About the Quebec & New England

I've been in the Rail and Transit industry for 40+ years, first with CN in Montreal and Toronto and then later as a Railway Engineering consultant for CN and VIA, and in recent years for major transit agencies like the Toronto Transit Commission and Metrolinx. I've been a model railroader for almost 60 years, starting with Tri-ang OO and soon after graduating to HO. My first real layout (after the ubiquitous 4x8) was built with my father's help based on Kalmbach's Granite Gorge & Northern. The current Quebec & New England is actually the third version (in the same basement). The first was started in 1994 just after we moved in, and filled almost the whole 29' x 39' area. The basement was unfinished, and I did the drywall and drop-ceiling myself.

After a few short years, the layout was fully operational and scenery had begun when reality set in...two little kids needed a playroom and the adults needed a proper living room. So, the layout came down and a section of the basement was converted into a 10' x 20' playroom. I promised myself I would get the space back someday. A new smaller layout (but still large by most standards - 19' x 29') was built. It too was fully operational and scenery was further along when the decision was made to rip it up and start again.

The reasons this time were: a duck-under, no significant mainline run and no directional staging. It was an out and back design with one large staging yard and hidden turning loop. I liked the large number of industrial switching opportunities, but that was it. So, in 2007, the Q&NE III was started. Operations began in 2012, as did my YouTube videos chronicling its evolution. In 2024, after a 25+ year wait, I finally got the rest of my basement back, and the long-awaited expansion/extension was begun.

The Q&NE is a proto-freelanced regional railroad that runs between Montreal and southern New England circa late 1980's. The focus of the HO scale 19' x 29' + 7' x 13' layout (in two rooms) is the interchange with Conrail and the many industries served by the Q&NE. Basic buildings and scenery are complete and detailing has begun. A new addition is under construction but is already operational. Wireless DCC operations began in 2012 using a home-made Microsoft Excel program that assigns and tracks customer siding occupancies, car routings, train consists and staging. There are 17 customers on the layout, with a combined capacity of over 90 cars across 34 industrial spurs/sidings. Each operating session sees a northbound and southbound Q&NE train and eastbound and westbound Conrail trains. Separate east and west staging loops automatically turn train departures to become arrivals in a later operating session. The Q&NE fleet includes 12 GP38's, 4 B40-8's, 9 SW1500/MP15's, 2 GP9's and a rebuilt GP10. The Conrail fleet includes 24 high HP locomotives (SD40/45-2, SD50/60, C40-8, B40-8) plus 6 U23B/B23-7's and 4 GP38/40's.