Bill Robertson has put together a self guided model railroad tour again this year (Layout tour 08) of many exceptional southeastern Mass. and northern Rhode Island layouts on April 5th of this year (2008).
There will be 9 layouts this year at 9 locations
Many of these layout owner's have been busy with updates, additions, and details.
LAYOUT TOUR 08
Self-guided model railroad Open House 9 Layouts
For maps go to Google. Type address in Google search and enter, Go to Google maps, enter the address and map will appear .
SATURDAY April 5th 2008 from 10:00am - 4:00pm
1. New England and Western
Bill Robertson
63 Frontier Drive
Attleboro, MA. 02703
Tel # 1-508-222-7776
The New England and Western is a large freelance HO scale railroad, which models New England prototypes of the steam era with numerous interesting line side structures suitable for that period. The layout is operated by Dynatrol command control and features car card freight operation. The scenery is about 50% completed with some very interesting scenes depicting life in the early to mid part of the 20 th century.
2. Old Colony & South Shore Railroad
Cliff Coutinho
1097 Marlborough St.
New Bedford, MA
Tel # 1-508-995-7616
The HO scale Old Colony & South Shore Railroad is an early 20 th century era layout located on the second floor above the garage/workshop and features superb scenery and multi-train operation. Cliff’s layout has many scratch-built and super detailed structures from many manufacturers with beautiful city and town settings. The scenery is 70% complete. The layout was featured in the October 2004 Model Railroader and is to be featured in an upcoming Great Model Railroads. The OC &SS is DCC with an NCE system and can be operated with conventional DC also.
3. Aquidneck Valley RR
Ed Silvia
232 Honeyman Ave,
Middletown, RI
Tel #401-846-3436
The AVRR is a large HO railroad occupying two rooms, one 20x24, and the other 26x10. The minimum radius is 30 inches and all the track work is complete. The scenery is about 90% complete. The total track laid is about 1300 feet. Trains are powered by diesels, and controlled by a Digitrax DCC radio system with sound. The railroad has two large freight yards, numerous industries, including 3 coalmines, an ore mine, and gravel processing plant, many bridges, in an eastern mountainous setting. The layout was featured in the November 2004 Model Railroader.
4. Providence & Worcester
Donald Irace
11 Road C,
North Scituate, RI
Tel #401-647-2455
This 42’x25’ double decked railroad is located in the basement. Enter from garage. It is a fictitious track plan between Worcester Ma. and Queens N.Y. It models the Providence &Worcester Railroad as a regional freight carrier with trackage rights on the Amtrak’s northeast corridor. Commodities include Paper goods, coal, stone, plastic resins, produce, lumber, grain, cement, chemicals, general merchandise and scrap metals. Interchange is made with CSX Transportation, Sea View a shortline railroad located in Davisville, RI, New England Central Railroad in Ct and the Gilford Rail System in Gardner Ma, The railroad is Dispatcher controlled by means of computerized CTC (Centralized Traffic Control) using two dispatchers. One on site and the 2 nd which is located in Georgia. There have been a lot of changes since last year, new Worcester Yd
and a rebuilt Fresh Pond yd. The layout is 90% scenicked. For more info see the P & W website at
5. Quebec & New England Railway
Please enter through the garage
Jim Reddington and Associates
17 Mia Court,
Warwick, RI 02886
Tel # 1-401-738-6899
The HO scale layout which, when completed, will occupy a basement space of 44’x 26’. Approximately 60% of the trackwork is in place of which 15% is scenicked. The layout is mostly freelanced, freight only, operating from the Springfield, MA area to St. Johnsbury and beyond in the 1969-1980 period all with diesels. There is also a considerable Canadian Pacific presence. In-place trackage comprises of two 3-track stage yards, 120’± single track mainline, 2 significant yards and 3 distinct switching areas. Control is NCE DCC, a combination of tethered and radio modes in the walk-around style with several sound-equipped locomotives.
6. Connecticut River line
Neil Schofield
24 Rye Street,
Seekonk Ma
Tel # 1-508-336-1390
The layout is loosely based on the CP/BM Connecticut River Line operations, circa 1980. Approximately 75 percent of the benchwork is built in the 20’x 24’ room and about 20% of the scenery is finished. The layout includes scratchbuilt structures, and prototypically correct rolling stock. Staging yards representing Farnham and Sherbrooke, Quebec allow limited operations on the DCC controlled layout.
7. Atlantic Great Eastern Railroad
Jeff Leonard
184 Jerrold St. Holliston, MA.
Tel # 508-429-6546
The Atlantic Great Eastern Railroad is an HO scale Railroad modeling the Northern New Jersey area in 1958. It is a point to point design with continuous running through a large staging yard. The staging serves as both ends of the railroad which runs around the walls, with a 115-foot mainline and 2% maximum grade. Most of the track is hand laid; and the scenery is 30% finished. The railroad is powered by DC, and features both steam and diesel motive power. The layout is operated with a car card system.
8. Armand G. Lavoi
18 James Ave,
Westport, Ma.
Tel # 1-508-678-1490 .
Armand has a freelance HO scale layout located in a 15 X 28 foot area of his basement. It is built with two main lines. It is controlled by a Lenz DCC system and can also be operated with conventional DC. It models small town New England mountain areas. The layout has many scratch built and craftsman kit structures with lighting and animation. Scenery is 98%.
9. Scott Mason
9 Lee Street
Franklin, Ma. 02038
1-508-528-9457
Scott is well known in the hobby as the purveyor of model railroad DVDs and the Craftsman’s Structure GURU. What many of you don’t know is he is in the process of recreating the Rutland Railroad in his large basement, including a little freelancing of an interchange with the Hoosac Tunnel and Wilmington. Scott will explain to you how this happened
For maps go to Google. Type address in Google search and enter, Go to Google maps, enter the address and map will appear .
Bill has asked me to acknowledge the people from whom he got this idea. They are Bruce Robinson and the late Bill (Guido) Borrelli who together conceived "Tour d' Chooch" , as a great way to spend the weekend after Thanksgiving touring northern Mass and southern N.H. layouts.
To all Please forward this to anyone who may be interested
2/23/08 Thanks Ray Schofield Email rayschofield2000@yahoo.com
Phil Johnson
Trip Committee
Amherst Railway Society