The Cedar River and Iowa Central Railway Co. (The CRANDIC Route) is an island/walk-in style N scale model railroad in a 44’ X 22’ L-shaped basement room. This prototype-based freelanced road runs from Kansas City north to central Iowa. Features of this operation-oriented layout include many scratch-built and kit-bashed structures; unique rural agricultural scenery of corn, soybeans and other cropland; and many mini-scenes, some humorous and some showing everyday life on this 1968-era freight and passenger railroad.
The CRANDIC uses Digital Command Control (Digitrax) for train control, FRS radios and a modern computerized centralized traffic control system (CATS). An operating signal system with working semaphores and searchlight signals is in place. Car routing is accomplished by a custom computerized car routing system (CARS) that generates Switch Lists and Wheel Reports. A double-ended staging yard simulates off-layout destinations and interchange with the ATSF, CNW, GN, MKT, RI, and UP. A full crew normally consists of a dispatcher and assistant, two yardmasters, four switch crews and a minimum of five train crews.
The CRANDIC reflects the many talents of a crew that works or operates monthly. The layout has been featured in the July/August 2006 N Scale Railroading magazine.