The Cedar River Valley (formerly the Midwest Grocers Association) layout is a 21.5 foot long S Scale shelf style switching layout built in my Sunroom. It is inspired by many small towns in the Midwest. The layout features a three track yard and a small ice platform.

The track is owned by the Cedar River valley railroad but is served by the Chicago and North Western, Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, Milwaukee Road and Great Northern. You won’t know which railroad you work for until you arrive (but you can make a request).

Operations

This layout will be operated on request and can handle up to two operators. One operator will act as the Freight Agent and handle the paperwork. The agent will provide instructions to the switch crew regarding which cars to pull and which cars to set out. Cars will need to be spotted at specific spots on each track using a SPINS map. A schedule of when each industry can be switched is utilized for more experienced agents.

Progress

Construction of the layout commenced on July 27th, 2025 and the plan is to have it operational by the fall of 2025.