Northlandz Explained

Northlandz is a model railroad layout and museum located in Raritan Township, New Jersey, built by Bruce Williams Zaccagnino.^[1] It spans over 50,000 feet of track and was awarded with the Guinness World Record of longest small-scale model railway track in 1997. ^[2]

History

The railroads that now make up Northlandz were originally built by Bruce Williams Zaccagnino in the basement of his home in Three Bridges, New Jersey, and then transferred to their current location in Flemington in 1991. He then continued to build up the site throughout the 1990s.^[3]

An eleven-minute short documentary film, Some Kind of Quest, documents the origins of the site.^[4]

When Zaccagnino retired, the premises changed hands and were almost demolished. However, the new owner, Tariq Sohail, marveled by the layout's spectacular details and scenery, ultimately decided to retain it. The renovated site opened in October 2019.^{[5] [6]}

Layout

Northlandz itself differs from other model railroad exhibitions of its kind by spanning vertical distance rather than horizontal. The 100+ trains present in the site cross over varied landscapes constructed to show off not only the trains themselves but also the scenery around them. The site also includes a functional railroad outside of the building. ^[7]

References

General references

• Web site: An Up-Close and Personal Look at the World's Largest Model Railroad: A new short film captures the nuanced charm of a mesmerizing masterwork. Doochin, David. Atlas Obscura. July 12, 2016. December 6, 2021. July 14, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160714192654/http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/an-upclose-and-personal-look-at-the-worlds-largest-model-railroad.
• Web site: In Flemington, Model Trains Way Too Big to Go Under the Tree. The New York Times. December 29, 1996. December 6, 2021. March 8, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160308014053/http://www.nytimes.com/1996/12/29/nyregion/in-flemington-model-trains-way-too-big-to-go-under-the-tree.html.
• Web site: The Magic of Northlandz. Terranova, Andrew. Make. December 10, 2013. December 6, 2021. December 5, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201205034216/https://makezine.com/2013/12/10/the-magic-of-northlandz/.

External links

40.5171°N -74.8193°W

Notes and References

1. Web site: HO. HO. HO.. Dupont, Dan. The Washington Post. December 24, 2003. December 6, 2021. March 6, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160306052127/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2003/12/24/AR2005033108505.html.
2. Web site: Longest small-scale model railway track . 2024-10-15 . Guinness World Records.
3. News: D'Agnese . Joseph . 2000-03-18 . worth-following.html A Train of Thought Worth Following . 2024-10-15 . The New York Times.
4. Some Kind of Quest . Wilcox, Andrew . 2016.
5. Web site: Businessman Needing a Warehouse Stumbles Upon World's Largest Train Set—And Refuses to Simply Tear it Down. Andy Corbley. January 11, 2020. Good News Network. en-US. January 13, 2020.
6. Web site: Northlandz, Flemington's 'wonder of the world,' reopens after renovations by new owner. MY CENTRAL JERSEY. en. January 13, 2020.
7. Book: Treese, Lorett . Railroads of New Jersey: Fragments of the Past in the Garden State Landscape . Stackpole books . 2008 . 9780811732604 . 82–84 . en.