Soo Line/Milwaukee Road in Minnesota in the late 70's (N)

[Greg]

I was trying to think of where to post my layout,, is it home?, yes,, is it modular?, yes. Is there a forum called mome or hodular?

This concept started way back in 2015/2016. I had moved into a new home and was looking to start a new layout. In the past I had just laid track and called it good. I heard about this new modular concept called Free-moN,, I could have a layout at home and also take it on the road to shows, way cool.

This time I was wanting to stay true as possible to the prototype. After going to the interwebs for help, several people gave very valuble input. The forums own Karl A came up with a great track plan that modeled the Soo Line from Cardigan Jct in Shoreview, Mn to New Brighton Jct in New Brighton, MN. Between those two dots on a map is the town of Arden Hills, Mn which is home to 5 industries on my layout. I also have another industry located at New Brighton, MN Bell Pole Co.

The idea/plan is to stay true to prototype on operations also. By including Cardigan Jct I can also include the Rock Island. The train is called the Rocky SOO transfer,, it was always a hodge podge of RI/SP/UP power along with a SOO caboose. The train was crewed by SOO crews. But, that would require more sections and a larger area to set up. Right now my garage houses the layout which is about 21'x17'-6"




This is about half the layout set up. The corner to the right is where the Hiawatha Elevator district will start


This is New Brighton, MN. The yard belongs to the Minnesota Transfer Ry. The track that parallels the wall is the east/ west soo tracks. "if " the tracks were to go out of the garage they would be going to Shoreham Yard, SOO's main facility in the Twin Cities.. ( to be modeled later)

The most recent work that has been accomplished has been the laying of track for Hiawatha Elevator, a 90 degree corner, and the rest of Cardigan Jct yard. So that means ALL TRACK WORK IS DONE!!!!!! YAY!!!






The picture below is the yard at Cardigan Jct, the radius worked out to be 24" ish

the section with the Digitrax UR92 was the very section I built when I started this project. In the real world, the tracks going north from Cardigan would head to Duluth/Superior.


The single track here connects to a 90 degree corner which connects to Hiawatha Elevator District.

I like to think that I have two individual layouts, the SOO from Cardigan jct to New Brighton jct, and the Milwaukee Road Hiawatha Elevator district

Now it is wiring time,, yay,, aint no thing!!!

Greg

[Steve]

Nice collection of Power Greg
and that is a nice angle with the bridge and and locos on it

Steve

[Karl]

Having been under that bridge thousands of time, I can definitely say you captured the scene well

[Paul S.]

The Rocky Soo transfer heading back to Inver Grove yard passes Transfer 1 heading for Cardigan Jct.

Very cool, Greg!

[Allen]

Be still my beating heart...Rock Island, SP and & SOO

[Steve H AC&Y]

I looked at your photo gallery and notice the box construction employed for sections. I like that approach but it does not appear to be a common choice. What drove your decision to build in this manner? Very neat and well designed IMO.

From the trackplan I'll guess you have a pretty solid ops scheme in mind. Transfer runs and local industry service?

[Greg]

Steve,
Thank you for the comments.
the box framing choice was chosen because of the durability. I am a carpenter and welder by trade, so I just did what came naturally. They are actually pretty light.

As for the ops idea, I am trying to stay true to prototype. I need to do more research on what was done. But I do know that Soo job call transfer 1 served the warehouses and international paper in Arden Hills, Mn. Transfer 1 ran between the yard at cardigan jct to Shoreham yard, which was the main yard for the Soo in the twin cities area. The other yard actually belongs to the Minnesota transfer railway. That yard is in New Brighton,Mn. Currently that yard belongs to the Minnesota commercial RR. The industry that is next to NB yard is called Bell pole company. They deal with wooden power and telephone poles. Bell can be served both by the Soo or the MTry.

The bottom half the layout is the Hiawatha Elevator district, which in my era was run by the Milwaukee Road. Which current day is ran by the Minnesota Commercial. I found research online stating how the elevators were switched to include hand drawn sketches that were made by the switch crews. I have also been able to get info from a gentleman named Barry, who goes by BOK on other forums. He is the one that drew the sketches for switching.

Maybe someday I will be able to take my layout and join other freemoN layouts,,well that’s the plan.

thanks for your questions

Greg

[Greg]

Here are some more pictures.

Here are the industry mock up at Arden Hills, Mn





Each industry takes 5-6 box cars. I used google earth to sort of replicate the buildings in the area.

Greg

[Greg]

One of the icons of the area is the bridge over I-694.

Here is my try at it.



Just some other shots




That is all for now, Need to start wiring,,lol

Greg

[Tim R]

I like this Greg. Bridges are always a favorite, but I especially like the concrete canyons and buildings large enough to actually serviced by RR cars in Arden Hills.

[Greg]

Thanks Tim!
I used Google earth to get the measurements of the buildings. I used the measuring tool to find the dimensions that I needed, then scaled down from there.
I did the same for the bridge. According to Google earth, the bridge length is 325’, ( I think,lol) So I scaled down just like I did for the buildings. I wanted to be accurate on bridge construction, so I contacted Erik, who goes by Nginneer on shapeways. I asked him to design the handrails for the bridge, they came out awesome!

Now I just need to find someone who can print me the bridge support piers.

greg

[Michael Whiteman]

Hi Greg. I really enjoyed looking at all your pictures. Your modular benchwork is awesome as is your track plan. Thanks for sharing.

[Greg]

Thanks Mike!

the track plan is by Karl A, I just followed his plan. Hopefully once I get rid of COVID, I can get more done.

thanks for looking.

Greg

[Paul S.]

Thanks Mike!

the track plan is by Karl A, I just followed his plan. Hopefully once I get rid of COVID, I can get more done.

thanks for looking.

Greg

I do like what you've got going, Greg. It's the SOO for one. Karl's plan is well done, plenty of operations there, and the fact that you went modular: No need to tear down and start over.

[Greg]

Paul,

The modular concept is pretty good, because the train room can also double as a garage 😉. The plan is to be able to take the layout on the road to shows, because the sections are built to Free-moN standards I would also be able to take it to Free-moN meets.

greg