Introduction
Last year, I accidentally ended up at West Harbour Station in Hamilton. It wasn’t a planned stop, but sometimes those unexpected detours stick with you. Recently, I revisited the station, and it got me thinking about how its quiet, tucked-away charm could inspire my latest layout project. In this post, I’ll walk you through how West Harbour, with its industrial freight yard and scenic surroundings, has become a key part of my design.
A Quiet, Forgotten Station
West Harbour is a quiet little station, tucked away between the busy CN Stuart Yard and the lake. The platforms rise above the tracks, leading to the overpass roads, while the freight yard buzzes quietly nearby. It’s almost like this place was forgotten, but it has a lot of potential for layout design. There’s something about the contrast between the industrial grit and the peaceful scenery that’s really stuck with me.
Train Spotting and a Surprise Encounter
My trip started with some train spotting at Aldershot Station. I arrived just in time to catch a GO Train heading west to Hamilton, and then a VIA Rail train heading east toward Union Station. Everything was going as expected until, out of nowhere, an Amtrak Maple Leaf rolled into the station. I’ve only ever seen the Maple Leaf at Toronto’s Union Station, so this was a rare and unexpected moment. I managed to get some great footage of it arriving and departing, and it added a little something extra to my day.
West Harbour Station: A Hidden Gem
West Harbour GO Station opened in 2015, just before Hamilton hosted the Pan Am Games. It’s a stub-end station located near CN’s Stuart Yard, a major freight hub. The station feels quiet and hidden away, but the freight yard and nearby lake create a really interesting setting. As I explored the area, I started thinking about how I could bring that mix of industrial and natural elements into a shelf layout.
The Layout Design
I wanted to create something small and simple but with enough operational interest. In this layout, the mainline is prioritized for the station, while the CN tracks that pass behind West Harbour take a back seat. Passenger trains can arrive and depart from the platforms, heading into a small staging yard on the opposite side, while freight switching can happen in Stuart Yard without fouling the mainline.
What I think will really make this layout stand out is how the station’s platforms rise up to meet the roads, and how Stuart Yard disappears behind the treeline with the lake and hills in the background.
From Concept to Reality
I’m not aiming for a perfect replica of West Harbour, but I do want to capture its quiet, forgotten essence in this layout. It’ll add some contrast to the more urban areas of my project, and the industrial setting will bring some great operational variety. Whether it’s the freight yard, the lake, or the roads passing overhead, West Harbour fits perfectly into my vision.
Conclusion
What started as an accidental stop has become a big part of my layout design. The station’s unique mix of industrial and scenic elements offers plenty of potential for creative layout work. I’m excited to see how it all comes together, and I’m looking forward to incorporating more real-world elements into my model railroad. If you’ve got any thoughts or ideas, feel free to share them in the comments!
