These pictures were originally posted on the website of the Society of Model Engineers model railroad club at the Milwaukee School of Engineering. The website is no longer online, so I am posting them here.
At the end of the 1998-1999 school year, the Society of Model Engineers at the Milwaukee School of Engineering started on a new double-deck HO-scale based on the Wisconsin Central’s Chicago Subdivision between Burlington and Cedar Lake, Wisconsin, with staging yards representing Chicago, Illinois and Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.
These pictures of the layout were taken in early 2002 by a club member with a digital camera, though I don’t remember who, or even if they were all taken by the same person.
This first group of pictures were taken on January 19, 2002, and shows the first scenery on the layout at Mukwonago and some other interesting areas.
Trains in the Chicago Staging Yard
Mukwonago Bridges Under Construction
First Scenery at Mukwonago
First Scenery at Mukwonago
Waukesha Yard Empty
Burlington (lower level) and Slinger (upper level)
I’m not sure exactly when the following picture of the helix was taken, but it shows the details of the helix design.
Helix
The rest of these pictures were taken on March 1, 2002, the day before TrainTime started. These pictures show the basic scenery that was quickly completed in the week before TrainTime and areas that were still without scenery.
Bridge over Highway 83 at Mukwonago
Bridge over the Fox River at Mukwonago
Midway
Midway
Midway
Midway
Highway 20 Crossing
Highway 20 Crossing
Honey Creek
House at Honey Creek
Highway 20 Crossing
Bridges at Mukwonago
County Road ES Overpass at Mukwonago
County Road ES Overpass at Mukwonago
Waukesha Engine Terminal
Waukesha Engine Terminal
Waukesha Engine Terminal
Waukesha Engine Terminal
Waukesha Engine Terminal
Waukesha Yard
Waukesha Yard
Waukesha Yard
Waukesha Yard
Waukesha Yard
Trains in the Chicago Staging Yard
Staging Yards: Chicago (lower level) & Fond du Lac (upper level)
Burlington
Burlington & Echo Lake
Echo Lake Bridge Under Construction
Sussex
Helix
Overall View of the Layout
Overall View with Club Member Henry Bangsberg for scale