Like nearly all models built in the UK, our HO model of Mauch Chunk PA is built on portable baseboards. We have mounted these on removable legs to make it easier to transport to Model Railway Exhibitions. See the progress, exhibition (and project – on the old site) pages for photos and modelling activity.
We got into modeling the CNJ because Eugene Mones, an ex-work colleague of mine (in Unilever / Lever Bros.), who I knew from trips to Edgwater, NJ, retired to live with his daughter near Jim Thorpe and I visited him there in 1996. We in turn visited old Mauch Chunk and I took some photos and bought some postcards. Six years later when our group at the Merseyside Model Railway Society in the UK were looking for a new modeling project, I suggested Mauch Chunk as the scenery is ideal for a model. At that stage we thought it was LV, but being CNJ has proved even more interesting with unusual stock like camelbacks and double enders. Two of the other MMRS modellers have since then visited Jim Thorpe on vacations. Tragically, Eugene Mones passed away in August 2014.
There has been very little compression in the central part of the Track Plan and so the model closely resembles the prototype. All buildings have been scratch built to resemble the prototypes as closely as possible. Go to the Mauch Chunk Buildings page to access HO-scale plans of the buildings. We have now made a substantial collection of representative locomotives – including eight camelbacks – and other stock that would have been operating in the 1940s and 1950s on the CNJ in Mauch Chunk, PA.
We built to the standard NMRA wheel profile but used Peco code 75 track with hand built turnouts on the scenic section – operation uses DCC (initially NCE but now Lenz). MERG control boards and Tortoise point motors on the scenic section and Digikeijs control boards and MTB MP-1 point motors in the storage yard. Computer control (Big Bear software) is used to change turnouts.
Phase 2; Spring 2013 to Summer 2016: Doug, Gordon and I (at the Merseyside MRS clubrooms) embarked on an expansion plan in 2013 to put in a new staging yard with twice as many roads, longer turnouts and larger radius end curves that took all our rolling stock – including double-enders pulling passenger cars! Sadly because of a cancellation of an exhibition invite the layout was never exhibited in this format but was run extensively in the clubrooms.
Phase 3; Autumn 2016 to end 2019: The staging yard was left at the Merseyside Model Railway Society for a new HO layout while the scenic boards were moved to the Barrowmore Model Railway Group clubrooms nearby. A replacement staging yard, new lighting, new scenic turnouts and other scenic extensions and improvements have been built to a high standard at BMRG by Richard, Gavin, Mike, Gareth, Phil, Dave and I. Further improvements were made to the scenic boards including new trackwork and working signals to make it even more like the prototype. The layout attended four exhibitions and won two awards before COVID lockdowns caused an 18 month hiatus.
Phase 4; August 2021 on: The layout followed me (Steve) to the East Riding of Yorkshire. After a brief period in storage it was moved to my home the idea being to work on it – in parts – in my new hobby room. The East Riding Finescale Modellers offered to help – including Neil and Jeff. The focus was to be on finishing and improving the scenery on the front boards and on making the brass steam locos more reliable. [Note: sadly this didn’t happen as we realised lack of space made it impossible to get the layout out for exhibitions]
Phase 3 reprise; September 2023 on: Mauch Chunk PA went back at the Barrowmore Model Railway Group clubrooms and substantial improvements were carried out during 2024 and early 2025 with additional input by Neil Ripley, Mally Baker and Jeff Taylor from the East Riding Finescale modellers group. The layout is now again going out to exhibitions. York in April 2025 was a great success – see the Exhibitions page – and at Spalding in November 2025 it won Best Layout.
Additional storage roads were added to the westbound end of the staging yard at the end of 2025 giving more operating potential for the next exhibitions in Bristol and Newcastle in 2026.
Steve – February 2026