rail to ship traffic really catches my imagination. BILL
My copy of The V&O Story (which I bought new!) is well worn and filled with notes and in a couple of places the binding is broken and I’ve had to use tape to hold the pages in place!
The name of Bob Brown’s Logging Railroad is Tuolumne Forks. ( Pronounced something like: Two ah la me ). It is an O fine scale layout with twin saw mils and other highly detailed logging buildings, equipment and scenes. Bob published a series on his layout in his NG&SLG in 1992 and 1993. I have visited his layout and also the original V & O and many other of the fine layouts that have been listed. Unfortunately, I have only seen pictures of the G & D which without a doubt the finest of the finest. Another great RR was the original Sunset Valley. Bruce Chubb’s new layout is hard to rate and is so spectacular in scope and incorporates so many facets of the hobby that it could arguably be in contention for number one overall. However, when things get so big as to require an army of helpers, my vote would be for the La Mesa Club’s Tehachapi Pass at the San Diego Model Railroad Museum . Peter Smith. (Using a Mac and Safari so I can’t make paragraphs in my posts )
How could you guys leave out Jack Burgess’s Yosemite Valley Railroad or Harry Brunk’s Clear Creek Division of the Colorado & Southern. Those layouts make one feel he is in the central California Sierra foothills and the Colorado Rocky Mountains and on the right-of-way of the respective railroads.
I think landmark layouts bring a change in the hobby or are a significant example that causes others to follow or change. I never heard of Harry Brunk’s Clear Creek Division of the Colorado & Southern so it’s not a landmark for me and while I have heard of, seen pictures of Jack Burgess’s Yosemite Valley Railroad it doesn’t serve as landmark for me. That is not to say that these layouts aren’t very good, outstanding even, just not a landmark.
Yahh Mark, I forgot about Harry Brunks project. I even bought his book. There’s so many great layouts out there and the different themes make it hard to choose one. I don’t eat chocalate truffles 'cause I can’t make up my mind which to try.[%-)]
being especially fond of scenery and scenic details, there are about 20 or so famous layouts that have proved their inspiration to me over and over but I suppose my top three would be…
3.) John Allen’s G&D
2.) George Sellios’ F&SM
1.) All time fave(s): The late British modeller Paul Templar’s various narrow gauge layouts especially the Badger Creek Lumber Company http://www.badger-creek.co.uk/
Always wondered to myself why I never got into narrow gauge!
Are there layout modeling styles (other than your own or your best buddy’s) that have become “deeply ingrained” in the back of your mind such that when you see a photo someplace you instantly recognize the modeler or the layout?
George Sellios is like that for me, for example, his Franklin & South Manchester is absolutely iconic, IMO of course. So is Allen McClellan’s V&O, Tony Koester’s Allegeny Midland, John Allen’s Gorre & Daphetid, and a number of others.
My Uncle George Pearson who had a sizable HO layout in his garage and workshop as I was growing up. Huge yard with a long run through cieling high scenery into the attick staging area.
John Allen’s GD Lines for dramatic scenery, structures, cars, bridges, etc… could go on more.
Whit Towers Aturas & Lone Pine for many reasons. Mainly I was able to operate the layout with him in the '90’s before his passing. The yards were a blast to run and well designed. The industrial switching areas were challenging. Mostly we almost always had some laughable moments when someone thought they could beat the system and end up fowling the main or worse.
There are others for but these are the big ones for me.
