Overview of the Hooch Junction

We begin this overview of the Hooch Junction model railroad with a view of the trains rolling through the layout. This is the gorgeous Hooch Junction by Monroe Stewart. The Hooch Junction is an N scale railroad featuring CSX and Norfolk Southern trains. The two roads parallel each other through the Appalachian Coal Field.

Even though the layout has about 2,000 feet of track, the scenery is not crowded. The Hooch Junction is not limited to any time period other than the present. As new developments affect the railroad industry, they are adopted by the Hooch Junction. More water scenes seem to appear in the layout and even structures are updated with urban renewal.

Monroe is a master model railroader who has built six layouts. This railroad is his second N scale effort. He even designed his house to fit the layout. He now redesigns the layout to fit with his interests of trains and boats. The relationship on his layout between shipping and railroads was inspired by going to school down in Hampton, Virginia, in the Tidewater area with Norfolk, New Port and all the ship activity along with railroad activity and it is something he just fell in love with.

The Hooch Junction fills a 20×40-foot space. The minimum radius is 15 inches and the ruling grade is 2.5%. The Hooch Junction contains two separate main lines, but Norfolk and Western – now Norfolk Southern – in Gray and the CSX in yellow. We will follow two trains around the railroad today beginning with the Norfolk Southern at the Hooch Junction Engine Facility.