Modular Model Railroads

The prolific UK layout builder, Ian Lampkin, models in a variety of scales, including N, HO and TT.  Several of Mr. Lampkin’s exhibition layouts are shown on the  Model Railways, South East England website along with other friends.  The N scale California Coast, is also known as the “Surf Line” has been exhibited almost 50 times in the past 8 years.  It is an American prototype, double track mainline located along the Pacific coast in Southern California.  The Surf Line is scheduled to be retired in the fall of 2007.   Passenger and freight trains operate over the oval layout measuring about 7.5 by 10.5 feet.

The HO scale Fort Myers Railway is a 22 foot long switching layout located in Florida.  The layout is well sceniced and includes a lot of details.  Besides being exceptionally well done, Mr. Lampkin also outfits his exhibition layouts with realistically weathered locomotives and rolling stock.  Most of the locos are custom painted, lettered and have sound. 

Model Railroader magazine has a 3 page article in the September 2007 issue on pages 63-64.  The article is well written and illistrated and the layout is a good example of a portable exhibition layout.  The article is lacking information on module interfaces or construction details that might be of interest to the module builder.

Lampkin’s newest exhibition railway is the Czech Smržovka  in TT.  TT scale is 1:120, so is in between N scale at 1:160 and the larger HO at 1:87.  TT scale trains are available from International Models.  Smrzovka is a relatively large layout at 16 by 20 feet.

Part of the inspiration for the Smrzovka layout as a Czech prototype modelled in TT scale came from the Club of Train Modellers Prague 3.   The Prague club website provides some translation Czech, Germany and Enghish.  The Prague club models in TT gauge and uses Fremo style modules.  The modules are well sceniced and populated with trees, buildings industry, etc.  Photo1 shows the details of a well sceniced module and the module interface.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, July 26th, 2007 at 11:29 pm and is filed under Individual Modules, Module Photos. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.