Whilst we’re off playing trains for the day, here’s a little layout suggestion. 

I’ve always rather liked this Model Railroader plan from 2002.  The Valley City Street & Interurban Railway was a real 1.2 mile interurban based in Valley City, North Dakota. The line connected to the Soo line in the north and Northern Pacific in town. The railroad was incorporated in 1905 and ran as an independent company until purchased by the Soo Line.  It connected to a few industries and provided both freight and passenger service.

Here’s the Model Railroader plan, 5’6″ x 10’9″ in HO.  Some changes would be needed for N gauge, as the operating well would be far too small!

The ‘Great Train Layouts web site – describing layouts built with train simulators – changes the layout into a continuous run.

This track plan compresses the entire railway into an HO Scale layout measuring 8 ft by 10 ft. The centerpiece of this layout is a small section of the Northern Pacific’s massive “Hi-Line” bridge bypassing the town.

Passengers are transported between downtown Valley City from the VCS&I yard to the Soo Line Valley City Station. Passenger service lasted into the 1930s.

Freight is dropped off by the Soo on the interchange track and by Northern Pacific in the VCS&I yard. The interurban then takes these cars and moves them either to online industries or across to the other railroad.

Original track plan by Cyril Durrenberger. Trainz version created by Nick Ozorak.

I like the expansion into a continuous run, helping operation, testing, and just playing trains.

A little Google work found this hand-drawn sketch of the line.  It was offered for sale for over $300, together with a letter and the envelope it was sent in.  I’m happy with this image, thanks!!  This offers some ideas for a more linear version of the line.

An interesting little line, that could be transposed anywhere in the country, to be run with your main railroad and interurbans of choice.