A showcase for modern American railroading.

Andersonville Tx, is a N scale layout which portrays the current operations of arguably the two most significant Class 1 Railroads in the USA today, i.e. Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF) and the Union Pacific Railroad (UP).

The setting for the layout is in Texas at the imaginary town of Andersonville. The closest real life setting would be that around the town of Sweetwater, which is west of Abilene. Andersonville is served by a double-track main line belonging to BNSF and a single-track secondary main line operated by UP also passes through the town area. Two sidings service the needs of local industries. The passenger depot still functions, largely as a visitor centre but has also a small Amtrak office which fulfils the needs of the few rail passengers for the ‘Sunset Limited’ which calls once a day both eastbound and westbound. 

The time period is present day so the freight traffic to be seen on both lines is a mixture of intermodal, unit coal, chemicals and grain with the odd manifest appearing for good measure. The BNSF and UP locomotives to be observed are dominated by modern six-axle high-horsepower units working in multiple although, as in the real world, some older four-axle and six-axle units make an appearance. Amtrak’s ‘Texas Eagle’ is represented by a train of ‘Superliner’ coaches and headed by two EMD P42s. The main operators of the routes through the town are BNSF and UP, but locomotives of other railroads can make occasional appearances to add some extra colour to the action.

Andersonville is 15 feet by 2.5 feet and with a continuous run through a hidden fiddle yard, is designed to provide entertainment to both viewers and operators. Two trains can be in action at any one time and with little switching taking place, continuous action is assured. Viewers are invited to see in miniature the colourful modern railroading of the USA.

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