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Western Expansion Central - 1
W
hen I read about the MRH competition to spend
500 bucks, I thought about what I would do if I
were to start over with nothing but 500 dollars.
As I thought about what I would want in my beginning layout,
four criteria came to mind. First, I would want a continuous run
so I could sit back and enjoy watching my trains run. Second, I
A starter layout you can build for under $500
– By Doug Forbes
1. While the layout here starts as a Plywood Pacific, it
need not stay that way. This photo by Chet Zaiko shows
what it could look like with some scenery applied,
THE WESTERN EXPANSION CENTRAL
First place winner of the MRH $500 starter
layout design challenge contest ...
would want some operating potential so I could “play” or simu-
late operations with my trains. Third, a main line of 22” radius
would be nice to run some longer equipment and have it look
less toylike. Finally, I would want the layout to be expandable,
so that I could easily add on and continue to use this original
layout. No chain saw need apply here.
What I have come up with I call the Western Expansion Central
which takes into account these four design criteria. It provides
for a continuous mainline run in a 4 x 6 foot setting with a 22”
radius mainline. There is also a short passing siding with a two
track spur that allows for shipments to/from an elevator and
team track allowing for operating potential. The wye off of the
mainline is also 22” radius and allows for further expansions
using 2 x 4 foot dominos at a later date by adding on to the end
of the table. These dominos could proceed around the walls
of the room, run out into a peninsula with a yard or another
town, etc. At this point, the siding at the top right, siding A, will
be an interchange/staging track, and the siding at the bottom
right will be an industry.
I have chosen to set the theme of this layout somewhere in the
Midwest as a modern-day shortline grain-hauling railroad. In
the grain transportation network, the railroads in the Midwest
haul grain to barge terminal load-out facilities. These facilities
could be located on the coast, i.e., New Orleans, or at a river
facility, such as St. Louis, Missouri, on the Mississippi River.
The sequence begins with the local farmer taking his crop to
the local elevator. The elevator would then load out the grain
into covered hoppers for shipment to a bakery, ethanol plant,
or if the grain was to be exported, then a river or costal barge
terminal facility. This layout represents a modern fictional
Midwestern town with a Class II regional railroad. While not
MRH-Mar 2013
