Layout Tours & Operating Sessions

QwikLinks to Layout Owners (by last name)

ACCRS or "the Pleasanton Club" is located on the Alameda County Fairgrounds in a 100' x 35' building. The club has two layouts separated by a central viewing aisle allowing viewing of both the O scale and HO scale layouts simultaneously. Both scales are designed to operate either with analog or NCE DCC control. The O scale layout has standard gauge, narrow gauge and trolley operations. The standard gauge only HO layout includes an operating thunderstorm, a drive-in movie, and a port with a 3 foot long scratch built container ship.

Handicapped Access: No hazards

Website: http://www.accrs.org/

This 30' x 30' around-the-wall point-to-point fictional railroad represents a small short line that crosses a busy class 1 railroad at a bustling port town. It is built and operated by middle school students as a teaching tool for learning about math (and lots of other stuff!) right in their classroom.

Every year a new crop of students is introduced to model railroading and adds to the layout. This year we're completing the benchwork at the extreme end of the line and developing the scenery on sections built by previous years' students, and introducing car float operations at the junction yard. The around-the-walls design provides plenty of room for lots of operators - fortunate since there are many!

The layout is 80% operational and 20% scenicked. Control is by NCE DCC.

This layout is on the grounds of a private school. Visitors will need to be buzzed through the gate if the tour occurs during school hours, or I can meet groups at the gate if it occurs in the evening or on the weekend. This information will be updated when the tour date and time are determined.

Handicapped Access: No hazards

Photo by Jeff Allen

Photo by Jeff Allen

Photo by Jeff Allen

This 20' x 32' layout is assembled from club member constructed modules, following the NTRAK Modular Railroading Standard. It represents over 40 years of modeling. The main line is 140 feet long is 100% operational and supports continuous running using Digitrax DCC. Scenery is about 95% complete.

Handicapped Access: Not accessible, stairs.

Website: http://bayarean-trak.org/

The 12' x 20' walk-in layout is a representation of the real Fernwood Lumber Co. Railroad, which existed in Pike County in Southern Mississippi from the late 19th century into the 1930s. The model depicts the time around 1910, before the railroad converted from narrow gauge track (2½ feet wide) to standard gauge (4 feet, 8½ inches wide.)

The 100% completed layout features trains hauling logs from camp through an intermediate town named Magnolia to the lumber mill at Fernwood. All track is hand laid and many of the cars and buildings are scratch built, as are the Southern Yellow Long Leaf Pines that populate the logging camp. Control is by Digitrax Duplex DCC.

The layout was begun in 2004 and finished in 2009 in a basement in Lexington, KY. It was published in an article in the May/June 2009 issue of the Narrow Gauge and Shortline Gazette, and in the January 2015 issue of Model Railroader. In 2015 it was dismantled for a move to California, and partially reassembled along one wall in a garage, then moved again a year later, and has been rebuilt in one bay of a two-car garage.

Handicapped Access: No hazards

Website: https://thenewon30fernwoodlumbercomanyrailroad.yolasite.com

NOTE: GPS will take you to the garage where the layout is located, but you'll need to park in guest spaces along the right before you get to the garage, then walk to it from there. If you come to the garage, just keep going and you can park in any vacant spot.

Photo by Pete Birdsong	Photo by Pete Birdsong	Photo by Pete Birdsong
Photo by Pete Birdsong	Photo by Pete Birdsong	Photo by Pete Birdsong

The Black Diamond Lines is an HO scale layout that occupies approximately 1600 square feet. Track elevation ranges from 46 to 82 inches above floor level. All track is hand-laid on wooden ties, and all turnouts and crossings are hand made in place. Control is by NCE DCC.

The Black Diamond Lines Model Railroad Club began in July 1981 as a group of model railroaders who gathered in the back of a local hobby shop. Later that year, they incorporated as a non-profit organization and in December began work on their first layout, located in the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds. In December of 1985, the fairgrounds decided not to renew the club's lease and they were forced to move to a location obtained through the City of Antioch in May 1986, where the layout remains to this day.

