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Peter's Model Railroading
The Layout

 

So, how does one capture a 23-mile branch line (~1,900 feet of actual track in S-scale, if fully modeled), with a couple of branches of its own, and interchanges with other railroads, in a small space in S-scale? Especially when the goal is no selective-compression? This is my journey into finding a creative solution to that dilemma, sharing my exploration with lots of text and photos. New content will be added to the bottom of the list, so the overall construction process is shown in chronological order. The date shows the last time content was added to that page.

Overview

The high-level plan for my layout.
March 27, 2021
A summary of the major events of the layout.
October 05, 2025

Hazel Mine, Canonsburg, PA - Module #1

The design and plan for module #1, the main tipple.
April 04, 2021
Building the module's framework.
April 06, 2021
Designing the Hazel Mine tipple.
April 09, 2021
Building the Hazel Mine tipple foundation.
April 16, 2021
Installing the module's track.
October 30, 2021
Building the Hazel Mine tipple's main building.
February 02, 2021
Building the main building's support structure.
October 08, 2021
Re-building the tipple's support structure.
November 25, 2022
Building the mine entrance incline.
November 18, 2022
Painting the Hazel Mine tipple.
January 06, 2023
Building the interior details for the Hazel Mine tipple.
March 31, 2023
Attaching the main building to its support structure.
April 01, 2023
Adding final details to the incline.
May 19, 2023
Building the mine entrance and creek scenery base.
November 24, 2023

Layout Benchwork

The benchwork for supporting the planned modules.
May 23, 2025

Hazel Mine, Canonsburg, PA - Module #2

The design and plan for module #2, the mine's outfeed.
September 05, 2025
Building the second module's framework.
October 31, 2025

Operations

How I operate my one-module layout.
June 13, 2025