Overview of the Piermont Division Model Railroad

The Piermont Division is one of the most artistic layouts in our hobby. Its builder, Howard Zane is a graduate of the famous Parsons School of Design. He has worked professionally as a painter, sculptor, and industrial designer and this training and talent are apparent everywhere on this masterpiece layout. This HO railroad runs through the Apalacians coal mine country of the 1950’s. The Piermont leases equipment for many eastern roads because Hoawrd can’t limit himself to a favorite prototype. Since he retired in 1987, Howard has devoted much of his time to building and rebuilding this layout. In fact, his basement has been expanded twice already to handle this massive railroad.

Allen Keller is with Howard Zane in his basement layout room. Howard has been an artist for many years, but to him model railroading is the ultimate artform, and nothing has been as challenging. Allen Keller goes on to show the ways the layout of the railroad has changed throughout the years through to the current version. Watch more from Allen Keller’s Great Model Railroad series in the Model Railroad Academy archives.