There are so many possibilities. To not mention some is certainly not to slight anybody's efforts. Those I had noted were merely the ones which have influenced me most directly. Myself, I have enjoyed following the efforts of virtually anyone and everyone.
I'll throw in a vote for the layout(s) at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. If for nothing else, then for the exposure they give the hobby.
+1 I think their layout was on the cover of the 1976 Walthers catalog, I was hooked then. Randy Stahl
I like Scott Teague's NS Pokey Division. Gotta like the Carolina Central, it may not be big but a big landmark for N. Jeff Kraker's former Roanoke and Southern amazed me when I saw it in MR. The CSX Dixie Line, though sadly unfinished, has a lot of respect from me. Mark Dance's fantastic Canadian Rockies and FM power is a favorite. And the Elizabeth Oak Branch is one I like to keep up with. http://eoaksnwbranch.blogspot.com/ Of course there are many more to list!
Over the past 6 years I have been privileged to operate on several awesome layouts in the Tulsa area. I'd stack them up against the better-known layouts any day. I refer to the following: Sammy Carlile's HO scale Santa Fe Hereford Subdivision, modeling fast freights and lotsa ATSF power, both Cub Scouts and Super Fleet engines Jim Senese's Kansas City Terminal, which features the MP, KCS, Frisco and Katy in the Kansas City area, including some switching in the West Bottoms Jim Sinclair's HO scale SP Donner Pass line, featuring more cab-forwards than you can shake a coal scoop at Steve Davis' HO scale KCS 3rd Sub, modeling that stretch of the KCS from Stilwell down to Heavener, OK, and featuring the quarry at Marble Falls, the MP interchange at Sallisaw, the bridge over the Arkansas River, and the branch to Ft. Smith (an ex-Frisco line) that goes thru Oklahoma's only railroad tunnel. And of course, my de facto "home" layout, the Claremore & Southern in Claremore. As for the layouts in the print media, I like Mike Confalone's Allagash RR (located in 1970s Maine); Tony Koester's NKP layout; the V&O; the monster layout in Greely, CO; plus a lot of really neat small switching layouts featured in Youtube videos.
Allahash is a relative newcomer to "print" that I really like. Ken has the right of it. I only listed the top of mind influential layouts. The layouts I have enjoyed and learned from are too numerous to me too.
I really like Mike Bell's Pennsylvania RR in N-Scale that was shown in the 1991 Great Model Railroads. It's still one of my favorites.
that's Chris' layout...Chris is on railwire he does very fine work in many scales and various sizes of space. one of my favs too G
In completely random order: Tom Patterson's Chesapeake, Wheeling & Erie Marty McGuirk's Central Vermont Don Cassler's B&O M&K Sub Tony Koester's NKP and his Midland Road before that. Allen McClelland's Virginian & Ohio Jim Brewer's Norfolk & Western 3 other unpublished layouts by personal friends of mine, including a Proto:87 B&O Mountain Sub. Sent from my PantechP8010 using Tapatalk
David Barrows' Cat Mountain and Santa Fe from about 20 years ago. It was a thrill to run a train once, a bigger thrill to run a midpoint yard adding and removing blocks of cars t0/from through trains and classifying them, and the biggest thrill of all, controlling operations of about 10 trains over 2-3 hours from dispatcher's panel on another floor from the layout.
By far wonderland is the most impressive model railroad layout I've ever seen. But I've also had the chance to operate my own trains on the San Diego Model Railroad Museum layout and WOW, what an experience to see your own rolling stock working its way around a beautifully done layout. If you get a chance to see this layout ask Bryan or Richard to give you a full tour including the upstairs where the Tehachapi pass module is located. Brian
I remember a lot of the layouts featured in MR from the 70's to the 80's. It would be hard to choose for me. I do remember this Mr project layout fondly. THe Marquette and Independence. It was a bit large for my space and budget when I was a kid. It did show me a lot of newer ideas I was just starting to learn about: interchanges, yard design, L girder construction, and much more. I've always thought it would be an ideal N scale layout. http://s158.photobucket.com/user/powershots70/media/EPSON001a_zps3e31cde8.jpg.html
we seem to forgot the fabulous MALCOLM FURLOW'S SAN JUAN CENTRAL from nov 1983 model railroader. that layout was 8x10 and he wasn't a model railroader by choice but more of a photographer &artist and the compression ratio he used in his scenes was really amazing. my understanding is that his layout was purchased &completely restored &was featured on the 2004 santa clara ca.nmra tour. regards&later kewatin
I believe the California State Railroad Museum now owns the San Juan Central. The Marquette and Independence was also a big influence for me growing up.
In no particular order: Siskyou Line (Fugate) Clinchfield (N Scale, MR) Western Maryland Western Lines (Lee Weldon, now dissassembled) Daneville and . . . . (Pelle Soeborg) Oakville Sub (Jim Reising) Allegany Midland (diesel era) V&O CC&W (N Scale, Mark Dance) Tehachipi Loop - Vancouver Sub (N Scale, Gary Hinshaw)
