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Berlin, Bangor & MaineBy John Sacerdote
It's September 26, 1959, and autumn is just starting to show. The Berlin, Bangor and Maine Railroad is doing well. The BB&M is considered a "southern division" of the BAR, the modeled areas stretching from Oakland, ME through Northern Maine Junction and terminating in Eastport, ME. There are interchanges with the Canadian National and Canadian Pacific, B&M, MEC, Belfast & Moosehead Lake, BAR, Aroostook Valley and the LCLRwy, a narrow gauge logging railroad, with interchange in Waterville, ME. There is an extensive branch line that parallels the coast from Machias and Machiasport to Bucks Harbor as well. If you look hard enough, you'll see Alco's lettered for the New Haven as well as the Rutland.
There is both passenger and freight service throughout the day. The layout is considered a heavy local/switching railroad. In addition, there is extensive yard work as well with three active yards, three locals and a branch line that requires a separate crew. Even yards have switching duties involving local industries.
Layout at a glanceName: Berlin, Bangor and Maine
Scale: HO and HOn3
Size: 20'x 20' and 15'x 20'
Prototype: BAR/MEC
Locale: Central Maine
Era: 1959
Style: Linear walk around
Mainline run: 185'
Minimum radius: 30" Mainline, 24" industrial
Minimum turnout: #6 main, or custom to fit location
Maximum grade: 2%
Benchwork: L-girder; open grid and mushroom
Height: 45" lowest, 65" highest
Roadbed: Homosote over ½" plywood
Track: Hand laid code 83, 70 (sidings and narrow gauge) and 55 (on branch line)
Scenery: Plaster over screen or cardboard lattice
Backdrop: Painted wall and Masonite
Control: RailLynx Infrared
Operating positions:Three Yardmasters (some require an assistant as there are local switching duties as well) 4 through freights and 3 locals (extensive, requiring engineer and conductor)
4 passenger trains and 6 interchange trains
1 branch line
1-2 narrow gauge operator
Comments:A typical operating session - which uses a card card/way bill system of "cars in," "cars on hold" and "cars out" - will take approx 3 hours to run all trains. The layout is a combination of single level, double level and mushroom (the Eastport yard). Scenery is 33% started and approx 40-50% completed (in the areas started). Track work is completely hand-laid (except where hidden) in codes 83, 70 and 55 on the branch. There are over 130 switches, including a curved 3-way, a double-slip switch, two switches overlaid on each other facing the opposite direction and multiple crossings (diamonds).
It's September 26, 1959, and autumn is just starting to show. The Berlin, Bangor and Maine Railroad is doing well. The BB&M is considered a "southern division" of the BAR, the modeled areas stretching from Oakland, ME through Northern Maine Junction and terminating in Eastport, ME. There are interchanges with the Canadian National and Canadian Pacific, B&M, MEC, Belfast & Moosehead Lake, BAR, Aroostook Valley and the LCLRwy, a narrow gauge logging railroad, with interchange in Waterville, ME. There is an extensive branch line that parallels the coast from Machias and Machiasport to Bucks Harbor as well. If you look hard enough, you'll see Alco's lettered for the New Haven as well as the Rutland.
There is both passenger and freight service throughout the day. The layout is considered a heavy local/switching railroad. In addition, there is extensive yard work as well with three active yards, three locals and a branch line that requires a separate crew. Even yards have switching duties involving local industries.
Layout at a glanceName: Berlin, Bangor and Maine
Scale: HO and HOn3
Size: 20'x 20' and 15'x 20'
Prototype: BAR/MEC
Locale: Central Maine
Era: 1959
Style: Linear walk around
Mainline run: 185'
Minimum radius: 30" Mainline, 24" industrial
Minimum turnout: #6 main, or custom to fit location
Maximum grade: 2%
Benchwork: L-girder; open grid and mushroom
Height: 45" lowest, 65" highest
Roadbed: Homosote over ½" plywood
Track: Hand laid code 83, 70 (sidings and narrow gauge) and 55 (on branch line)
Scenery: Plaster over screen or cardboard lattice
Backdrop: Painted wall and Masonite
Control: RailLynx Infrared
Operating positions:Three Yardmasters (some require an assistant as there are local switching duties as well) 4 through freights and 3 locals (extensive, requiring engineer and conductor)
4 passenger trains and 6 interchange trains
1 branch line
1-2 narrow gauge operator
Comments:A typical operating session - which uses a card card/way bill system of "cars in," "cars on hold" and "cars out" - will take approx 3 hours to run all trains. The layout is a combination of single level, double level and mushroom (the Eastport yard). Scenery is 33% started and approx 40-50% completed (in the areas started). Track work is completely hand-laid (except where hidden) in codes 83, 70 and 55 on the branch. There are over 130 switches, including a curved 3-way, a double-slip switch, two switches overlaid on each other facing the opposite direction and multiple crossings (diamonds).