# Looking for small prairie layout ideas



## punchy71 (Dec 1, 2014)

Greetings,
Anyone either know of, or already have a track plan that more or less models a prairie railroad of some sort? I'm just accumulating ideas right now, nothing permanent. I was thinking in terms of a smaller layout. Possibly a shelf layout of some sort, or, especially a switching layout or a small town layout designed around a prairie (grassland) type environment. It can be from either the past or present. I'm not looking for anything complex or fancy. Just a relatively simple and straight-forward design, particularly suitable for a beginner like myself. My favorite scale is HO, but I'll consider concepts intended for N scale or even S scale.
Thank you


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## Magic (Jan 28, 2014)

Before someone else ask. How much room are we talking about? 

Check out this layout for some scenery ideas. 
http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=23086

Magic


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

You are out there where the prairies begin so you well know
that means vast open rolling agricultural areas. You would likely see
big grain elevators and the like with an occasional farm. 

To get any real switching action you'd need to have a small
town here and there.

My room size layout is loosely based on a Southwestern semi
arid area. But it mainly consists of a small business area
and a number of industries. The desert isn't actually seen, only
a few sandy weedy plots between buildings or along roads.

Don


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## cole226 (Feb 8, 2013)

cattle pens. stock yards, meat packing, ice, corn products?


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## punchy71 (Dec 1, 2014)

Magic said:


> Before someone else ask. How much room are we talking about?
> 
> Check out this layout for some scenery ideas.
> http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=23086
> ...


This is my first layout, so I'm thinking in terms of just a small, modest shelf size switching layout of some sort. Perhaps 12 feet long by 15 inches wide, but that is just a figure I pulled out of the air... so it's all very tentative...


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## Magic (Jan 28, 2014)

You'll probability need more than 15" for HO if you can do it. 24 to 30 would be much more workable. Give you enough room for a point to point RR with some room for industries or a town. For a small layout you'll no doubt need to run older 1950s to 1960s equipment, modern is mostly big locos and long cars.

Magic


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## Murv2 (Nov 5, 2017)

I grew up in Illinois and farm country here is board-flat, with farm houses every 1/4 mile or so (house, barn, silo and a couple outbuildings with mature trees interspersed) completely surrounded by cornfields. Every 20 miles or so there's a town built up around a grain elevator. Railroads are mostly laser-straight as well, connecting the grain elevators together (or did, most serviced by truck now) Roads are in a huge grid pattern based on sections (IIRC, 1/10th of a mile). Most were dirt when railroads were ascendant but those that attach towns are paved. The Great Plains ran from Ohio to Missouri, the northern half or more of all states. Streams are in small treed flood plains and extremely localized. The railroads are slightly elevated with ditches on either side and chased by telegraph poles.


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

The next Ice Age will through Illinois before the OP comes back after six years.


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