Model Railroading Alive And well In Seattle

January 25, 2006

The Seattle based United Northwest Model Railroad Club has an N scale (1:160) layout. (An N scale locomotive would have to be magnified 160 times to equal the real thing.)

The present 24′ x 12′ United Northwest Model Railroad Club layout breaks down into modules for easy take-down and tranport. For Club Members it has been a work in progress for almost 20 years. The club has plans to extend the layout by 12′ bringing it to 36’x 12′.

The United Northwest Model Railroad Club layout doesn’t follow a particular prototype or era, but instead incorporates the best elements of Pacific Northwest railroading.

The layout has operational DCC on the outside “low line” main. The system is North Coast Engineering.

Here are some more interesting aspects of the United Northwest Model Railroad Club layout:

Yard and Engine Facilities – One end encompasses the massive yard and engine facilities, where we build and break up trains.

Mountain Area – The other end is a mountainous territory containing bridges, tunnels, loops, and a valley.

Mainlines – There are two mainlines, one that is known as the “High Line”, and the other that is referred to as the “Low Line”.

Club members usually operate passenger trains on the twisting and grade-filled High Line, and run longer freight trains on the flatter Low Line. The model train layout also has a host of other smaller switching opportunities to keep everyone busy and entertained.

The Northwest Model Railroad Club has its own excellent website to explore.