 Exterior of Northlandz | |
 | |
| Established | 1972 |
|---|---|
| Location | Raritan Township, New Jersey |
| Collection size | Railroad model trains and dolls |
| Website | www |
Northlandz is a model railroad layout and museum located in Raritan Township, New Jersey, built by Bruce Williams Zaccagnino. [1] It spans over 50,000 feet of track and was awarded with the Guinness World Record of longest small-scale model railway track in 1997. [2]
The railroads that now make up Northlandz were originally built by Bruce Williams Zaccagnino in the basement of his home in Three Bridges, New Jersey, and then transferred to their current location in Flemington in 1991. He then continued to build up the site throughout the 1990s. [3]
An eleven-minute short documentary film, Some Kind of Quest, documents the origins of the site. [4]
When Zaccagnino retired, the premises changed hands and were almost demolished. However, the new owner, Tariq Sohail, marveled by the layout's spectacular details and scenery, ultimately decided to retain it. The renovated site opened in October 2019. [5] [6]
Northlandz itself differs from other model railroad exhibitions of its kind by spanning vertical distance rather than horizontal. The 100+ trains present in the site cross over varied landscapes constructed to show off not only the trains themselves but also the scenery around them. The site also includes a functional railroad outside of the building. [7]
Railway modelling or model railroading is a hobby in which rail transport systems are modelled at a reduced scale.
The Tech Model Railroad Club (TMRC) is a student organization at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Historically, it has been a wellspring of hacker culture and the oldest such hacking group in North America. Formed in 1946, its HO scale layout specializes in the automated operation of model trains.
HO or H0 is a rail transport modelling scale using a 1:87 scale. It is the most popular scale of model railway in the world. The rails are spaced 16.5 millimetres (0.650 in) apart for modelling 1,435 mm standard gauge tracks and trains in HO.
N scale is a popular model railway scale. Depending upon the manufacturer, the scale ranges from 1:148 to 1:160. Effectively the scale is 1:159, 9 mm to 1,435 mm, which is the width of standard gauge railway. However the scale may vary to simulate wide or narrow gauge rail. In all cases, the gauge is 9 mm or 0.354 in. The term N gauge refers to the track dimensions, but in the United Kingdom in particular British N gauge refers to a 1:148 scale with 1:160 track gauge modelling. The terms N scale and N gauge are often inaccurately used interchangeably, as scale is defined as ratio or proportion of the model, and gauge only as a distance between rails. The scale 1:148 defines the rail-to-rail gauge equal to 9 mm exactly, so when calculating the rail or track use 1:160 and for engines and car wheel base use 1:148.
Model Railroader (MR) is an American magazine about the hobby of model railroading. Founded in 1934 by Al C. Kalmbach, it is published monthly by Firecrown Media of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Commonly found on newsstands and in libraries, it promotes itself as the oldest magazine of its type in the United States, although it is the long-standing competitor to Railroad Model Craftsman, which - originally named The Model Craftsman - predates MR by one year.
The Main Line is a commuter rail line owned and operated by New Jersey Transit running from Suffern, New York to Hoboken, New Jersey, in the United States. It runs daily commuter service and was once the north–south main line of the Erie Railroad. It is colored yellow on NJ Transit system maps, and its symbol is a water wheel.
Hoboken Terminal is a commuter-oriented intermodal passenger station in Hoboken, Hudson County, New Jersey. One of the New York metropolitan area's major transportation hubs, it is served by eight NJ Transit (NJT) commuter rail lines, an NJ Transit event shuttle to Meadowlands Sports Complex, one Metro-North Railroad line, various NJT buses and private bus lines, the Hudson–Bergen Light Rail, the Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH) rapid transit system, and NY Waterway-operated ferries.
John Whitby Allen was a prominent American model railroader. He pioneered or developed several aspects of the hobby on his HO scale Gorre & Daphetid model railroad in Monterey, California, popularizing them with numerous magazine articles and photographs starting in the 1940s.
Wm. K. Walthers, Inc. is a manufacturer and distributor of model railroad supplies and tools.
George Sellios was the owner of Fine Scale Miniatures (FSM), a business dedicated to producing detailed model kits of structures for model railroad enthusiasts. He is also an accomplished modeler and is well-known in the hobby for his layout, the Franklin & South Manchester Railroad which attracts visitors from around the world.
Atlas Model Railroad Company, Inc. makes scale models in N scale, HO scale, and O scale. The company is based in Hillside, New Jersey, United States. They produce a wide variety of locomotives, rolling stock, and vehicles. Atlas is well known for their flex track and codes 55, 80, 83 and 100 track. Atlas also produces a line of compatible structures and bridges.
Kato Precision Railroad Models is a Japanese manufacturer of model railroad equipment in N and HO scales. Founded in 1957, the Tokyo-based company manufactures models based on Japanese prototypes for the Japanese market, North American prototypes for the North American market and European high-speed trains and Rhaetian Railway trains for the European market. Models for the OO9 market of Ffestiniog Railway engines are also made. The design and distribution of models for the North American market are handled by their U.S. subsidiary, Kato USA, founded in 1986 and located in Schaumburg, Illinois.
McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park is a 30-acre (12 ha) railroad park located in Scottsdale, Arizona. It features a 15 in gauge railroad, a Magma Arizona Railroad locomotive, a railroad museum, three model railroad clubs and a 7+1⁄2 in gauge live steam railroad.
The San Diego Model Railroad Museum is a model railroad museum in San Diego, California. It was founded in 1982. The museum is located on the lower level of Casa de Balboa on the Prado in Balboa Park.
J. Anthony Koester, more commonly known as Tony Koester, is a well-known member of the United States model railroading community. Along with his friend Allen McClelland and his Virginian & Ohio, Koester popularized the idea of proto-freelancing with his HO scale model railroad, the Allegheny Midland.
The Alameda County Fairgrounds is a 270-acre (110 ha) facility located in Pleasanton, California. It is home to the annual Alameda County Fair, held since 1912, as well as numerous trade shows and community events. Located on its grounds, the Pleasanton Fairgrounds Racetrack was built in 1858, making it the oldest one-mile (1.6 km) horse racing track in the United States. There is a 3,000 seat amphitheater, as well as a 9-hole golf course located within the track's infield.
Cherry Valley O Scale is a not-for-profit club dedicated to the promotion of 2-rail O-scale (1:48) model railroading, located in Merchantville, New Jersey, United States, in the basement/undercroft of the Grace Episcopal Church.
The Railroad Museum of Long Island is a railway museum based on the North Fork of Long Island, New York, U.S. It has two locations: the main location in Riverhead, and a satellite location in Greenport, west of the North Ferry to Shelter Island. Both facilities contain active model railroad displays and gift shops.
The Black River and Western Railroad is a freight and heritage railroad operating in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, between Flemington, Lambertville and Ringoes. The railroad operates vintage steam and diesel powered locomotives.
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