Experience a Journey Through Time in Harleysville, PA
Located within the Peter Becker Community in Harleysville, PA, the Railroad Club offers residents and visitors a chance to experience the golden era of railroading through a meticulously detailed HO scale layout.
The Layout
This impressive model is built on a folded dog bone track plan with an up-and-over, double-tracked mainline. Both DC and DCC (NCE) systems control the operations, offering flexibility and precision in train movement.
Key features include:
- The mainline turning wye connects to the engine terminal, a main passenger station, and a food processing district.
- A lower-level loop-to-loop line that runs parallel to the main line.
- A narrow-gauge loop featuring a small town, passing siding, industry spur, and local industry.
- An urban trolley line that links the local rail station to the town.
A Tribute to the Transition Era
The layout captures the transition from steam to diesel, focusing on the period between the late 1940s and 1960s. It pays homage to the Reading, Pennsylvania, and Lehigh Valley Railroads, among others from the eastern U.S.
Motive power and rolling stock match the era, with fully themed:
- Steam facilities, including a turntable, six-stall roundhouse, coal, sand, ash, water tower, and spouts.
- A diesel shop, rounding out the terminal.
- A main passenger terminal with capacity for four full-length trains and an engine storage track.
- Eight freight yard storage tracks and a freight house siding.
Industrial and Operational Highlights
The layout’s realism extends to its detailed industrial districts:
- A food processing zone with dairy, slaughterhouse, and canning operations.
- Lowry Coal Company and a bustling industrial park, home to other industries serviced along the mainline.
Watch the Railroad in Action
Enjoy a virtual tour of the layout through the videos below: