12-16-2012, 12:12 PM
Here's a bit of background on the layout:
I started to develop this plan when looking for a small size switching layout, based on an area in California, where the SP would operate. A couple of influences can be mentioned here: Pele Soeborg for his beautiful California desert scenery, Joe Fugate for his Siskiyou layout, and Lance Mindheim and his switching layout approach.
It started with an L shape design, which is most of the left side of the track plan, plus the top side. I then 'stumbled' upon the California Northern, a regional railroad that began operations in the early 90's, and discovered this runs over former SP tracks. The CFNR in it's start up years, operated with SP equipment, until enough 'own' locomotives appeared on the roster, but SP retained a couple of trains on the routes in these years until it's merger with UP, about 3-4 years later.
The plan slowly grew (almost unavoidable for any model railroader), and the left side was now loosely based on the maintenance yard near American Canyon (Napa Junction). I decided to model the area with a couple of compromises, but am aiming to get the feel of that area. I did not have space for the WYE nearby, so left that out. However I've scratch build the engineshops, using Google Earth, and Bing etc as my sources, along with some photo's I found on the net. The building dimensions are entirely guestimated, and I build it a little shorter than the real thing, for lack of space, but it has the right feel to it. A picture of the area is visible in an earlier post.
Further down the line we find Cordelia Tunnel, from which the line continues and eventually (via Davis) ends up in Sacramento, but also goes north via the former SP West valley sub towards Woodlands, Corning, etc, while the other side of the wye on the real CFNR , goes via Suisuin to Willits.
i decided to use Cordelia tunnel as a scenic divide. The west side will have a dryer/western CA feel, while on the other side of this tunnel, I will be modeling the line much further North a bit of a , where the scenery changes to a more forest type and lusher greens etc. As seen enroute to Willits. I haven't completely developed the scenery and locale for the right side yet, but my intention is to model a bit of the west valley sub around the track on the layout edge, using scenic divides (trees etc), and the small 2 track yard behind is actually on the pacific sub towards Willits. I've also taken significant liberty in making the line split on the East side of the tunnel, and one of these goes towards a single mainline 'staging' , behind the back drop and continues all the way around. Not only will this enable the storage of a train, but I can also make a longer run, or let a train run while doing some switching etc.
Anyway, it's very modest, but I'm hoping to capture the feel of the area in due course, with nice scenery, and a potential for some modest ops sessions, although the order and geographical locations are freely intermixed , as they say, it's my railroad :-)
Koos
I started to develop this plan when looking for a small size switching layout, based on an area in California, where the SP would operate. A couple of influences can be mentioned here: Pele Soeborg for his beautiful California desert scenery, Joe Fugate for his Siskiyou layout, and Lance Mindheim and his switching layout approach.
It started with an L shape design, which is most of the left side of the track plan, plus the top side. I then 'stumbled' upon the California Northern, a regional railroad that began operations in the early 90's, and discovered this runs over former SP tracks. The CFNR in it's start up years, operated with SP equipment, until enough 'own' locomotives appeared on the roster, but SP retained a couple of trains on the routes in these years until it's merger with UP, about 3-4 years later.
The plan slowly grew (almost unavoidable for any model railroader), and the left side was now loosely based on the maintenance yard near American Canyon (Napa Junction). I decided to model the area with a couple of compromises, but am aiming to get the feel of that area. I did not have space for the WYE nearby, so left that out. However I've scratch build the engineshops, using Google Earth, and Bing etc as my sources, along with some photo's I found on the net. The building dimensions are entirely guestimated, and I build it a little shorter than the real thing, for lack of space, but it has the right feel to it. A picture of the area is visible in an earlier post.
Further down the line we find Cordelia Tunnel, from which the line continues and eventually (via Davis) ends up in Sacramento, but also goes north via the former SP West valley sub towards Woodlands, Corning, etc, while the other side of the wye on the real CFNR , goes via Suisuin to Willits.
i decided to use Cordelia tunnel as a scenic divide. The west side will have a dryer/western CA feel, while on the other side of this tunnel, I will be modeling the line much further North a bit of a , where the scenery changes to a more forest type and lusher greens etc. As seen enroute to Willits. I haven't completely developed the scenery and locale for the right side yet, but my intention is to model a bit of the west valley sub around the track on the layout edge, using scenic divides (trees etc), and the small 2 track yard behind is actually on the pacific sub towards Willits. I've also taken significant liberty in making the line split on the East side of the tunnel, and one of these goes towards a single mainline 'staging' , behind the back drop and continues all the way around. Not only will this enable the storage of a train, but I can also make a longer run, or let a train run while doing some switching etc.
Anyway, it's very modest, but I'm hoping to capture the feel of the area in due course, with nice scenery, and a potential for some modest ops sessions, although the order and geographical locations are freely intermixed , as they say, it's my railroad :-)
Koos
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