Hello, my name is Nick Nordmann.  I got my first train set for Christmas in 1972 when I was 3 years old.  I still have that Lionel set, though the locomotive no longer works and has seen much better days.  I have been hooked on trains as long as I can remember.

Dad and I have built Lionel Layouts in every house I grew up in.  My brother Ben finds the hobby interesting, but was never really bitten by the train bug.  I have built layouts in all the major Scales from N to O gauge.  I also volunteered on the tourist line, Little River Railroad, when I was in high school, and was a brakeman for 2 summers.

My current Layout is the one you see on the club’s website.  It is more of a Hi-rail layout than it is a traditional Lionel style layout.  Hi-rail is where scale model railroad scenery practices are applied to a toy train layout.

The Layout

The track minimum radius is O31.  All the switches are original post-war Lionel no.O22’s.  All of the track is tubular Lionel or K-Line.  It is plentiful and inexpensive!  The upper level point to point has several O27 style O42 curves and O27 straights.  I did that so the line would appear to not have been built along a yardstick, and to give it some visual interest.  A Post-War ZW provides power.

The Upper Level

I call the upper level the Coal Ridge Railroad.  Motive power for that line consists of a leased B&O Plymouth switcher (K-Line), and up to 6 short line style coal cars, (also K-Line).  A post-war Lionel no. 50 gang car, or a K-Line motorcar handles track inspection.  (The Gang car is more fun because it reverses itself off the bumpers.)  Future passenger service is being discussed with the board of directors, and would most likely be provided by a Rail Diesel Car.  (Most likely the Buddy made by RMT).

The line originates beyond the tunnel portal, and ends beyond the hill at the other end.  The freight depot and miners row house on the hill are scratch built out of cereal boxes.  The Summit freight depot no longer serves a purpose and has been decommissioned by the railroad.  The Coal Ridge Railroad is a faltering short line that is being eyed by a local railroad historical society for preservation.  The Historical Society has successfully bid on the depot, and is currently restoring it to use as a boarding point for the future tourist operation and a meeting place.  The line beyond the village of Summit (not modeled) is being upgraded in order to comply with FRA standards for passenger service.

The Lower Level

The main level of the railroad is called the Loogootee & New Point, L& N for short.  This is a small class I trunk line, and it sees a lot of motive power from various railroads.  Home road locomotives are lettered Lionel Lines.  Currently the only town modeled is Garrett. 

Garrett shares a depot with the village of Hillside, and is petitioning for it’s own passenger stop.  It seems the mayor made some promises in the last election, and needs to make good by November! 

It has been an uphill struggle for the mayor, because if you look closely at the picture of the town, you will see a bar fight about to turn ugly in the alley between Campbell’s Diner, and the Iron Horse Saloon.  Also, some shady characters have frequented the boarding house above the general store, and the mayor has promised to clean up the town.  

The town’s only deputy, Barney Fife, has committed himself to a safe driving campaign, as evidenced by his picture on a billboard in town.  Fortunately, two Indiana State Police officers have been assigned to a special task force to crack down on all the vice that has come to light in recent months.  Even Batman has been seen chasing the Joker through Garrett and the village of Summit. 

The town has several key businesses.  Among them are Nordmann’s Gas Station, the General Store and a Studebaker dealership, all scratch build out of cereal boxes and balsa wood.  Also,  there is a bakery and L& N paint and Hardware, (Lionel and MTH structures).

The Trains

I run pretty much anything that will negotiate an O31 curve, and will clear my tunnel portals.  This limits my purchases to traditional post-war sized trains.  Rolling stock consists predominately of modern and postwar Lionel, Industrial Rail, and K-Line. 

The locomotives are predominately post-war Lionel steamers, modern Lionel, Williams, and K-Line.  I run both steam and diesel.  As a result, the layout is set before 1960, and before my time.

Come see the layout!

There is too much to write here about the layout, so if you want to learn more, come to the club and see what all there is to see!