Great Northern
Owner: Gerry Frigon
The layout is in a 24x20 room three stairs down from the crew lounge. It is very loosely based on the Great Northern and favours operation over scenery. The layout goes around the walls and a peninsula, on two levels. It consists of 6 major switching areas connected by short main line runs and a passing siding between each area. It has a reverse loop with staging at one end and travels about 220 feet to a large yard at the opposite end of the run. The railroad moves ore, coal, grain as well as general freight. The sidings will each hold at least 14 40ft cars with 2 units and a caboose setting normal train length. The era is 1966. It’s a lot of track and a few building so far. I’m still trying to figure out JMRI to use for operation (any help much appreciated).
- Access: through the gate on north side of house go in the door and straight ahead down the stairs
- Railway Location /Description: Northern USA East -West running main line point to point
- Scale: HO
- Size: 24 X 20 room 220-foot main line
- Era 1965-66
- Completion: Track: 95%, Scenery 20% Electrical (track 99%) Mainline is all Occupancy detected using Signal Logic System and dispatcher control (signals to come) with local push buttons as well on the main. Industry and yard turnouts still manual.
- Control System: Digitrax wired UP5s, Simplex and Duplex Radio, LNWI and JMRI Wi-Fi
- Number of operators: 5-8
- Length of Session: 3-4 hours
- Traffic control: JMRI Train Manifests and Switch Lists
- Relaxed operating atmosphere