Going Out East
This freelanced HO scale layout changes locations across New England depending on the equipment run
This freelanced HO scale layout changes locations across New England depending on the equipment run
The Eastport Branch is the latest in a long line of model railroads I’ve built, stretching back many years. I grew up with prewar American Flyer and switched to HO scale in the late 1950s. I later continued the tradition with my own family and homes.
My previous basement layout, the Taconic & New England RR, took up much of the circumference of the basement, wrapping twice around the room. Over the years I used the layout less frequently, and it was invaded by our family cats. The two duckunders became a nuisance. I finally decided it was time to pack it up, clean out the basement, and build something new.
The Eastport Branch consists of three HO scale sections along the walls of the basement. The towns of Eastport, Chatham, and Crawford’s are separate switching layouts, which may be operated independently or operated as a unified around-the-walls layout. They’re linked by connecting tracks along the wall, by drop-down or swing gates, without the agony of duckunders.
Each is equipped with fascia panels and overhead lighting. Each acts as a
❸ The layout is built on L-girders that rest on the top of built-in cabinets in John’s basement, giving the layout a finished look. This view shows Chatham Gorge to the left, the locomotive terminal at center, and downtown Chatham at right.
separate stage that trains enter on one side and leave on the other. The towns have plenty of switching opportunities and give the line a sense of purpose.
The layout has what I call a “variable location.” I have collected a great deal of equipment of various New England railroads over the years, along with the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR). Rather than having all sorts of equipment on the layout at one time, the Eastport Branch is “relocated” from time to time. It can be on the north fork of Long Island, allowing use of the LIRR equipment. Across Long Island Sound along the Connecticut shoreline and Massachusetts, the railroad can host Central Vermont, New Haven, or Boston & Albany equipment. It can also be moved farther north along the New Hampshire or Maine coast to use Maine Central and Boston & Maine equipment. Even some Rutland, Canadian National, Canadian Pacific, and Bangor & Aroostook trains have roamed the rails. This helps to keep the layout fresh.
Getting started
Eastport was the first module, started in 2006. It was planned to be a simple, compact switching layout along one wall. The town represents a fishing village set along the Atlantic shoreline somewhere between the north fork of Long Island and far “out east” along the Maine coast. It includes a harbor, a busy industrial base, and the facilities of the railroad. Off in the distance, Eastport Inlet enters the Atlantic Ocean and is protected by the Eastport Lighthouse.
Eastport takes its inspiration from a series of articles by Iain Rice that began in the October 2003 Model Railroader. The articles described the construction of Roque Bluff, “a layout for those without the space for a layout.”
I had a clean basement and a plan in my head, but I really didn’t want to create another T&NE. Roque Bluff was nice and small, and it was set in New England, what more could I want?
Like many others, I would stand in the basement, tape measure in hand, looking here, measuring there, and trying to imagine how and where it could be built. I was also approaching retirement, was in the midst of restoring a 1968 Mustang, and the house needed some fix up and time with a paintbrush. But that darned track plan kept coming back to me. It was so small, it wouldn’t take up much space after all.
Then came a rainy day when I cleaned off the dining room table, added the extension leaves, and unrolled a long roll of brown wrapping paper. I transferred the measurements of the area I would be using to the paper. I then laid out the Roque Bluff track plan and its extensions. I had more room than Iain Rice had, and was faced with the enjoyable problem of making a small railroad larger, rather than trying to squeeze a larger layout into a smaller space. I strongly recommend the process of a full scale layout plan, as one can see immediately any clearance problems and provide adequate space for structures for the layout.
As I had greater depth available, I was able to include a turntable, a small roundhouse, and several additional yard tracks to add operational interest. It was important not to add so many tracks that the scenic elements would be lost.
With a full-scale track plan completed, the next part of the project was the many structures. I spent more than a year building the structures for Eastport. This turned into an advantage, as most structures were ready to be placed as soon as track was laid. It also kept the basement from looking like a long-term construction zone.
Eastport contains a mixture of scratchbuilt, kitbashed, and kit-built structures. Perhaps the most interesting is the float bridge, which was inspired by the LIRR’s Long Island City operation. It used a combination of Micro Engineering girders, scratchbuilt items, and part of a Revell crossing guard shanty. Also of interest are two fishing piers and the wooden trestles to the “mainland.”
Eastport was operated alone for about a year, until I started looking at the other side of the basement. Trains leaving Eastport needed a destination. It would also get rid of all those boxes filled with unused model railroad equipment. Thus the concept of Chatham was born.
Next stop, Chatham
Chatham is an inland town, representing the location of the junction of the Eastport Branch to the main line. It’s set among rolling hills and contains the deep Chatham Gorge, a favorite spot for railfan photography and fishing. The gorge was designed from the start to be a photo location, to capture trains as they cross over the high iron bridge.
Chatham was built using the same techniques as Eastport. The section was laid out full scale, and buildings were constructed before track laying to assure they would have sufficient space.
Like Eastport, Chatham includes a small locomotive servicing facility to turn and maintain locomotives, and has numerous industries served by sidings. There are many switching opportunities in Chatham.
The town has several unique buildings, such as the Powerhouse Brewery, made from a kitbashed Design Preservation Models powerhouse kit. Shoreline Builders Supply is a cutaway structure that’s placed at the edge of the module to show off its detailed interior. Perhaps the most unusual is the Chatham Zeppelin Works with its large hangar-like roof.
Chatham Gorge is a prime photo location, with both a covered bridge (from a Campbell kit) and a steel mainline bridge (built with Micro Engineering components). Deep in the gorge winds the Chatham River, along with several waterfalls and a swift current. The falls and waves were made using Woodland Scenics Water Effects.
