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NS
HOHO Scale (1:87)Beginner Friendly
Modeling Norfolk Southern Railway in HO Scale
Norfolk Southern's elegant black locomotives and heritage steam program make it a favorite for HO modelers. The simple paint scheme is easy to model while heritage units add variety.
Scale Ratio
1:87
16.5mm gauge
Space Needed
Moderate
Recommended Era
Modern Era with heritage steam for variety
Key Equipment
5
Recommended items
Why Model Norfolk Southern in HO Scale?
HO scale NS modeling benefits from the simple black paint scheme and excellent heritage unit availability. The operating N&W 611 and Southern 4501 steamers are beautifully reproduced by Broadway Limited.
Recommended Equipment
Locomotive
ES44AC
Modern NS diesel power
Locomotive
SD70ACe
EMD modern freight power
Locomotive
N&W J Class 611
Heritage steam
Freight Car
Coal Hoppers
Appalachian coal service
Freight Car
Intermodal
Stack train equipment
Modeling Tips for Norfolk Southern
1
NS's simple black scheme makes accurate painting easy for modelers
2
Heritage units offer variety while maintaining NS operations
3
The N&W 611 and Southern 4501 make spectacular centerpieces for transition-era layouts
4
Coal operations dominate the Pocahontas Division—great for unit train modeling
5
Modern NS uses many Dash 9 and ES44AC locomotives
Shop Norfolk Southern HO Scale
View AllSuggested Track Plans
All HO Plans4x8 ft
Classic 4x8 HO Oval
The quintessential starter layout. This timeless 4x8 HO oval is perfect for beginners and fits on a standard sheet of plywood. Features a passing siding and industrial spur for basic operations.
4x8 ft
4x8 HO Figure Eight
Add excitement to your 4x8 with this figure-eight design featuring an overpass crossing. Watch trains cross over and under each other on this engaging beginner layout.
4x8 ft
4x8 HO Twice Around
Double your running fun! This clever design loops the track twice around the layout, giving you double the mainline running on the same 4x8 footprint. Perfect for continuous running enthusiasts.