Handicapped Access: Wheelchair ramp

Website: http://blackdiamondlines.com/index.html

The LVL is a 1000' mainline railroad connecting 4 levels. Level 1 is a concealed storage yard (capacity 150 cars). Level 2 is the main level containing a 200 freight car capacity; steam terminal with roundhouse; a diesel facility (24 engines) and a large passenger terminal (7 tracks 20'). Level 3 is the industrial operations area with 15 rail-connected businesses. Level 4 is a fictitious link with the HOn3 narrow gauge serving a talc mine and a logging company. All levels are linked by a 9-level helix, featuring a depiction of the Keddie Wye bridge. The industries are associated with Bay Area agriculture.

The LVL, based on a Bay Area 1950s-era Southern Pacific line, interchanges with Western Pacific operations. The track work is 98% complete; scenery is 70% complete on the 2nd and 3rd levels. The LVL is privileged to have a diligent crew working weekly to complete this vision. LVL is a great operations venue as well as a place for loop runners. Control is by DCC.

Handicapped Access: No hazards

Photo by Tom Blinn

Photo by Tom Blinn

Photo by Tom Blinn

Jack's layout duplicates the prototype Yosemite Valley Railroad in August 1939. The mainline is about 235 feet long with about 120 feet of sidings and spurs. All of the track and 65 turnouts were handlaid. All of the locomotives and equipment are correct for 1939. Scenery is 100% complete and duplicates prototype topography and vegetation. There are approximately 100 scratch-built structures on the layout, all of which duplicate actual buildings on the prototype in 1939. The rolling stock is a combination of scratch-built models and prototypically-correct resin and a few styrene kits.

Jack is close to having models of every locomotive, every caboose, every freight car, every MOW car, and every passenger car on the prototype YV in 1939. The layout was completed in 2011, including all buildings, scenery, details, etc. Control is NCE radio-controlled DCC throttles with SoundTraxx decoders in all locomotives.

Jack's Yosemite Valley Railroad has been featured in numerous articles in Model Railroader, Railroad Model Craftsman, Model Railroad Hobbyist, Great Model Railroads and after completion of the layout in 2011, the 2013 issue of Great Model Railroads.

Handicapped Access: Not accessible - stairs and duckunder

Website: www.yosemitevalleyrr.com

YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/EHGkZHLqALY

This 36' x 60' HO layout models the area from Oakland, California to Sparks, Nevada, a segment of the old Southern Pacific Railroad portion of the original Transcontinental Railroad. The timeframe is from the 1970s to the present, thus allowing both steam and diesel locomotives to be operated.

The majority of the layout is a double track mainline, constructed in three levels with two large helixes on opposite corners of the layout to provide a connection between the five different levels. The layout is a multi-level “mushroom style” layout, with a narrow section stacked like bunk beds. An elevated walkway allows access to the top level. There is a total of 2,330 sq. feet of layout space that provides the most linear track space without having the tracks unrealistically twist back and forth.

Handicapped Access: None, access is by stairs only.

Website: http://cmrstrainclub.org/

TSG Video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyM-2pwD3kk

This is a 40' x 35' hi-rail double level layout, with a river and waterfalls at Campbell Falls. The industrial area features an old Lionel factory and power plant. There is a parallel curved 15' trestle make of black walnut, built by hand in place. The Carquinez Straits is featured on the North end of layout, as well as two large hand built bridges going over the Straits. Control is by Legacy, TMCC

We invite guests to run our train and play with the train accessories.

Handicapped Access: None

Website: http://cttom.org/

Overview from the control tower at Christmas. The tree and platform come out after Christmas.	Here is something that probably is not seen very often — a double-headed clockworks working on the lower loop.
Carquinez Straits	An old Western Pacific Marx A-B-A locoset.

The California Central Coast is one of the most active On30 model railroad groups in the state. We have one simple goal – To have fun operating our On30 modular railroad and sharing that fun with as many people as we can. Our railroad is freelanced and set in Central California during the early part of the 1900s. On30 modules have all the benefits of O scale detail while sharing some of the compactness found in HO and S scales.

