Columbia Historic Preservation Society

The Columbia Historic Preservation Society Model Railroad covers 1000 square feet and is HO (1:87) scale. The picture above is located in the Columbia area of the layout. The Columbia area is prototypical (based on what actually existed). The time era of Columbia is 1920-1940. Columbia covers approximately 200 sq.ft. of the layout, and is home to a large roundhouse facility, a major yard, coaling and diesel facilities as well as two railroad stations (Pennsylvania RR and Reading RR).

The layout started out in the basement of Jack Belsinger, a Lancaster,PA man. Being from Europe, he modeled European trains. He gave the layout to Calvin Duncan who worked to find a home for it. The layout was smaller than what it is today. In 1993, CHiPS agreed to take the layout. It was cut into pieces and stored in the unused second floor of the history museum. In 1998, work began on preparing the unused second floor, and the layout was reconstructed.

In 2000, it was decided to build an HO diorama of Columbia as it appeared in the first half of the 20th century. Since 2000, all the track was replaced, and Digital Command Control (DCC) was installed, replacing the Zero-1 System. Two foot high backdrops were constructed to isolate various scenes, and to direct visitors up and down aisles around the layout. The layout is an ongoing work in progress.

Several additions have been made. A new shay line has been added. Brandtsburg track is in place, and industries are taking shape. In Columbia, the turntable and yard tracks are in. Coal and diesel facilities are in place also. Scenery (hundreds of trees) are in place with hundreds more to go. Mellinger Lumber track is in place. New structures were added to Railroad Ave. in Beekinstown. The big city now has a bus station, along with other downtown tall buildings. The back wall of the canyon is almost finished. Still needs more scenery.

An addition is planned that would extend the mainlines another 150 feet. A large staging yard is planned to handle the large 50+ car trains. The subway line will be extended to include an underground station (photo above). A second large roundhouse is also planned.