The Main Layout

In 1964, Union Pacific set out to merge with the Rock Island Railroad. At the time, government policy encouraged mergers between railroads that connected different regions rather than those that ran side-by-side, so it looked like the plan would move ahead without much trouble. The deal would have given Union Pacific direct access into Chicago, while Rock Island’s Kansas City–Tucumcari line was expected to be transferred to Southern Pacific.

However, heavy opposition from other railroads led to a decade of delays. When approval finally came in 1974, it came with major conditions: Rock Island’s Memphis–Amarillo line would go to Santa Fe, and the Kansas City–Colorado line would be handed to the Rio Grande. These changes were part of a larger vision from the Interstate Commerce Commission to reorganize the western railroads into four massive systems, built around Burlington Northern, Southern Pacific, Union Pacific, and Santa Fe.

But by the time the deal was ready in 1974, Rock Island’s situation had badly deteriorated. Years of financial losses and deferred maintenance left the entire system in rough shape. Union Pacific, facing the reality of absorbing a struggling network, walked away from the merger. Rock Island entered bankruptcy the following year, and by the early 1980s, most of its lines had been sold off or abandoned.

Ironically, Union Pacific still ended up with much of Rock Island’s former network — just not through the merger they once envisioned. And while the plan for four “super railroads” never materialized, the western rail map was changed forever, eventually dominated by just two major systems.

When coming up with a layout concept, a simple question was asked:

What if the Union Pacific and Rock Island had actually merged?

Our layout explores what might have been if the merger had gone through, allowing the railroad to grow throughout the 1970s and 80s. We've set our modeling in the early 1990s, giving us the flexibility to feature a wide range of locomotives, industries, and scenery from both older and newer eras.

We will be modeling the Rock Island–Union Pacific mainline, beginning in Newton and stretching across eastern Iowa to Davenport before crossing the Mississippi River into Rock Island, Illinois. In our alternate history, this corridor would have become a major artery for the newly merged railroad, connecting agricultural, industrial, and urban markets across the Midwest.

We envision that Union Pacific, seeing the potential for heavy east-west traffic, would have invested heavily in upgrades to existing infrastructure. This would include upgrading the line to a modern double-track mainline! This is due to the faster schedules, longer trains, and greater reliability the route would have played a critical role in linking Chicago traffic with the western states.

With its mix of rural farmland, small towns, and busy river crossings, the line also offers a perfect setting for both scenic modeling and interesting operations — from heavy through freights pounding across the prairies to local switching jobs serving industries along the way. Our layout captures the look and feel of that busy mainline, all set against the backdrop of the early 1990s.

This “what if” scenario creates a rich backdrop for operations, letting members enjoy a wide variety of trains, industries, and settings — all within a believable alternate timeline.

The layout design was a collaborative project, with input from all of our club members to make sure that everyone's favorite features and ideas were represented. 

After lots of discussion, we chose a Mushroom Design — a two-level arrangement where each level is viewed from opposite sides. This design maximizes the available space, creating a highly immersive experience while keeping the scenery and track work feeling natural and accessible.

Our main layout occupies about 2,000 square feet of our new building, covering a footprint of roughly 56 by 41 feet. It’s a sprawling, detailed environment built to showcase a wide variety of operations, eras, and scenic possibilities — all centered around the idea of a Rock Island–Union Pacific system that could have been.