Handicapped Access: No hazards

Website: http://www.ccc-on30.org/ccc_on30.htm

John's N scale Rio Bravo & Santa Fe Railway is a free-form operation with joint ATSF and UPRR operations in the 1950s-1996. Principle facilities include a large locomotive servicing facility with roundhouse and turntable, port with two large berths, intermodal terminal, car float, lumber mill, and coal mine.

Located in a 1-car garage with a side room, the mainline is 100% operational, with scenery about 50% complete. Layout is set up for operating sessions utilizing track warrants and waybills. Control is by Digitrax DCC.

Handicapped Access: This walk-in layout has a duck-under.

Photo by John Cockle	Photo by John Cockle	Photo by John Cockle
Photo by John Cockle	Photo by John Cockle	Photo by John Cockle

The SC&T is a two-level 10' x 17' layout (Virginia & Truckee on the upper level and Sierra Rwy. on the lower level) connected by helixes. Interchanges with HOn3 West Side Lumber Co.(lower level) and Carson & Colorado (upper level). All of this is in half of a single car garage. Scenery is basically complete. All prototype equipment is appropriate for 1929 with numerous scratch-built prototype structures.

Dave's Fn3 Garden Railway will also be operating, inspired by West Side Lumber Co., weather permitting. Relaxing garden setting features an 8' waterfall, scale models of the Bourland and Little Reynolds Creek Bridges (Trestles), scale plantings and numerous scratch built and craftsman kits of rolling stock used on the West Side in the 1920s - 1930s. Motive power is Bachmann geared locomotives re-worked to better replicate specific West Side equipment.

Dave's layouts were featured in the May 2000 issue of Railroad Model Craftsman and the May 2004 issue of Model Railroader.

ALERT!: This may be the last time that Dave's layout will be open for viewing. He plans to dismantle it after the convention! Don't miss this opportunity to see one of the premier layouts in the Bay Area.

Handicapped Access: Duck-under.

Photo by Brian Booth	Photo by Brian Booth	Photo by Brian Booth
Photo by Brian Booth	Photo by Brian Booth	Photo by Brian Booth

A beautiful re-creation in HO scale of the Western Pacific RR in the Spring of 1938. The area of the WP modeled is along the Feather River, including the Keddie Wye and a small logging area. The 20' x 20' layout's fidelity to prototype of the scenery has been praised by old WP employees, who readily recognize the scenes. Control is by System One/NCE DCC control (many locos are sound-equipped).

An interesting touch is the sound modules included in the many detailed scenes. The layout has been featured in Railroad Model Craftsman June 1996, July 2000, March 2011, Railmodel Journal May 2000, Model Railroader September 2001 and Model Railroad Hobbyist May-June 2010.

Handicapped Access Average house (1-2 steps)

TSG Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqzjjjx_Pys

The Tuolumne & Sierra Foothill (or T&SF) N scale model railroad is set in the Sierra foothills on the last days of summer, 1910. It is modeled loosely after the Sierra Railway operating out of Jamestown, CA. The geographic region modeled spans from the town of Tuolumne, (home of the Tuolumne Lumber Company, or TLC, based on the West Side Lumber Company) in the mountains to the southeast to the town of San Andreas (represented by Los Piños) to the north.

The L-shaped benchwork along two walls of the garage is conventional 1"x2" L-girder construction, 30 feet long and 2½ feet deep. Trackwork is 95% complete and the hardshell scenery over cardboard webbing with ground foam, natural materials and rock castings is 70% complete. Structures are a mixture of scratchbuilt and kitbashed from DPM kits and parts. Control is by Digitrax DCC with radio throttles.

