Relander Modelworks

The Prototype

The BNSF Lakes Subdivision runs from Cass Lake, MN to Superior, WI. I plan to focus on the area around Grand Rapids, MN, including the Cohasset power plant, the old Potlatch Corp., the Blandin paper mill and yard, downtown Grand Rapids (including the now dormant Grand Rapids depot), the Prairie River bridge, and the small wye and interchange yard at Gunn. I am actually leaning toward pre-merger BN in the late 70s and early 80s but could run modern era BNSF by swapping out equipment.

The Layout

The layout will be built in N scale. I would like to avoid using any duck-unders and would also like to have staging yards to the west toward Cass Lake and the east toward Superior. I could possibly use additional staging north from the wye at Gunn toward Kelly Lake along the mostly unused western half of the Casco Sub. Double ended east/west staging would be convenient for continuous running and simulating empty/loaded coal traffic.

The Modeler

I have been involved in model railroading since the late 1970s. After a brief period of time in HO scale, I switched to N scale and never looked back. While attending the University of North Dakota, I became interested in the BNSF (then BN) railroad main line through northern Minnesota. I was recently elected Assistant Superintendent of the Twin Cities Division of the NMRA and am responsible for assisting the Superintendent with division activities and keeping people involved in the hobby.