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In these pages are photos of his layout taken by John Proebsting back in July 2002 only months before he passed away.  He had sent those to me  to put on this web site. Comments are by himself.

"The Soo Line served a good part of Wisconsin. One of its primary routes ran between Chicago and the Twin Cities. I model a segment of this line, between Neenah and Stevens Point as it was in 1948. First generation diesels had appeared, but steam was still very evident.

I have the good fortune to be working with a number of excellent modelers on this project, some of whom live all over Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin. We usually get together once a week.

The layout is HO gauge, mostly filling a 39 x 44 foot "L" shaped basement. It's been under construction for about 10 years, following a year of planning. Towns modeled include Neenah, Dale, Weyauwega, Waupaca, Amherst Jct, Stockton and Stevens Point. Prototype track plans for each were used to plan the layout, along with lots of photos. Except for a lower level staging yard and helix, track is hand laid on individually cut stained basswood ties on a Homosote base. The bi-directional single track main line has five passing sidings with Number 10 turnouts on all but one. Rail on the main line is code 70, painted and weathered. Most of the industrial spur tracks are code 55. Minimum radius on the main line is 53 inches, and main line curves have spiral easements and superelevation. Control system is Digitrax DCC.

Many of the scratchbuilt tri-color diode signals have already been installed, but block occupancy circuits are not yet built. Most of the depots and both roundhouses (Neenah and Stevens Point) have already been built, but the big depot at Stevens Point is yet to happen."
 

Fortunately several parts of John's layout have survived having been given  to his friends by his family.

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