A Brief (fictional) History: The T&SF was born out of a period of empire building by a number of larger railroads as they struggled for control of the rich Sierra mining and lumber markets in the late 1800s. The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe had sought for a toehold in the region and managed to develop a branch line from their new north-south artery in the San Joaquin valley east through the rolling foothills to the town of Sutter (Jamestown in the prototype). From Sutter the line branched out to serve the communities of Angels Camp to the north and Tuolumne to the east, both reached by a maze of tunnels, twists, and trestles as the line ascended into the rugged Sierras. Not long after completing the branch lines, the AT&SF concluded that they had overextended themselves after a couple of rough seasons of costly maintenance of these lines. This realization, along with increased competition from the other major railroads, principally the Southern Pacific, lead the AT&SF to sell off these branch lines.

The SP acquired the line from the Central Valley to Sutter, which was incorporated into their growing network throughout the state. The branch lines from Sutter to the higher Sierras were purchased lock, stock and barrel by a team of local philanthropists /entrepreneurs. These gentlemen renamed the line the Tuolumne & Sierra Foothill or T&SF, which just happened to be AT&SF with the “A” painted over, making for a speedy transition. This sets the stage for our current operation, set in the first decade (more or less) of the twentieth century. The local economy is doing well and the future looks as bright as the gold bullion that is shipped over the line.

Handicapped Access: No hazards

Photo by Brian Booth	Photo by Brian Booth	Photo by Brian Booth
Photo by Brian Booth	Photo by Brian Booth	Photo by Brian Booth

This 16' x 20' around-the-wall and island layout has two towns, saw mill, gold mine, railroad shops with roundhouse, set in the early 1950s Central Coast Sierra foothills. The freelanced layout incorporates three railroads: Southern Pacific, Davis Lumber Company Railroad, and a short line railroad. The layout is 100% complete and features fiberglass hard shell scenery. Control is by NCE DCC and/or DC.

Handicapped Access: No hazard

Photo by Brian Booth

Photo by Brian Booth

Photo by Brian Booth

The 18'x25' Eagle Creek Railroad layout is a fictitious railroad set in the 1950s transition era. Eagle Creek and Williams are the main towns, with the main yard located in Jefferson. Numerous industries may be found on the layout, including beef, lumber, coal, gravel and ore mines, fresh fruit processing, winery, brewery, sash and door company, petroleum retailing and wholesaling.

The #4 and #6 turnouts were made using Fast Tracks jigs. Two 3-way turnouts, three wye turnouts and one curved turnout were handlaid using downloaded Fast Tracks drawings. The layout has been under construction for five years on two levels and has seven hidden staging tracks. The trackwork is 90% complete, as is 70% of the scenery. Casual operating sessions use an MRC system for control.

Handicapped Access: There are a couple of steps to access the layout.

Photo by Brian Booth	Photo by Brian Booth	Photo by Brian Booth
Photo by Brian Booth	Photo by Brian Booth	Photo by Brian Booth

The Bull Horn Flats is a fictitious caboose-era proto-freelance layout with 8 switching areas, all with run-around tracks, as well as 14 passing sidings, 2 yards, 2 reversing loops, and 2 interchange tracks, with mostly freight and a passenger local. Turnouts are all hand throws, simulating brakemen getting off and on locomotives to do work. Operations uses car cards and switch lists. The layout shows what could have been if the Santa Fe had gone south from Richmond to Fremont, California, and then east to nearby Altamont Pass. Control is by Digitrax DCC.

Handicapped Access: None, located up a flight of stairs.

TSG Video: https://youtu.be/iso5UkgmRVQ

Photo by Edward Gregory

Photo by Edward Gregory

Photo by Edward Gregory

The N-scale Western Pacific San Jose Branch represents the end of the 23-mile branch that ran from the town of Niles to downtown San Jose in the early 1960s. As the Santa Clara Valley's semiconductor industry began to grow in the early 1960s, the WP still serviced the many fruit and vegetable packing houses in the largely agricultural area. On its eastern side, the layout models the Abinante & Nola packing plant, S&S vending machine, Roy Holt’s cabinet shop and the Borcher Brothers pre-mix cement plant. On the urban western side, it models California Packing Plant 51, the Union Ice house and icing deck, the Western Pacific Freight Depot at the end of the branch, and a fictional interchange with the Southern Pacific Railroad

The small shelf layout (10 ft. x 18 in) was designed for interesting switching operations and it includes a staging adjunct with an Arduino-controlled traverser described in the August 2017 issue of Model Railroader. Mike typically uses JMRI to create manifests for the daily "San Jose Turn" from the Stockton yard, as well as for extras to keep the produce moving during the busy summer months. More recently, he began creating a car card system for a different operating experience.

