Shannondell Model Railroad
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    • SMRC Basic Structure
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  • History
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    • Support Element History
  • Education
    • What is a Railroad?
    • Railroad Infrastructure
      • Trackage
        • Track
        • Track Laying
        • Track Configs
        • Roadbed Components
      • Operating Components
        • Stations
        • Yards
        • Comm/Control
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      • Motive Power
        • Introduction
        • Pulling Power
        • Classification
        • Steam Power
        • Diesel-Electric
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        • Famous Locos
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      • Unpowered Cars
        • Introduction
        • Revenue Source
        • Passenger Cars
        • Famous Trains
        • Freight Cars
        • Car Construction
        • Manufacturers
        • Model Railroad Cars
      • Maintenance of Way
        • Introduction
        • Track Bed Maintenance
        • Track Geometry Maintenance
        • Tie & Rail Maintenance
        • Dealing with Nature
        • Right-of-Way Maintenance
        • Comm/Signal Maintenance
        • MOW Equipment
        • Manufacturers/Services
        • Model Railroad MOW
  • Videos
  • Photo Gallery
  • Contact Us
  • External Links
  • Home
  • Visiting the Layout
  • Layout
    • Layout Operations
      • Railroad Signal Systems
      • Exchanging Locomotives
      • Servicing Locomotives
    • SMR Rolling Stock
      • Steam Locomotive Roster
      • Diesel Locomotive Roster
      • Electric Locomotive Roster
      • Railroad Car Roster
    • Layout Changes in 2018
    • Layout Changes in 2019
    • Layout Changes in 2020
    • Layout Changes in 2021
    • Layout Changes in 2022
    • Layout Changes in 2023
    • Layout Changes in 2024
  • Upcoming Events
  • News
  • About SMRC
    • SMRC Basic Structure
    • SMRC Operation
    • SMRC History
  • History
    • Railroad Company History
    • Locomotive History
    • Support Element History
  • Education
    • What is a Railroad?
    • Railroad Infrastructure
      • Trackage
        • Track
        • Track Laying
        • Track Configs
        • Roadbed Components
      • Operating Components
        • Stations
        • Yards
        • Comm/Control
    • Transport
    • Rolling Stock
      • Motive Power
        • Introduction
        • Pulling Power
        • Classification
        • Steam Power
        • Diesel-Electric
        • Electric
        • Other Power
        • Manufacturers
        • Famous Locos
        • Model Motive Power
      • Unpowered Cars
        • Introduction
        • Revenue Source
        • Passenger Cars
        • Famous Trains
        • Freight Cars
        • Car Construction
        • Manufacturers
        • Model Railroad Cars
      • Maintenance of Way
        • Introduction
        • Track Bed Maintenance
        • Track Geometry Maintenance
        • Tie & Rail Maintenance
        • Dealing with Nature
        • Right-of-Way Maintenance
        • Comm/Signal Maintenance
        • MOW Equipment
        • Manufacturers/Services
        • Model Railroad MOW
  • Videos
  • Photo Gallery
  • Contact Us
  • External Links
Picture
Picture

Layout


​Introduction

 
The Shannondell Model Railroad (SMR) is an HO scale (1:87) layout.  The SMR layout occupies a 25 by 30-foot (7.6 x 9.1 meter) room on the Lower Level of the Ashcroft Clubhouse at 10000 Shannondell Drive, Audubon, PA.  The layout includes over 1,100 linear feet (30.5 meters) or 18.4 scale-miles (29.6 scale-km) of track, as illustrated below. 
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The layout models the 1950s-60s era in eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey with a freelanced configuration focused on the Pennsylvania, Reading and Lehigh Valley Railroads.  Track is configured into a High Line and a Low Grade with connections between them. An independent shuttle track is also present that is used to run remote diesel cars (RDC) between the amusement park in Northville and Harbortown at the shore.  The layout features a large passenger station at Shannondell City, an engine facility and several industrial areas.  There is extensive lighting throughout the layout.

Work Rooms
 
There are two rooms adjacent to the main room, a 10 x 16-foot (3 x 4.9 meters) room that houses a staging yard, as well as office and computer space (see photos below).

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Layout office looking south at Staging Yard.
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Layout office looking north toward JMRI system and office computer.

​A 6 x 16-foot (1.83 x 4.9 meters) room provides workshop space, as seen in the photo below.
Picture
Members Bruce Wintersteen and Bob Watson in the Work Room
Digital Control
 
The Shannondell Model Railroad is controlled by a Digitrax Digital Command Control (DCC) system. The shuttle track is controlled by a Tam Valley Depot DCC Train Shuttle System.
 
The layout was originally a straight direct current (DC) system with an extensive block structure. The illustration below is the current configuration, 
which shows the original block schematic and how this has been effectively utilized in the current DCC configuration.

Picture
block_schematic_191001.pdf
File Size: 497 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


​Power Districts

 
The layout is divided into six power districts as shown in the following diagram.
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Railroad Signaling Systems

The Shannondell Model Railroad has signal systems to control movements on all mainline tracks.  Automatic Block Signals (ABS) divide the track into a series of blocks (sections) so that signals control entrance to each block. We use 
JMRI PanelPro to control the signal system based on occupancy detectors and turnout positions.  The High Line uses the AAR-1946 rules and 3 color light signals.  The High Line is signaled in both directions.  The Low Grade portion of the layout employs a distinctly different signal system.  The Low Grade follows the PRR-1956 rules and uses position light signals. The Low Grade is only signaled in one direction.  Therefore, any movement against the Current of Traffic can only proceed with the authorization of the Dispatcher.

​Additional Layout Details
For additional details about the Shannondell Model Railroad layout, select any of the buttons below.

Layout Operations
SMR Rolling Stock
Layout Changes
Back to Top
  • Home
  • Visiting the Layout
  • Layout
    • Layout Operations
      • Railroad Signal Systems
      • Exchanging Locomotives
      • Servicing Locomotives
    • SMR Rolling Stock
      • Steam Locomotive Roster
      • Diesel Locomotive Roster
      • Electric Locomotive Roster
      • Railroad Car Roster
    • Layout Changes in 2018
    • Layout Changes in 2019
    • Layout Changes in 2020
    • Layout Changes in 2021
    • Layout Changes in 2022
    • Layout Changes in 2023
    • Layout Changes in 2024
  • Upcoming Events
  • News
  • About SMRC
    • SMRC Basic Structure
    • SMRC Operation
    • SMRC History
  • History
    • Railroad Company History
    • Locomotive History
    • Support Element History
  • Education
    • What is a Railroad?
    • Railroad Infrastructure
      • Trackage
        • Track
        • Track Laying
        • Track Configs
        • Roadbed Components
      • Operating Components
        • Stations
        • Yards
        • Comm/Control
    • Transport
    • Rolling Stock
      • Motive Power
        • Introduction
        • Pulling Power
        • Classification
        • Steam Power
        • Diesel-Electric
        • Electric
        • Other Power
        • Manufacturers
        • Famous Locos
        • Model Motive Power
      • Unpowered Cars
        • Introduction
        • Revenue Source
        • Passenger Cars
        • Famous Trains
        • Freight Cars
        • Car Construction
        • Manufacturers
        • Model Railroad Cars
      • Maintenance of Way
        • Introduction
        • Track Bed Maintenance
        • Track Geometry Maintenance
        • Tie & Rail Maintenance
        • Dealing with Nature
        • Right-of-Way Maintenance
        • Comm/Signal Maintenance
        • MOW Equipment
        • Manufacturers/Services
        • Model Railroad MOW
  • Videos
  • Photo Gallery
  • Contact Us
  • External Links