The Garden State Model Railway Club layout (575 High Mountain Road) is an HO-scale railroad, approximately 40’ x 30’ in a walk-around style. The layout is centered around two railroads: the Garden State Northern (mainline) and the Otter Creek & Perry (branch line). It utilizes NCE DCC for train control and an advanced signaling and detection system based on Dr. Bruce Chubb’s C/MRI (Computer/Model Railroad Interface). While not modeled after a specific prototype, the layout incorporates several prototypical elements and structures inspired by locations in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, including a viaduct like Great Notch, NJ, a passenger terminal based on the CNJ Terminal in Jersey City, and an industrial scene from Norristown, PA.
The mainline consists of a 275-foot double-track system, approximately 4.5 HO scale miles, with the flexibility to operate as a single track with sidings. The trackwork includes code 100 nickel silver flex track, as well as notable hand-laid features such as crossovers at BOB Tower, a gauntlet wye switch on a concrete arch bridge, curved diamonds at Otter Creek, and a curved crossover at Soggy Bottom. A steel viaduct bridge deck adds further engineering complexity. The layout also includes several yards, such as Albatross Yard (with multiple through and stub tracks), a hidden staging yard with a reverse loop, Middletown Yard (a division point), and Altoona Yard (10 stub-ended tracks).
Several scratch-built structures, including the passenger terminal, a diesel servicing facility, and the NJ Zinc Mine, add realism and character to the layout. Artists Pete Kieran and Paul Dlugos hand-painted the scenic backdrops, enhancing the immersive quality of the railroad. The layout accommodates a wide range of equipment and eras, allowing members to operate whatever locomotives and rolling stock they choose. With its combination of prototypical inspiration, complex trackage, and detailed scenery, this layout offers an engaging and versatile model railroading experience.
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