The gorge itself is made from layers of foam insulation overlaid with plaster cloth and rock molds, then painted. Along the sides are many colorful autumnal trees made using Scenic Express SuperTrees with Woodland Scenics foliage. To complete the scene, several fishermen are trying their luck along the river.
By varying the lighting and placement of photo lights I’ve been able to take successful photos simulating “sweet” late afternoon light, as just before sunset.
Adding Crawford’s
With these two sections completed, the layout was operated point-to-point. But I was often asked, “When are you going extend the railroad around the basement?” or “Wouldn’t it be great to sit here and just watch the trains go around?” There were major obstacles in the way, as we learned the hard way from the previous layout. They had to be overcome first.
Crawford’s is the most rural and perhaps most dynamic of the three sections. It’s also the smallest (as narrow as 6" in spots) and the most difficult to build, as I had to bridge the gaps across two doorways without liftouts or duckunders. Thus the construction of this last module was not started until 2017. The module receives its inspiration from the Maine Central RR’s Mountain Division tracks
through Crawford’s Notch, N.H. This is mountain railroading in late autumn, with leaves coming off the trees and an early season snowfall leaving patches of snow on ice-covered rocks. At the summit is the small town of Crawford’s, with its famous station.
This station is the most recognizable structure. It was built from a Crow River Products kit of resin and plaster castings. It’s painted in the period correct Maine Central gray-and-green scheme. Also at Crawford’s is a wooden Maine Central freight house from Swampscot Models. It contains a full interior. The section also has several kitbashed industries.
The cliffs along the notch are insulation foam, however there’s no plaster, plaster cloth, or rock castings. As an experiment, I carved the foam with a very thin serrated steak knife, cutting in and then twisting to break bits off. This created a highly realistic random effect of weathered rock without the mess of plaster. The foam was then painted. The broken-off bits were saved to become piles of talus at the base of the cliffs.
This was followed by planting the almost bare fall deciduous trees and a large number of N scale evergreens which duplicate the weather-stunted trees found in the Notch. A bit of Woodland Scenics snow and Gloss Medium for ice on the rocks, and the terrain was complete.
Rolling stock enters the model railroad from the wider world in two locations. At Chatham, trains are brought onto the layout from a six-track staging yard located in an adjacent room. These trains travel through a short tunnel to Chatham Junction and then are backed into downtown Chatham. At Eastport, cars arrive by way of the car float. A twotrack car barge is brought up to the float bridge by tugboat and is loaded or offloaded as needed.
The train control system is a two-cab, direct-current, block control system powered by two Model Rectifier Corp. Controlmaster 20 power packs with walkaround throttles. Each town has its own control panel with throttle outlets and blocks controlled by single-pole double-throw toggle switches. The throttles are wired so either can control the three sections.
Most turnouts are controlled by Caboose Industries ground throw mechanisms. There are only two powered turnouts on the layout, at Chatham Junction, which helps to keep wiring simple. Track and turnouts are Atlas and
Walthers code 83. The standard turnout is a no. 6, though some no. 4s are used in tight yard areas.
Operating the railroad is a rather casual affair, sometimes just doing local switching in one of the modules, or just turning on the power and watching the trains pass through the scenery. There’s no use of any formal routing system, fast clock, or timetable operation. Dispatching and communications are generally handled with a loud “Hey you” across the room.
Locomotives and cars
Equipment used on the Eastport branch covers the popular steam-todiesel transition era up to secondgeneration diesel power. There’s a mix of equipment from older brass and plastic locomotives to several of the newer, smooth-running, high-tech locomotives.
Motive power is typical of the secondary New England lines, with the largest regularly used steam being light Mikados and Pacifics. Most steam locomotives are smaller Moguls, Ten-Wheelers,
and Consolidations. Diesels are all fouraxle types, with quite a few Alco RS-1s and RS-3s. Most of the locomotives have been weathered and some have had details added.
Favorite trains include the typical New England milk trains and the beer train serving the Powerhouse Brewery. Passenger trains are usually short, two or three cars, some with open platforms. Other routes are served by RDCs. Shorter trains are necessary, as passing sidings are relatively short (eight or nine freight cars).
Because the railroads of New England operated economically, older pieces of equipment were made to last for many years, making for a very interesting mix of older wood and newer steel cars.
The large amount of equipment I’ve collected presented another problem to be overcome. To keep the yards from looking like storage facilities, I built a series of drawers under the modules, along with a large floor-mounted storage chest with drawers for freight cars. The chest also holds the car barge to move freight cars to the float bridge.
❼ The Eastport float bridge was inspired by the Long Island Rail Road’s float bridge on the East River in Long Island City, N.Y. The two-track car floats can be swapped on and off the layout. The structure was built with Micro Engineering girders, a Revell crossing shanty, and scratchbuilt parts.
The road ahead
The Eastport Branch is set in the peak of autumn. Each year New England comes alive with brilliant yellows, oranges, and reds as Maple, Oak, Birch, and other hardwood trees and numerous smaller shrubs get ready for the impending winter. And as the altitude varies, the weather varies, too. Along the Eastport bulkhead are two sunbathers catching the last warm rays of the autumn sun, while up in Crawford Notch, the autumn trees have been dusted with the first snow of the season.
Revisions and additions to the scenery is a never-ending yet enjoyable task. It’s been over a decade since the Eastport Branch was begun, and it will never be truly finished. But now I can finally stand in the center of the basement and watch the trains go around!