The Soo Line: Great Examples of Rural Model Train Scenery

In the second part of his series on Ray and Renee Grosser’s freelanced HO layout representing the Soo Line in central Minnesota, Allen Keller, as part of his Great Model Railroads series, takes us for a birds-eye view of the sectional layout. Since the Soo Line (aka the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Sainte Marie Rwy) was a Granger road, the Grossers have mastered the often-difficult task of representing largely flat, agricultural topography. Their large oval loop begins in Glenwood, passes the Grosser’s family farm, crosses the Sauk River (nicely represented with rural model train scenery water), and through the towns of Waite Park and Lake Minnewaska before returning to the Glenwood Depot.

On their way, the Consolidations, F-units and other typical Soo Line power, pass typical Farmer’s Coop and Grain Exchange elevators (“Prairie Castles”), an 11-stall roundhouse at Glenwood, and quintessential rural Minnesota scenes replete with small neat farms, white split rail fences, and country streams and rivers. Downtown Lake Minnewaska is a great place to while away the day watching passing peddler freights!

For suggestions on making water effects using plaster for model train scenery, click here.