The current layout began its design a few months after we relocated to Phoenix Park in late 2007. Proposals were submitted, comments made, and finally we decided on a plan to model the former Boston and Maine's Fitchburg Division Mainline. This line segment has many iconic scenes that define railroading in New England, from massive river crossings, steep grades and even a 5 mile long tunnel (perfect for concealing a helix!). Our layout design evolved throughout construction, and even now continues to be tweaked.
Construction started in late 2008, consuming many hours of labor. Every year we pushed to increase our footprint and get to a point where we could run operating sessions again. Operations was a key component in the design, as this club is very operations oriented. The intention of the design was to not only facilitate operations, but not make them either too difficult or too simple. Block detection and a full signal system was a design element from conception. For more on our signal system see our Signals page.
We have included some very iconic prototype scenes from along the railroad. Locations such as the East and West portals of the Hoosac Tunnel, XO tower and the D&H train station in Mechanicville and the 14.5’ representation of the bridge crossing the Hudson River. Other scenes include North Adams MA Freight house, Erving Paper in Erving MA, Ayer MA MBTA station and Main St bridge, and the New England Milling facility and loop track.
Other locations are free lanced/what if representations, like our Berkshire Mills paper mill on the Adams Branch, and the industries around the Ayer/Willows area, which were fed off a "third iron" to better facilitate MBTA Commuter trains and local switching.