Former Layout by Peter Vanvliet

Layout Name:

"The PRR Chartiers Branch (freelance)"

Official Web Site:

Visit

Layout Status:

dismantled

Track Type:

Layout Space:

10' x 10'

Layout Style:

Around-the-room, U-shaped

Track Manufacturer:

handlaid

Rail Size:

code 83

Min. Turnout Frog:

Min. Radius:

"ridiculously tight"

Ruling Grade:

Track Height(s):

53"

Mainline Track Length:

40'

Completed:

benchwork: 100%; track: 100%; scenery: 50%

Era:

Summer 1950

Setting:

western Pennsylvania

Railroad(s) Modeled:

PRR

Control System:

Battery-powered (S-CAB)

Notes:

This layout was built on top of existing cabinets that were 18 inches deep. These cabinets previously served under an N-scale layout for which a depth of 18" is plenty. Not so much for S. Nonetheless, this U-shape switching layout provided Peter plenty of one-man operating sessions during its over 7 years of existence. Be sure to visit the web site, because that provides all of the details about this layout, and tons of additional photos.

This is a general overview of the layout shortly before it was dismantled. It shows about 75% of the layout. All of the trees were scratchbuilt by Peter. The layout is built into thin boxes with the wiring only accessible by cutting away pieces of scenery (this worked remarkably well). Two of the structures were built from kits, with the others all being scratchbuilt. The layout was built for DCC, but was later converted to "dead rail", simply by disconnecting the Digitrax DCC system and running the engines on their built-in batteries. A storage track in the closet, accessed via a scratchbuilt bridge on the left-hand side of the layout, was connected to a 12-volt power supply, which is where the engines were parked to charge up their batteries.

The small layout served two towns, and it had an s-curve section of track in between them, for good photography opportunities.

This photo shows the right-hand side of the layout, which had several spurs that were switched. This photo also shows how the shadow-box style layout was constructed. The backdrop, the lighting bar, and the side panels were all made out 1/8" Masonite hardboard. The layout was lit with high-CRI fluorescent lightbulbs. The layout's wiring ran on top of the light bar area (the valance was much taller than the light bar). This included the wiring for the lights, the main bus for the DCC system, and the 12-volt bus for lights and animation. For each layout section (there were 5), the DCC and accessories buses dropped down behind the backdrop and entered the layout sections in the back under the scenery layer.

The town on the left side, Washington, PA, offered some switching opportunities. The layout only supported two- or three-car trains when doing switching work. This made operations challenging, but fun. Basically the idea was to pick up two cars from the left side of the layout and set them out on the spurs on the right side of the layout. This typically took about 20 minutes to accomplish.

The wood storage shed was scratchbuilt following a design by Gil Freitag's HO-scale model. The building on the right is a B.T.S. "Greeley's Place" kit, which won the popular vote at the 2013 NASG Convention.

To explore the idea of, and to get a feel for, S-scale modeling, this PRR section house was scratchbuilt from plans. It was Peter's first S-scale "anything". The building was repurposed for a small machine shop on this layout. Most of it was constructed during the 4-day power-outage after Hurricane Ike hit.