Layout

Nothing here yet.

Eventually this page will contain an overview of my ACR layout, however construction of this layout is, at this point, far off in the future.

My overall plan would be to model the area around Hawk Junction, including Wawa and Michipicoten Harbour, and the line heading north towards Hearst. I don’t know how I’ll end up making things fit together, but I’d like to at least include the interchanges and Franz and Oba, sawmills at Dubreilville and Mead, and a significant logging/pulpwood operation at Mosher.

Ideally I’d also hope to represent the CN yard at Hearst, and if there’s any room left, a few other scenes and perhaps a couple of other pulpwood spurs in between. The line south from Hawk Junction to Sault Ste. Marie would be represented by staging.

Anyway, that’s the dream, although it could be some time before it is realized. In the meantime, I hope to keep this blog up covering different rolling stock and related projects that will eventually be able to run on or become part of the dream layout.

13 thoughts on “Layout

  1. I am just about to start designing my cellar around the walls layout (3 levels) with a mushroom shaped middle of room branch line. Cellar is in anew to me house and is 13 feet x 13 feet with the odd alcove and non used fireplace to work around too. Maybe I could talk my 5 neighbours in the cottage terrace to let me break thru into their cellar space haha now that would take some serious planning. Good luck with all your ideas and dont rush it and keep the dream going.kind regards Chris aged a young 66(2nd childhood and have to get to grips with new concept of DCC. Now that would be excellent not to have to use blocks and miles of wire and on/off switches. oo guage/your equiv HO i think,

  2. I am building a layout focused on the Great Northern in the Cascade Mountains of Washington state. It is in two sections both 8 feet long and when put together they are about six feet across. the sections are on roll around L girder and they also can abut one another to make it a point to point with an additional fiddle yard (about 20″x48″ that rolls around as well. This is the second attempt, I ran into trouble with the land grant people (the management) and had to rethink the size. My wife couldn’t get to the freezer. I’m in the process of milling my own HO scale lumber and making a series of bents for a trestle…

    • Chris- looking forward to your project. Sounds like you’ll be in the research phase for awhile. I am sure you will have a lot of interesting things to share here – I’ll be watching.

      Dave P. – I, too, am working towards my GN Cascade crossing layout. 1955 Electrics, although I do enjoy the early 1900’s as well. Do you have a blog, or share on the MRH blog?

  3. Chris, I have been on the Algoma Central, going to Oba Lake mile marker 217 1/2 if I remember correctly, several times going to Tattnall camp fishing. I have great memories of the dozen or so train rides to fishing camp. Do you know if they are going to reopen the ACR. The latest I’ve heard from Tatnal Camp is “still closed”?
    Good luck with your layout, I’m a GTW guy my self in the Pontiac, Michigan area.

    • The locals keep trying to get something going again, but the regular passenger service to Hearst last ran in July 2015, so many of the camps along the line remain inaccessible other than by float plane onto some of the larger lakes, but that cost can be prohibitive.

  4. Our Camp at Ogidaki (mile 48) is accessible by ATV. We must travel 18 miles off Hwy 17 but it is worth it. My slice of heaven. FYI I model the CB&Q in the 50’s

  5. Interesting concepts. I’ve made the round trip from the Sioux all the way to Hearst a number of times. When it was the ACR. One of the trips was just after the GP-38-2 were brought on line. Before the snow shields were added. I’m guessing I’ve got close to 500 or more color slides from multiple trips. Including ones from the “At the Sioux in ’82” multi region convention. Really liked the operation of the railroad in the early 80s.

    • Great stuff Fred. That’s exactly the time frame I’m targeting.

      I’ve never actually got to see any of it in person, but there’s a lot of neat stuff to model from that period.

    • Once I get to it I’ll work on getting things changed to digital. Upload some pictures as I do. See what I have already. May have some I can upload.

  6. I love your lumber wraps I have done lots of lifts
    I am looking for free down loads for ho container pdfs
    that I can print off . Do you no were I could resource theses

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