John Mitchell’s Canada Southern Railway

The FNGers started the season with a visit to John's double deck empire.

Here is a description of his layout.

The Canada Southern is designed to represent the NYC high-speed double main track through South Western Ontario in the mid-fifties. The upper level models the Windsor yard and icing facilities, the Detroit passenger terminal, the Detroit River Tunnel and the branch to the Heinz cannery in Leamington. The lower level represents the small western Ontario town of West Lorne and the division point of St.Thomas.

The layout is prototypical and operation oriented. It features NYC luxury passenger trains and high speed through freights as well as local switching. Two other railroads are modeled. The Pere Marquette (C&O) is represented by symbol freights and locals running their own trackage from Detroit to St. Thomas, while CPR passenger trains use the Detroit River Tunnel during the course of their Toronto / Detroit / Chicago routes. Extensive staging is in place to handle this traffic.

The comprehensive fleet of locomotives, passenger & freight equipment are all painted accurately for the mid 50’s paint schemes and weathered extensively. The Detroit Passenger Terminal and area are well developed scenically, with most other areas under development with building or mockups in place.

Layout Characteristics

Scale: HO
Size: 20 X 40 feet
Prototype: CSR (NYC), C&O, CPR
Locale:Detroit to st. Thomas Ontario
Period:Mid 50's
Layout style:Double level shelf with helix
Layout height:40 to 58 inches
Benchwork: Cantilevered shelf
Roadbed:Cork on Homosote and plywood
Track:ME code 55, 70, 83; Atlas 100 in staging
Turnouts: ME code 70 and 83, Atlas 83, Peco 75 and 100
Minimum radius: 24 inches, most are substantially largerl
Length of main line:160 ft. visible, 50 ft in staging, 90 ft. in helix
Scenery: Carved styrofoam
Backdrop: Painted masonite, cut out paper flats
Power system: Digitrax DCC
Operations:Switch lists, dispatcher
Typical Operating Crew: 3 to 8


Fun was had by all as we tried out a new computerized waybill system. Flimsys were rolling off the printer as we matched the prototype ops.

A very enjoyable evening we chatted about and tried a new concept of looping the layout prior to doing the tasks to lengthen the run. I think it worked rather well and certainly would be something in full operation.