LDJ-65 THIRD QUARTER 2019 (FULL-COLOR, 40 PAGES)
LDJ-65 (Third Quarter 2019):
Magazine Summary
This issue’s overarching themes include modular staging techniques, historical research integration, adapting layout rooms to personal spaces, and envisioning modern railroading based on historical prototypes. The content highlights a strong interest in switching layouts, freelance designs with historical grounding, and innovative solutions for realistic and engaging operation in compact spaces.
“Plates Enable Changeable Eras” by Mike McGinley, explores an ingenious way of enabling multi-era operations through replaceable scenic and structural elements, offering flexibility for both display and operational contexts. Don Winn’s piece on designing a custom layout room within a new home construction illustrates how model railroading can influence architectural planning, and how layout utility can be maximized with careful foresight.
Jeremy Dummler’s “Modern Version of a Long-Lost Line,” which imagines the resurrection of the Palatine, Lake Zurich, & Wauconda line as a contemporary switching layout. Integration of strong prototypical research with modern modeling, offers operational challenge in a modest footprint.
Byron Henderson contributes an article about using historical topographic maps in layout planning, showing how these resources aid in authenticity and context when designing from real geography. The issue also includes a photo-feature article collecting benchwork and ergonomic ideas from the Salt Lake City 2019 NMRA Layout Tour , reinforcing the journal’s commitment to practical, user-tested design concepts. Byron also introduces a new design challenge to readers, for Railfan, Display, Scenery & Fantasy layouts.
Table of Contents
Articles
“Plates” Enable Changeable Eras – Mike McGinley – Page 4
Creating a New Layout Room in a Custom Home – Don Winn – Page 9
Modern Version of a Long-Lost Line – Jeremy Dummler – Page 24
Free Online Historical Topo Maps – Byron Henderson – Page 29
Design Ideas from SLC NMRA 2019 Tours – Various – Page 31
Railfan, Display, Scenery & Fantasy Challenge – LDSIG – Page 34
Columns/Departments
The End of the LDJ… 2020? – Byron Henderson – Page 3
Perspective and Vision – Ron Burkhardt – Page 3
Board of Directors Election Results – Ron Burkhardt – Page 28
LDJ Comments – Various – Page 33
LDSIG Board of Directors Election – Page 35
Future Meets: Bay Area; Tulsa; St. Louis NMRA – Page 36
Thanks to Volunteers: SLC NMRA 2019 – Page 39
LDSIG Back Issues – Page 39
Detailed Article Summaries
LDJ-65
Title: “Plates” Enable Changeable Eras: 2006 back to 1946 on the Southwestern Pacific: Page 4-8
Author: Mike McGinley
Railroad Modeled: Southwestern Pacific (freelanced)
Location: Mountain West USA; based on Northern Pacific, (NP), Western Pacific (WP), Atcheson, Topeka & Santa Fe (ATSF)
Era: 2006 moving backdating to 1946 in 5 year increments
Scale: HO
Size: Garage; 18’ x 22’; out and back with continuous run option
Techniques: Modular scenic/structural elements, historical replication, multi-era operations, removeable plates; suggested features of five year time periods; design for photography; representing era specific settings; Maintenance-of-Way inspection trips; changing eras; 4-1/2” headroom in staging does not work; selling off rolling stock and vehicles out of date for era; replaceable structures; scenery and structures mounted on plates with the same footprint; plastic overlays cover tracks to form roadways; removeable foundations; Gastorboard vs Foamcore; ‘servo extension’ cords for building lighting; freight car details by era; keeping a layout fresh through the years;
Summary:
Mike McGinley presents an innovative approach to modeling different historical eras on the same layout using swappable “plates”—modular structures and scenery sections that can be physically replaced to reflect different time periods. Goals include photography with equipment, vehicles, and structures suited to the time period selected. This method allows operators to experience freight and passenger operations from 1946, 1955, 1971, through 2006 in five-year segments with reasonable historical accuracy. The article details the logic behind the plates, how they’re constructed, and the operational and aesthetic benefits they provide. The approach is ideal for prototype-inspired freelancers who wish to explore different historical scenarios without building entirely new layouts.
LDJ-65
Title: Creating a New Layout Room in a Custom Home: New construction presents promise-and pitfalls: Page 9-23
Author: Don Winn
Railroad Modeled: Burlington Route, CB&Q
Location: Aurora, Illinois
Era: 1965-1969
Scale: HO (implied)
Size: Club: 30’ x 45’; L-shaped dedicated train room in new custom home
Techniques: HVAC planning, ergonomic benchwork, modular sections, utility integration Negotiation with building contractor, layout design consultation; basements vs second story vs out-building vs garage; repurposing a layout room; Large multi-car garages; historical research; sectional layout size considerations; LDSIG Boot Camp clinic; Conceptual Phase; vision for layout; Structural (footprint) compromises; footprint variations; new construction house selection criteria; East vs West orientation; Compressing a yard; designing yard facilities; layout lighting and power circuit switch panel; AC power receptacles every four feet; locating the dispatcher; room lighting; crew lounge and restroom considerations; 3-dimensions layout mock-up; value of layout tours and operation prior to design; negotiating with building contractor; LDSIG Layout Design Consultation; visiting construction site during construction; designing your house for a layout; design for no basement; maintaining resale value of the house; lessons learned from experience at a club
Summary:
Don Winn shares his experience designing and constructing a model railroad layout room while building a custom house. His hybrid of personal narrative and technical insight, visits to construction site during construction, detailing daily decisions about HVAC, ventilation, plumbing connections, insulation, cabinetry, access for construction materials and personnel, and workspaces to optimize the model railroading experience. He emphasizes user comfort, flexibility (quasi-sectional benchwork), and operational flow, illustrating how hobby considerations can harmoniously integrate into residential construction. He describes the use of a 3-D mockup of the layout in its room as an aid in planning and visualizing.