Motive power is limited to the few locomotive types the WP ran during that time, EMD F3s and GP-7s, though a Baldwin VO-1000 is occasionally called upon to help. All locomotives are DCC-equipped and are controlled with an NCE PowerCab. A JMRI connection enables engineers to pilot their trains with WiThrottle or EngineDriver and the JMRI Virtual Sound Decoder lets Mike route engine sounds to under-table speakers. The layout is about 90% complete with a few more tasks on his to-do list, including expanding the current Arduino-controlled lighting system.

Handicapped Access Note: There are 1-2 steps to access the layout.

Photo by Brian Booth	Photo by Brian Booth	Photo by Brian Booth
Photo by Brian Booth	Photo by Brian Booth	Photo by Brian Booth

The freelanced Harper Valley 13' x 20' layout leans heavily on the Colorado mining scene of the 1930s and 1940s. There are many prototype structures and rolling stock, mostly D&RGW and RGS. The hand laid trackwork is 100% complete, as is scenery. Layout control is by homemade DC. The layout has been featured in several magazines, including Railroad Model Craftsman, Model Railroader, Great Model Railroads, and 3/16 Scale Railroading.

Handicapped access: None, on second floor with 16 steps.

Description coming soon...

Al's Seaport Belt Railroad is a 8' x 18' walk-in layout that serves 15 industries located in Seaport, California, a fictitious town somewhere on the coast. Rail traffic connection is by the railcar ferry Mercedes, a powered ferry departing Seaport for destinations along the coast. In addition to a dock complete with a scratch built car ferry, Al’s layout includes a refinery, lumber mill, logging camp and extensive industrial switching in the local town. Major industries switched include Libby’s Frozen Food, wine and seafood distributors and an ice plant.

A major feature is the Union Roundhouse Railroad Museum offering public excursion rides pulled by steam locomotives. The layout is fully lighted for simulated night operations. A locomotive shop and service tracks repair and fuel diesel locomotives. The Union Roundhouse services the museum steam locomotives, and a car shop repairs and rebuilds railcars.

Handicapped Access: Special adaptations for handicapped

Photo by Al Malick	Photo by Al Malick	Photo by Al Malick
Photo by Al Malick	Photo by Al Malick	Photo by Al Malick

Don's freelanced-prototype layout is based on a route in Alaska that was proposed and surveyed, but never built. The route runs north from port facilities on the Pacific Ocean to the Yukon River and serves various resource areas. The principle traffic consists of copper, zinc, coal, forest products and other minerals southbound; supplies, fuel and manufactured goods northbound. Interchange with the rest of the North American rail system is by trainship and ocean going railcar barges. Off layout physical connections include the Alaska Railroad (actual), and a CP Rail owned branch in the Yukon (mythical). This allows ARR and CP power to appear on run through trains on the CP&W.

The modeled section of the line represents the south end of the railroad, featuring a helper district as the route crosses the costal mountains into a resource rich wilderness area. The era is set during 1976, during the construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. Motive power is mostly 1st and 2nd generation EMDs with some early ALCo power.

The point-to-point layout is built in a 19' x 22' garage, with a ten track stub-end staging yard at each end. Walkaround style, full double deck, around the walls, with a center peninsula. The 300' mainline has five towns, plus one additional passing siding between the two end staging yards. A branchline serves three additional towns. Two additional smaller staging areas represent other branch lines. A helix connects the two levels. All mainline, passing sidings, staging, and most industrial trackage is complete. Ballasting and basic scenery is about 40% complete. Mountains and structures are still in the mockup stage, although some scenery has been started. Control is by CVP EasyDCC wireless throttles. There are a few sound equipped locomotives on the layout.

