If space, time, and budget were unlimited? I’d go all-out on a multi-deck HO scale layout that follows a transcontinental freight route—think mountains, deserts, and dense cityscapes all in one sweeping line. Picture long coal drags winding through snow-covered passes, intermodals crossing massive bridges, and local switchers working gritty industrial yards.
I’d probably model the late ’70s to early ’90s—enough variety in locomotives and freight cars, with a good mix of old-school and emerging tech.
Bonus? I’d integrate real-time operations with DCC, automatic signals, working hump yards, and a dispatch system. Maybe even lighting that changes with the time of day and weather effects like fog and rain.
If space, time, and budget weren’t an issue…
What kind of model railway would you build?
Would it be a massive city terminal, a scenic mountain pass, a coastal branch line, or something totally unique?
What scale and era would you choose?
Let’s have some fun dreaming big
