The 46th National Narrow Gauge Convention features many fine home layouts for you to visit during our convention’s traditional afternoon self-guided layout tours. Many of these layouts have been featured in national model railroad magazines. It is the convention committee’s desire that you are presented with a variety of viewing experiences ranging from 100% completed layouts to those under various degrees of construction. Hopefully you find these experiences enlightening and inspiring.
CB&Q River Division
Scale: HO
Era/Locale: 1969 Southwestern Wisconsin
Set in late 1970, just a few months after the Burlington Northern merger, the modeled portion of the railroad is based on the area along the Mississippi River between East Dubuque, Illinois and La Crosse, Wisconsin.
See more photos and details on the CB&Q River Division.
Central of Minnesota
Scale: HO
Era/Locale: 1953 Central of Minnesota, Minneapolis Terminal
The Central of Minnesota actually existed (on paper) as a land grant railroad in the 1870’s! The Central of Minnesota exists purely on trackage rights from Peoria, Illinois to Minneapolis, Minnesota (M&StL trackage) to Winnipeg, Manitoba (Soo Line trackage). It also interchanges with other railroads such as NP, CRI&P, MNS, CMO, CMStP&P and M&StL.
See more photos and details on the Central of Minnesota.
Clinchfield Railroad Blue Ridge Division
Scale: N
Era/Locale: Mid-1970s Appalachian coal fields of Tennessee and North Carolina
The Clinchfield Railroad Blue Ridge Division layout is modeled after the Clinchfield Railroad as it was in the mid-1970’s. This 100% photo complete layout represents an area located between Erwin, TN. and Bostic, NC. Part of CSX, the Clinchfield Railroad is a bridge line that connects the midwest with the southeast moving coal as the main commodity.
See more photos and details on the Clinchfield Railroad Blue Ridge Division.
Colorado & Rio Grande Southern
Scale: HOn3 & HOn30
Era/Locale: 1930-40 Colorado
Hard rock mining is the theme of this Colorado based 100% photo complete layout featuring two levels of dramatic vertical scenery. Hand painted backdrops, tall bridges and deep canyons that dwarf the narrow gauge trains fill the room.
See more photos and details on the Colorado & Rio Grande Southern.
Denver & Rio Grande Western – Royal Gorge Route
Scale: N
Era/Locale: 1981 Southern Rockies of Colorado
Located in the Southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado in the Spring of 1981, this proto-freelanced layout endeavors to recreate the grandeur of the Royal Gorge Route of the D&RGW along the Arkansas River. Pueblo, Salida and Leadville Colorado are all represented on the way to the eastern tunnel portal of the Tennessee Pass.
See more photos and details on the Denver & Rio Grande Western – Royal Gorge Route.
Fremont, Elkhorn, and Missouri Valley Railroad
Scale: HO/HOn3
Era/Locale: 1930-40 Colorado
Placed in the Black Hills of South Dakota in the Autumn of 1903, this 100% photo complete layout represents the prototypical operation of a C&NWRR subsidiary with its dual and narrow gauge rail service to gold mining and milling operations based out of Deadwood, South Dakota, and extending up the gulches to the west.
See more photos and details on the Fremont, Elkhorn, and Missouri Valley Railroad.
Minneapolis North Western
Scale: N
Era/Locale: Minneapolis and Twin Cities, Minnesota
The freelance Minneapolis North Western is a double decked layout that features a large scratch built passenger station, a large locomotive service facility and yard. The layout includes a double track mainline and industries include a small industrial district, a coal mine and railroad owned facilities.
See more photos and details on the Minneapolis North Western.
Minneapolis Santa Fe & Pacific
Scale: HO/HOn3
Era/Locale: 1953 Colorado
The Minneapolis Santa Fe & Pacific layout is based on the AT&SF and D&RGW and with its many masterfully constructed and highly detailed buildings, bridges and scenes represent railroading in 1953 Colorado.
See more photos and details on the Minneapolis Santa Fe & Pacific.
Minnesota Commercial Railroad
Scale: HO
Era/Locale: Minneapolis, Minnesota circa 2000
The Minnesota Commercial is a small industrial railroad located in and around the twin cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul. It began operations in 1987 after taking over the former Minnesota Transfer Railroad. The railroad is a modelers dream of switching lines, each of which could be modeled for a model railroad.
See more photos and details on Minnesota Commercial Railroad.
