Welcome to the Mid-Continent Region of
the National Model Railroad Association

A 501(c)3 non-profit corporation

Photo: Rick Pfarr's Northern and Western Model Railroad by Dale DeWitt

Iowa Central by Douglas Harding

Description HO scale Minneapolis & St Louis set in 1949 follows the original Iowa Central from Albia to Mason City shelf design around the walls 30'x58' basement (not accessible) 300' mainline
DetailsCVP's EasyDCC with wireless throttles, some locomotives are sound equipped
track is flex and handlaid, primarily code 70 with code 100, 83 and 55. 30" min radius, #6 turnouts
Steam and early diesels, rolling stock is wood & plastic kits, RTR and scratchbuilt, a few resin cars.
Structures are wood, plastic, kits and scratchbuilt
Scenery is basic, minimal bare plywood.
Operations use car cards and waybills, a dispatcher and "mother may I" via radios.
Key features:
  • Decker Meat Plant at Mason City
  • 8th St industrial switching area in Marshalltown
  • multiple interchanges:
    • Albia - CBQ & Wabash
    • Oskaloosa - CBQ & RI
    • Grinnell - RI
    • Marshalltown - CNW & CGW
    • Eldora - CNW
    • Ackley - IC
    • Mason City - MILW, MC&CL, CNW, CGW, RI

Sectional design (for ease in moving) standard sections are 6 ft long and 24" or 30" wide
1x4 grid with 2" extruded-foam
currently there are 40 sections totaling over 450 sq ft of benchwork
height is 50" to 54"
backdrop is 24" painted Masonite

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