Cool Layouts 101: What is the COOLEST Layout Around?

When I lived in the Chicago area, we visited several times. But I do remember the other gauge trains were always being repaired. They went with HO to get enough space to do the Chicago to Seattle theme. However I wished that they kept O-Gauge when they did the renovation project. But I am strictly an O-Gauge guy anyway.

I have not visited the museum since the installation of the HO display. But, I do have great memories of the O gauge layout and was saddened when I learned of it's demise.

A return visit is long overdue. Thanks for posting.

Edit: Not certain what happened to the other two images, but they're gone now. Sorry about that.

Is this a picture of the o gauge layout?

"Coolest" is seriously subjective.

As for the Chicago layout, I'm still ticked that the last time I was there in 2002, the entire lower floor was blocked for the layout construction. I missed my one chance to get a close up view of NYC 999 and I'm still ticked about that.

But as for "Coolest," I don't think Chicago (or any other American layout, to be fair) can hold a candle to the Miniatur Wunderland layout in Hamburg, which features an amazing amount of HO track, highways and roads with self-driving, computer-controlled vehicles, complete towns, a real water port with floating ships, and a full airport with planes which actually taxi out to runways and take off and land:

Rand Fredrickson had a unique and one-of-a-kind layout. Small, but about as creative as it got in my book. It doesn't show well in these pictures, but it was a double figure eight.

Yes, Harry, it was marvelous. Here are a few more images.

For the collector, I nominate Roadside America.
When I was there with my brother, he pointed out a fair number of desirable toys that were used to scenic the layout when it was built.

I completely agree with Lee, "Coolest" is seriously subjective. His example is testimony to that fact. Another favorite is not unfamiliar to many here, and certainly not within the two-rail community. It's brilliance in design is matched by it's execution. This Hobo never tires of riding the Fresno.

Jon,

I honestly had no clue that the Great Train Story started out like that. Thats amazing! now do you think that the current layout could be updated and enlarged in the future?

Dan

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Nice photos. I had wondered where the Spirit of America I went to after the "5-mile skid" due to the loss of the parachutes.

The coolest layout I have ever seen is the beautiful Standard and O gauge tinplate layout in the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento California.The layout can be seen in the first 1:25 of the video.It is an incredible work of art that has to be seen in person.

The tinplate train layout in the California State Railroad Museum was the ultimate in seeing model trains run.Nice thread,I haven't seen these photos for a while.Now I want to back to the Golden State.

I have only viewed this on the web, but the Grand Layout in Saint-Petersburg, Russia is over the top in almost every way.

I had a documentary video bookmarked, but can't find it now, so here is the museum's website.

There are several videos on youtube showing the work of Bob Jakl in 2 rail scale.  It deserves mention here.

The current MSI layout is spectacular and very popular - featuring Amtrak and BNSF - though I miss hanging around by the big relay cabinet at the end of the previous O gauge Santa Fe layout, hearing the relays and switches buzz and click.

As to 'coolest', I have always been partial to some of the 'original' post war model railroading layouts: John Allen's Gorre and Daphetid RR. and Frank Ellison's Delta Lines. And certainly the big Lionel NYC showroom layouts...

I'll assume home layout rahter than commercial display.

My vote is for Brooks Stover"s S-Scale Buffalo Creek and Gauley. 

Brooks has done a great job of capturing the flavor of the prototype and its operations.    The scenery and detail is simply very well done.     If you want to see some photos search for the "Buffalo Creek & Gauley" and go to the webstie.    Brooks maintains a site for the prototype history and also has photos of his layout.

If you're not looking for massive layouts: Norm Charboneau. Period.

Any layout with a accurate airfield scene with late-model HIND attack choppers can't be all bad!

And a spur for a submarine dock???

"In Russia, the model trains watch YOU!"

Wow that's cool! A lot of detail on the airfield and the foot soldier formations. Now is that HO-scale or smaller?