The layout fills our 92’x 33’ lower level, which overlooks the Saginaw-Toledo mainline of the Pere Marquette (now CSX) in rural Milford, Michigan. The layout is designed to be a prototypically, operationally, and historically accurate depiction of selected railroad lines radiating from the Detroit-Windsor riverfront.  Featured railroads are the Pere Marquette, Michigan Central/NYC, GTW, Wabash, PRR and Ann Arbor. The era is the early-1950’s, with a specific date for each route modeled.

 A key objective for my wife, Brook, and me was to preserve a bit of family history and the history of the various communities in which they lived. Prototype modeling of family homes (Brook’s specialty) and businesses with a family connection are enabling us to recreate places and times that would be impossible to experience any other way.

The fully completed benchwork is comprised of a sandwich of three-quarter inch plywood (85 sheets) and Homasote supported by a UniStrut steel ladder structure in 4’x 10’ sections. Peninsula turn back loops are eliminated by the use of four easy-to-use lift bridges. Also completed are all trackwork and DCC wiring. About 200 square feet of scenery is complete and all structures are museum-quality and unique to the layout.

The following photos are of Pere Marquette’s Saginaw Potter Street Station, locomotive service facilities, and coach yard.