While my primary interest in railroading under wire is the Niagara St. Catharines & Toronto Railway, it’s hard for anybody who likes traction to not have a crush on the Pacific Electric. What an amazing system that was.
I’ve only ever designed one PE layout. It was simple design incorporating three spurs and a single, three-way turnout – intended to fit atop a 1×3 foot bookcase and inspired by this photo of the PE’s express yard at Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal (LAUPT).
The design looks sort of like a British Inglenook, but would have operated very differently since each express motor would be its own train.
I was pleased that my design was chosen as one of the entries for a bookcase layout design challenge, with the nine selected designs showcased in Model Railroad Planning 2003.
A friend joked that it was pretty cheeky of me to pitch such a simple design. I countered that it’s the story that sells the idea.
The Model Railway Show 