Canandaigua Southern

Company History: The Canandaigua Southern model railroad is a masterpiece by one of our hobby’s most prestigious riders, railfans, and modelers. John Armstrong is the layout’s president, the hobby’s premiere track planner, as well as the creator of countless ideas and important inventions that we take for granted. His O scale Canandaigua Southern has inspired modelers everywhere to take the plunge on their first layout.

First breaking ground in 1950, the Canandaigua Southern has been under construction in some way or another ever since. Each of John’s remarkable structures is highly detailed and captivating, and his large scratch built locomotives are something to behold.

The Canandaigua Southern is a 1960’s regional carrier with a lot of bridge traffic, and a point-to-point route that fills a 24×34-foot wood base. Both ends, Canandaigua and Pittsburgh, are represented by hidden loops in the center of the room; the top layered curve is actually a reverted loop!

Images Courtesy of Wit and Wisdom Models

Brief History: The U.S. is a country of 50 states covering a vast swath of North America, with Alaska in the northwest and Hawaii extending the nation’s presence into the Pacific Ocean. Major Atlantic Coast cities are New York, a global finance and culture center, and capital Washington, DC. Midwestern metropolis Chicago is known for influential architecture and on the west coast, Los Angeles' Hollywood is famed for filmmaking.