Mike Armstrong's Rock Island Railroad
Mid-Continent Route HO Scale
Mike Armstrong's Rock Island Railroad Mid-Continent Route HO Scale
Mike models the Rock Island Lines Mid-Continent Route from St. Paul (Inver Grove Yard) to Kansas City (Armourdale Yard) in HO scale. He enjoys modeling mid-western railroads; therefore, you will see trains of other midwestern railroads operating on the layout such as the Burlington Route, Chicago Great Western, Minneapolis & St. Louis, Chicago & Northwestern, Milwaukee Road, and Illinois Central.
Details of the Layout:
Name: Rock Island Lines
Scale: HO
Prototype: Rock Island Lines Mid-Continent Route
Size: 30' X 40'
Locale: Midwest, St. Paul to Kansas City
Era: 1964 - 1974
Style: Around the walls, walk-in
Mainline run: 777 feet
Minimum radius: 30" on mainline
Minimum turnout: no. 6
Maximum grade: 1.96%
Benchwork: open grid
Height: Lower level = 40", Upper level = 60"
Roadbed: cork on 3/4" plywood
Track: Micro-Engineering code 83 on mainline and code 70 for yard, siding, and industry tracks; Walthers and Micro-Engineering turnouts
Scenery: card board strips with plaster cloth and joint compound
Backdrop: commercial backdrops and hand-painted
Control: Digitrax DCC
Hours open: 3:00 - 9:00
Handicap accessible: No
Parking: Street
Entry: Door by the garage, then up the stairs.