Handicapped Access: There is a nod-under and one step to enter the layout.

The completed 10' x 10' Mill Valley Lumber Company is a freelance railroad located somewhere in northern California at the turn of the century. The railroad tells the story of logging from the woods to the mill. Virtually everything on the layout is scratch built. Locomotives are Shay and Climax geared brass imports. Control is by PFM, running on deadrail.

The second layout, in a separate purpose-built building, represents the South Pacific Coast RR in the late 19th century and is about 60% complete. Passenger and freight cars are scratch built, per Carter Brothers practice and plans. Scenery and structures are freelance. Locomotives are modified to represent specific SPC engines. Powered by battery, controlled by RC, with Tsunami sound.

Handicapped Access: There are several steps to access both layouts.

Photo by Don McKenney	Photo by Don McKenney	Photo by Don McKenney
Photo by Don McKenney	Photo by Don McKenney	Photo by Don McKenney

The 20’ x 24’ HO layout has SP, UP, WP, and Santa-Fe mainline power and passenger traffic, as well as military trains moving between Richmond and Oakland, serving the Naval Supply Center, Oakland Army Base and the Ford Motor Plant in Richmond.

The layout is the product of a Michael's 12-year effort to recreate a freelanced flavor in the autumn 1943 World War II home front of the Oakland and Richmond areas and some of the war industries and living conditions, along with an emphasis on transportation. Scenes modeled include a Standard Oil refinery, beer brewery, meat packer, large power substation (completely wired), aircraft engine shop, war housing trailer park and shanties for war workers.

There is a mostly-completed Liberty ship and a car float with tug boat in port. There is also a Canadian Corvette escort vessel and a pre-war submarine preparing to carry a shipload of construction equipment for the ALCAN Highway, as well as military vehicles to Alaska to defend against Japanese aggression in the Aleutian Islands.

In Oakland we find a Key System railroad with era trolley cars, a bridge unit, a rail bus, and the southern terminal of the Kaiser Ship Yard Railway. There are Army and Navy locomotives, as well as Oakland Terminal shortline and industrial switchers. Hundreds of people and cars and busses populate the layout to bring it to life.

In the port area there are several industries, including a creamery, coal gasification facility, large storage tank, small passenger station, marine interior cabinet shop, and pier building that houses the railroad commissary, REA express freight and refrigerated cars and the RPO terminal for mail overseas. There are two long piers, one with two tracks and the other with one track. There is a 3-track lighted tunnel going from Richmond to Oakland, with a three track platform above that is accessible from both ends.

The layout is in a converted two-car garage and is not handicapped accessible. It is very full and can only accommodate about six persons at a time.

Handicapped Access: Not accessible

Photo by Michael McMillen	Photo by Michael McMillen	Photo by Michael McMillen
Photo by Michael McMillen	Photo by Michael McMillen	Photo by Michael McMillen

See Garden Railways Spring 2020 issue for 7/8n2 story. This garden is designed by and for an aging railroad gardener for use until death. Pathways, elevated roadbed, seating, storage, work stations for railroading. Greenhouse, compost, tool shed, 23 fruit trees, seasonal veggies for the gardener/cook. Cretaceous Caves dino theme park and point-to-point track-powered line for the kids. Cog/rack line under construction. One large elevated loop with 6 sidings for steamups or operations. Mason bee homes, water reclamation, bird feeders, solar power. Powered by live steam or battery.

Handicapped Access: No hazards

Photo by Nancy Norris	Photo by Nancy Norris	Photo by Nancy Norris
Photo by Nancy Norris	Photo by Nancy Norris	Photo by Nancy Norris

On Chuck's layout it's always early summer, mid-twentieth century America. Thousands of Supertrees blanket his rendition of the Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts and eastern New York. This portion of the NYC's Boston & Albany division is a busy two-track mainline running through the Twin Ledges near Summit, along the Westfield River and through the Stateline Tunnels. Stops currently include Pittsfield, Richmond and Stateline, MA, as well as Canaan and Chatham, NY. Interchanges include the New Haven and Rutland.