Minnesota Heartland Centralsota
Scale: S
Era/Locale: Twin Cities, Minnesota
This large layout features two long routes that circle the basement which allows for long trains to run. Within this circle are four distinct railroad operations which include an active staging area, the 27th Ave industrial area, a downtown switching area which includes an interchange yard and Heartland Junction where the Minnesota Heartland leaves the main to work the small but busy prairie towns of Grey Eagle and Centralsoda.
See more photos and details on Minnesota Heartland Centralsota.
Missabe Northern Railway
Scale: HO
Era/Locale: Early 1940s Minnesota
The Missabe Northern is a large double-deck railroad designed for diverse freight, iron ore and passenger operations as found in Minnesota in the early 1940’s.
See more photos and details on the Missabe Northern Railway.
Missabe Valley
Scale: N
Era/Locale: Transition Era Duluth to Virginia, Minnesota
The Missabe Valley is a transition era layout that is based on the Missabe Division of the Duluth Missabe and Iron Range (DM&IR) railroad. It features movement of iron ore from the Rouchleau Crusher and Oliver District at Virginia, Minnesota to Missabe Junction Yard and Ore Dock in Duluth, Minnesota.
See more photos and details on Missabe Valley.
Puffer Bridge Lines
Scale: HO
Era/Locale: Contemporary
This fantastic layout first appeared in the February, 2009 issue of Model Railroader and most recently is featured for the month of April in the NMRA™ 2026 calendar. This freelance railroad contains many highly detailed scenes featuring high bridges and urban settings that are sure to peak your interest.
See more photos and details on Puffer Bridge Lines.
Rio Grande Southern Lizard Head Division
Scale: HOn3
Era/Locale: September 1947, Southwest Colorado
This layout is 100% photo complete and has been featured in multiple national model railroad magazines and captures the look and feel of the Rio Grande Southern railroad from Rico to the Lizard Head pass in Colorado.
See more photos and details on Rio Grande Southern Lizard Head Division.
Rio Grande Southern/GJP&MPRY
Scale: HOn3
Era/Locale: 1935-1940 Colorado
The Rio Grande Southern and Gilpin, James Peak and Middle Park Railway is 100% photo complete and features a high degree of detail and includes both scenic and structure lighting.
See more photos and details on Rio Grande Southern / Gilpin, James Peak and Middle Park Railray.
RGS, Ridgway to Dolores
Scale: HOn3/HO
Era/Locale: HOn3 Colorado 1940’s, HO Peoria to Galesburg Illinois
This HOn3 RGS Ridgway to Dolores layout includes a freelance logging operation that is completely detailed. The under construction HO layout is based on the Burlington Northern prototype running from Peoria to Galesburg, Illinois.
See more photos and details on RGS Ridgway to Dolores.
RGS/D&RGW, Ridgway – Durango
Scale: HOn3
Era/Locale: 1938-1942 Southwest Colorado
If you ever walked the RGS right-of-way, you’ll appreciate what the layout owner is attempting to recreate on a large scale. The large mural style hand-painted backdrops gives the viewer the feeling of Colorado’s mountains and bright blue skies.
See more photos and details on RGS/D&RGW Ridgway – Durango.
San Juan del Oro, El Sisiwoki
Scale: HOn3 & HO
Era/Locale: 1932 Southwest Colorado
Placed in the southwest part of the United States, these two 100% photo complete layouts represent an interchange between railroads in the USA and Mexico.
See more photos and details on San Juan del Oro, El Sisiwoki
The Bona Vista Railroad
Scale: HO
Era/Locale: Minnesota and Wisconsin, mid-50s
The well known Bona Vista Railroad is a freelanced railroad depicting a mid-50s shortline in rural Minnesota and Wisconsin.
See more photos and details on The Bona Vista Railroad.
The Maryland & Pennsylvania Railroad
Scale: HO
Era/Locale: Maryland/Pennsylvania, April 30, 1950
The ‘Ma & Pa’ is a shortline railroad that ran from Baltimore, Maryland to York, Pennsylvania. This multi-level layout condenses the prototype’s 77 mile length with its countless curves and 111 bridges into a scale 6.5 mile point-to-point journey.
See more photos and details on the Maryland & Pennsylvania Railroad.
Quincy & Torch Lake Railroad
Scale: On30
Era/Locale: 1920 – 1931 Upper Peninsula of Michigan
This 100% photo complete layout has been featured in multiple national model railroad magazines and captures the essence of the prototype railroad and its movement of copper-bearing rock from the Quincy mine to various mills and locations. Designed with operations in mind, scratch-built locomotives ply the rails in their efforts to move heavy loads of rock and coal.
See more photos and details on the Quincy & Torch Lake Railroad.
These are the layouts we have been able to photograph thus far. Please check back as many more layouts will be added.