An ongoing major project that was started during this last winter shutdown, is a redo of about a 12 ft section of trackwork in Niles canyon. The layout design of some 25 years ago assumed maximum car lengths of about 50 ft. We now find that long cars like autoracks and 90 ft-long intermodal equipment uncouple on a modest vertical curve between the two bridges. The rework eliminates this.

This picture looking railroad east shows part of the original track and scenery that will be redone to fit the new configuration. The train is westbound, just crossing the first of two major girder bridges. Rerouting the track will also require rerouting of the river bed (right side of picture under the foliage) and moving this first bridge a little further east.

Here is a photo gallery of our progress

A variety of different passenger trains were on display at our "Passenger Day":

• Santa Fe "Super Chief"
• Great Northern "Empire Builder"
• Union Pacific "City of San Francisco"
• Amtrak
• The Troop Train
• and more...

The Santa Fe Western O Scale layout doesn't attempt to model any specific area, but generally resembles the Western United States. The layout is noted for its high mountains, deep canyons, wide rushing rivers, steep climbs, long straight-aways, and snow-capped peaks. Although a specific era was not targeted during construction, most of the structures would mark this as a mid-1930s to mid-1950s motif.