This O Scale model pike when finished, will have around 2000' of main and branch line track, all under trolley wire.

My fictional line exists today, and covers the entire state of Minnesota.  The line should have been abandoned in the early 1930's, but as it is a civil service operation, the politicians of the state will never vote it out of existence, as too many jobs (votes) depend on it.

The railroad has never bought anything new, and operates totally with used equipment, with many cars purchased when other electric lines folded.  An example is the Golden Gopher, one of the roads primary trains.  Click on this picture for the background of these cars.

The Chicago, Aurora & Elgin fleet

The trolley trestle

The almost completed yards are awaiting the finishing touches on the background scenery, being worked on in these pictures by my artist wife, Holly.

The next five views show the construction of the yard throat with the associated overhead that can accomodate either pans or poles.

The main lines are now done as far as trackwork is concerned.  The control panel is partially completed.  No ballast is down yet, and no overhead is up other than that in the yards as shown above.  The pictures below show some of the line with the variety of  "runthrough" equipment that occasionally shows up.

Heatherton
The upper level town

The Cardboard Interurban
(Can you say "Prestoplast")

The "Basket Case" Train
The Chicago, North Shore & Milwaukee train under construction in this series was primarily three basket cases I bought several years ago on eBay.
Click on each thumbnail for the story