The Penn & Reading RR is a fictional rail company that comes out of a "what if?" imagination.

What if back in the days when the Pennsylvania RR and the Reading RR were two of the greatest rail lines in the Northeastern USA, agreed to merge which would prevent their consolidation into Conrail in the 1970's. This was a friendly merger in a amicable pursuit during the late 50's-early 60's?

Such is the premise of the Penn & Reading RR, a 4-track mainline (as was prototypical for the Pennsy) with both steam and early generation deisel bearing their original roadnames (Pennsylvania Railroad and Reading Railroad) hauling passenger and freight in Southeastern Pennsylvania, USA. This region would have involved the industries of coal mining and steel manufacturing/fabricating, along with a large passenger terminal in the City of Philadelphia, a decent sized locomotive service terminal, and of course a roomy yard for switching and staging. (Do not be fooled by the Atlas HO Code 100 Scale turntable...it is being used because the Walther's one measures the same diameter: 9").

With Walther's Cornerstone structures, all this is possible, which makes me quite the happy camper! I have tweaked this plan again and again over the last month and am ready to start construction. Once construction begins, it will be chronicled on a website (I believe according to Comcast that the URL would be home.comcast.net/~gdillensnyder.....but I need to make sure).

What I especially like about this track plan is how it permits me to model my two most favorite railroads. Your comments and feedback are invited and will be appreciated.

Peace....Gary L Lake Dillensnyder, Collegeville, PA, USA

Hi Gary,

Seems like a nice plan to me!
Lots of possibilities for those long trains.

One small comment: once you run counterclockwise, there is no way to turn the train. It might be a good idea to add a second reverse loop. I hope you are aware of the problems and options you have with those reverse loops?

For DCC it's quite simple to solve, for analog drivers it's a bit trickier.

David.

Well, it's fairly easy to add another reverse loop if you are comfortable with creating a -1 level for this one track.

David.

thank you David for your reply and suggestion. to answer your question: it will be analog as i do not have the money necessary to upgrade to a dcc operating system at this point in time.
also, i have in the past and am still inclined (no pun intended) to use woodland scenics styrofoam risers and inclines. in N scale the woodland scenics products are the exact width for double track with 1.25 inch center spacing...or....each section cut in half lengthwise provides 2 sections making it cost effective. thus, using their .25 inch riser and their 2% incline pieces, i can run a second reverse loop as elevated section as in new track plan attached. i have the woodland scenics materials already (left over from any earlier layout and in sufficient quantity) to do this as elevated rather than descending loop. also, all of the turnouts have been purchased over the last year in preparation of this layout so there is no additional cost there (while it might have made more sense to have little staging and upgrade to dcc, but that choice was made back then).
therefore...here is what i currently have, keeping the incline to 2% and using a "tad" more than the NRMA clearance amount (just to be certain) which continues the incline on the inside mainline track and both the steel foundry and coal mining sidings. this looks like it would work nicely and the risers and incline will give more interest in the way of eye candy to the plan and final layout.
thanks again, very much....your software and correspondence are very appreciated! happy model railroading to all!
sincerely, peace.....Gary L Lake Dillensnyder {G Lake Dylan}

still tweaking....want to make sure i am satisfied with plan before moving forward.
i found that i prefer to compromise the inner 4th mainline of the 4 track mainline and use that instead as the connecting of the 2nd reversing loop. with the connection to the 3rd inner track and running through the tunnels at each end, there are places where the prototypical PRR four track mainline is still being modelled.
with this means of a 2nd reversing loop, the only elevated track is the loop itself, and i am able to provide more clearance over the freight/staging yard tracks, keeping at 2% incline, using woodland scenics product, and thus adding more interest visually to the plan.
i am thinking of the possibility of also making this reversing loop a double track, beginning a passing track after emerging from the tunnels on each end. that will provide even more possibilities in operation.
so here is the lastest update. thanks David and all....most appreciated....peace, Gary L Lake Dillensnyder {G Lake Dylan}

:-)