The Track Plan Concept

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Originally, I had hoped to build a layout based upon the area east of Cajon Pass, known as Frost. Unfortunately, the reality of available space prevented realistic grades. I wasn't ready to sacrifice non-prototypical grades in order to keep modeling Frost, so I moved my plans just a few miles down the track. My new plan covers the area from the Interstate 15 underpass, to the bridges over the Mojave River, paralleling the historic Route 66.

The route passes by a large cement plant, which will offer visual interest, a modeling challenge, and an opportunity to hide some of the staging track. Below is a photo of the plant:

I am especially fond of the area because the Cajon Pass serves as a choke point, bringing several railroads close together. In fact, the Union Pacific and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe share trackage rights through the area being modeled. In a single hour sitting by the bridges, my buddy Drew and I counted eight trains in a single hour. These included Amtrak, UP, and BNSF. I've set my prototype period for 2000 because of the numerous paint schemes that were seen on these railroads due to the mergers. At that time, it was possible to see locomotives from Southern Pacific, Cotton Belt, Chicago and Northwestern, Rio Grande, Union Pacific, Burlington Northern, Santa Fe, and Burlington Northern Santa Fe.

This aerial photo of the area being modeled, shows the Interstate on the right, and the Mojave River bridges on the left. The cement plant is in the right-third of the photo. The entire distance is two miles on the prototype, and sixteen feet on the layout. The layout is in N scale, with 93 feet of Peco, Code 80 track, and 12 turnouts. The minimum radius is twelve inches.  The track planning software was XTrkCad. Power is controlled with an old Digitrax Big Boy, however, current plans are to replace this with a new Digitrax Zephyr and the handheld control from the Big Boy.

Some model railroaders may comment about the lack of operations available on this layout design, but it suits me just fine. I enjoy modeling the railroad, not operating it. I like to sit back and railfan my layout. The plan allows me to stage a westbound transcontinental consist Amtrak out of sight and run it through on occasion. I can also stage another westbound freight at the cement plant. Two eastbound trains take turns making the inside loop, by staging at the cement plant too. Typically, I'll run the Amtrak and a BNSF intermodal train westbound, with a BNSF manifest and UP table train taking turns eastbound.