Code 83 and 70 flex track is used with a 29 inch minimum radius. For possible relocation, the layout is built in seven, large transportable modules. Structures are kitbashed or scratch built to match or approximate the prototypes. All locomotives are sound equipped, while several are weathered and some have smoke units. Control is by NCE DCC.

Construction started about 20 years ago, but significant progress only began about 5 years ago. Recently, the Chair of the Board of Trustees has authorized a 370 feet² expansion going on to Albany and the Selkirk yard. This phase 2 right-of-way extension will, hopefully, start later this year and transform the current 110 foot loop into a 200 foot loop-to-loop configuration.

Handicapped Access: None

The C&M is a proto-freelanced railroad that follows the ex-Grand Rapids & Indiana (ex-PRR) from Fort Wayne, IN (staging) through Grand Rapids north to Mackinaw City, MI. The Chicago & Mackinac RR formed a joint venture with the Pennsy and the Canadian National RR in 1960. The current time period is the summer of 1967. It is an intrastate rag-tag railroad that is starting to pick up momentum and beginning to become successful.

The railroad utilizes a multi-deck, partial mushroom design to squeeze about 130 feet of single track mainline, with sidings, into one bay of a three-car garage. Scenery is about 75% complete and is progressing.

The layout is powered by CVP EasyDCC wireless throttles. It is an all ALCO railroad with most of the motive power having onboard sound.

Handicapped Access: 46" duck-under

Website: http://www.cmrailroad.com/

Jim's layout is freelanced and occupies a 21' x 17' separate building. It is based on the Pink Lady Mine (PLM) in the Warner Mountains, located in the extreme North Eastern corner of California and was designed with operation in mind. There are three decks of track that follow the walls and a central peninsula with a mainline run of 250 feet.

The subdivision includes 5 towns, 4 passing sidings, a ten track yard, a two turn helix, the Pink Lady Mine and numerous industries. The train line-up has a full complement of locals, drags, expedited through traffic and various extras as required. The layout is 30% sceniced, featuring Bragdon foam scenery, with mock-up buildings in industrial areas. FRS radios. Control is by NCE/System One DCC.

Handicapped Access: Several steps

The Robber Baron Railroad is an around-the-wall 21' x 11' two-level modern railroad, with mostly industrial switching and a dogbone-shaped mainline. There are also staging tracks located on a third level. Featured are several large industries with both internal walls and floors, as well as smaller 1 to 4 floor shops and apartment buildings, some of which have lights and full interiors. The trackage, 95% complete, is mostly hand laid, including many of the turnouts, while scenery is about 75% complete. Control is by Lenz DCC.

Handicapped Access: Average home (1-2 steps)

Dan's proto-freelance 10' x 16' HO layout is loosely set in the Pacific Northwest during the early 1950s. History has been modified to allow the Great Northern, Western Pacific, and the Southern Pacific to exchange traffic by utilizing a small branchline railroad (yet to be named). He has have recently added a very small logging narrow gauge line to exchange lumber with the standard gauge lines. All track and turnouts (including dual gauge) are handlaid except for a short leg of a fiddle track.

Handicapped Access: Not wheelchair accessible, bathroom available.

Photo by Brian Booth	Photo by Brian Booth	Photo by Brian Booth
Photo by Brian Booth	Photo by Brian Booth	Photo by Brian Booth

The 8'x12' Sagebush & Paradise RR is a fictitious 42 mile narrow gage short line serving the mining industries located in the Argonaut Mountains somewhere in the west during the 1930s. Other industries include livestock and agriculture, as well as general freight.

The mainline is operable, but some bugs still persist. The layout is about 25% complete and has scenery on about 75% of the layout. Minimum height of the layout is 52 inches. Structures are a combination of craftsman kits, scratch built and inexpensive structures. Control is by Easy DCC.

Handicapped Access: Not accessible.