Revised: 2026-03-15
LDJ-65
Title: Modern Version of a Long-Lost Line: Switching design for the Palatine, Lake Zurich, & Wauconda: Page 24-28
Series: 2016 Switching Layout Design Challenge : introduced in LDJ 59
Author: Jeremy Dummler
Railroad Modeled: Palatine, Lake Zurich, & Wauconda (proto-freelanced)
Location: Palatine to Wauconda, IL
Era: Current
Scale: HO
Size: Spare Room; 10′ x 11’ plus closet spare-bedroom walk in, around the walls
Techniques: Industrial Switching layout, narrow benchwork, sectional design, customer-agent ops, paperwork flow; minimal number of turnouts; rounding corners; triangular corner; evolution of track plan; rolling cart closet storage for rolling stock; layout height accommodating window sills; aisle width; shallow benchwork; benchwork designed for moving; low relief backdrop buildings; long sidings; large buildings; removeable staging; fiddle staging; interchange; curves viewed from inside; field trip facilitates planning industries
Summary:
Reviving the short-lived PLZ&W line as a modern-day switching layout located in Wauconda, IL. Dummler imagines what rail service might look like today if the line had survived, serving small industries in a thriving downtown setting. The design prioritizes shallow benchwork built in the workshop, then moved into the layout space and realistic switching patterns, with operations managed by a small crew and supported by a dispatcher who may double as customer agent. Multiple versions of the track plan are explored, adapting the design to common spare-bedroom spaces and reflecting interest in ergonomic operator movement and reach. A strong emphasis on operations, realistic paperwork, and car variety makes this layout design both engaging and practical.
Revised: 2026-03-15
LDJ-65
Title: Free Online Historical Topo Maps: A useful tool in layout planning: Page 29-30
Author: Byron Henderson
Railroad Modeled: N/A, Appropriate for all railroads
Location: N/A
Era: Maps from many eras available from USGS
Scale: N/A (research tool)
Size: N/A
Techniques: Layout research, map overlay, proto-freelancing, online topographical maps; topo maps; terrain; arrangement of major trackage
Summary:
Byron Henderson introduces readers to the an introduction to USGS Historical Topographic Map Explorer, a powerful online tool for layout designers seeking to replicate or base designs on real-world geography. Using overlaid maps from different eras, the site allows users to track changes in rail lines, streets, and natural features. Henderson demonstrates how he used the tool to inform the design of a proto-freelanced Ocean Shore Terminal layout. How to use the interface, interpret the data, and apply it to layout planning. This article serves as both a tutorial and a practical case study in leveraging digital cartographic resources for historically grounded layout design. A link is provided to the USGS site.
Revised: 2026-03-15
LDJ-65
Title: Design Ideas from SLC NMRA 2019 Tours: Benchwork and Human Factors, ideas from layout tours: Page 31-33; 40
Author: Bruce Morden; Don Winn; Bruce Metcalf; Byron Hendersonb; (photos and text by multiple contributors)
Railroad Modeled: Various layouts from NMRA tour
Layout Scale: HO (mostly)
Layout Size: Various
Techniques: Ergonomic design, visual continuity, modular roadbed, open helix, fascia-integrated backdrop; tiered multi-level backdrop on fascia; steel angle brackets for risers; Simpson ZMAX; adjustable height risers; scenery painted on support columns; scenicing a helix; track over doorway avoids duckunders; signal repeaters for high deck signals; ceiling mounted mirror for viewing upper deck trackage and scenery; light coat of silver paint permits operators to see signal indications instead painting signals heads black; Bellina drop; car card box slots hold cards on edge; notches for car card removal; removeable backdrop sections; scenery attached to backdrop; Kreg pocket screw system; screws with washers secure adjustable track position in helix
Summary:
This visual essay captures a variety of practical design and construction ideas seen during layout tours at the 2019 NMRA convention in Salt Lake City. Topics include alternative spline roadbed construction using PVC, car-card storage solutions, fascia-integrated backdrops, adjustable risers using steel brackets, and visually open helices. Each photo is accompanied by descriptions of the technique and its implementation context, making this article a useful grab bag of design ideas for both new and seasoned layout builders.
Revised: 2026-03-15
LDJ- 65
Title: Railfan, Display, Scenery & Fantasy Challenge; page 34-35
Series: Railfan, Display, Scenery & Fantasy Challenge; Introduction in LDJ-65
Author: Byron Henderson
Railroad Modeled: N/A (challenge format)
Scale: Any
Size: Any – participant-defined
Techniques: Creative layout design, exhibition planning, animation elements, fictional theming, photo cross-sections, scenic storytelling, to-scale planning; layout theme/concept
Summary:
This article introduces the Layout Design SIG’s 2019 open-ended design challenge, inviting layout designers to explore the thematic realms of model railfanning, public display, scenery presentation, and fantasy-themed layouts. Unlike previous challenges constrained by specific dimensions or spaces, this one offers unlimited creative flexibility—encouraging submissions that might range from compact dioramas and museum-style displays to grand narrative environments drawn from literature, pop culture, or personal imagination. Suggested techniques include the use of animation, imaginative scenic design, and layouts with a strong visual or storytelling element. Designers are encouraged to provide to-scale track plans and visual aids like aisle-view sketches or cross-sections to help convey their concepts. The editors can also provide practical tips for submissions, welcoming both first-time and experienced contributors.
Revised: 2026-03-15
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