THE LAYOUT

General Overview:

 

The layout is an inverted “J” depicting the system from the Public Square in Belleville to the Edgemont on the long leg.  From Edgemont the layout proceeds north to National City.  Staging will cover Mitchell, Granite City, Alton, and Edwardsville.  From National City the layout travels up the small leg to Collinsville with Lebanon in staging (this section still awaits construction).  Track on the private right-of-way is Atlas code 100 flextrack with Peco turnouts.  Street trackage is hand laid code 100 rail soldered to PC board ties with code 70 laid on its side to form the flangeway of the girder rail.  A Digitrax Empire Builder system provides control.   Needless to say, the layout is a work in progress.
Text Box: Rolling Stock and Motive Power: Bowser trolleys and interurbans share the rails with a Model Diecasting EMD 40-ton Critter, a Proto 1000 Alco RS-2, and a Proto 2000 Alco S-2. Additionally, 3 GE steeple cab electrics and a St. Louis Car Co. hybrid, all with scratchbuilt bodies and Bachman mechanisms, will be added. Also, Tyco streetcar converted to a snow sweeper and a scratchbuilt line car will provide maintenance. All trolley poles will be scratchbuilt with working trolleys (wheels). Rolling stock consists of Stewart, Accurail, and Roundhouse models. I realize that more detailed models exist, but with interurban curves (the loop on Belleville’s public square has a 6” radius) these cars provide needed reliability on tight curves. At least one scratchbuilt trailer will also grace the layout along with a hodgepodge of cabooses (please see the roster).

Structures:

 

Structures on the layout are based for the most part on actual buildings in the St. Louis Metro-East area.  Finding pictures remains a considerable challenge.  Also, some buildings have been based on general railroad engineering practices (the NMRA book, Railway Track and Maintenance has proven useful).  Structures are kitbashed, scratchbuilt and on occasion built from kit.  Additionally, sections from DPM, Walthers Modulars, and Bachman City Classics help fill gaps.  Other buildings, like the large station at Horseshoe Lake, depict what might have been.  This is one area that is still evolving.