The 22' x 38' layout represents about 70 miles of the C&O Railway in 1947 from Prince, West Virginia at the west to Alleghany, Virginia. at the east end. The end-to-end yards at Hinton and Avis, as well as the large engine terminal, are included. There are two branch lines modeled, leaving the railroad at Meadow Creek and Prince. Hidden staging at both ends of the visible layout represent Handley, WV to the west, and Clifton Forge, VA to the east.

The branch from Meadow Creek goes directly to staging, while the branch from Prince goes to the town of Raleigh, WV via Stanaford. There are three coal mines modeled along this branch. A large power plant and a rock quarry are modeled along the main line. The major towns along the modeled main line are included with some of the industries of the period.

Scenery is 99% complete. ABS signaling has been installed on the main line. Trains are run using a timetable and train orders and all trains change engines in Hinton, as they did at the time. Freight and passenger train operations are modeled. NCE wireless throttles control an all steam roster with Tsunami decoders. Car forwarding is with car cards and waybills.

Handicapped Access: Not accessible

Dave models two railroads on a 23' x 23' tri-level layout. The HO scale Southern Pacific Shasta Route, on the middle and lower levels, models the SP from Oakland to Klamath Falls in the 1970s and 1980s. Oakland and Klamath Falls, both of which are staging yards, are on the lower level and Ozol, Martinez, Dixon, Sacramento, Redding, and the Sacramento River Canyon are on the middle level. A branchline from Sacramento extends to Woodland and the West Valley staging yard located on the lower level. Trackage is 100% complete and electrical is 90% complete, with some structure mock-ups for scenery.

The On3 NCNG on the upper level models the railroad from Nevada City to Chicago Park, Oilville and Colfax in the 1930s. The NCNG trackage is 35% complete, electrical is 35% complete, with some structure mock-ups for scenery.

Although both railroads are still under construction, Operation on both railroads is point-to-point with car cards and waybills. Both railroads are operated using the same NCE DCC wireless system. JMRI DecoderPro is used for locomotive programming, as well as supporting Wi-Fi operations.

Handicapped Access: Not accessible

Photo by Brian Booth

Photo by Brian Booth

Photo by Brian Booth

The layouts are based on Niles and the surrounding communities of the Bay Area. Attention is being given to accuracy and detail in both the track plans and surrounding scenery. The modeled era is the 1960s to 1970s, but all industries and towns are being represented as they were in their prime.

The 2,000 ft² HO scale layout features the Southern Pacific mainline from Niles to San Jose, with the many industries in Niles, Newark, Union City and other intermediate communities, as well as both Southern Pacific and Western Pacific lines through Niles Canyon to Pleasanton and Livermore. San Jose Cahill Street Station is featured as the model railroad’s large passenger terminal. A section will also feature the BART line through Fremont.

The N scale layout features the SP and WP mainlines from Niles to Oakland, with intermediate communities, such as Decoto, Alvarado and Hayward.

Handicapped Access: No hazards

Website: https://www.nilesdepot.org/

This 20' x 44' shelf style layout with a drop down bridge for ease of entry is set in the early 1950s and models the Southern Pacific and Western Pacific railroads from Oakland to Sacramento via the Altamont Pass. Train control is by NCE DCC and scenery is about 80% complete.

Handicapped Access: Not accessible

The Walnut Creek Model Railroad Society (WCMRS) operates the freelance Diablo Valley Lines (DVL) model railroad, one of the most mountainous and one of the largest exclusively HO scale model railroads in the United States. This model railroad features standard gauge, narrow gauge, and interurban (overhead electric) freight and trolley lines. Control is by conventional DC power.

We invite you to view our 100% complete permanent 34' x 56' [1,904² ft.] layout. The DVL is comprised of approximately 4,300 feet of hand laid track on more than 175,000 individual ties with over 240 turnouts. The model railroad is contained in a purpose-built building designed and constructed by the club members. Diablo Valley Lines is viewable from the 160' perimeter that includes multiple elevated viewing platforms.

Please visit our Photo Galleries to see more of our railroad.

Handicapped Access: No hazards

Website: http://www.wcmrs.org/

This completely new, 2-level DCC HO layout, and its 2-track helix, occupy a 29 ft. x 40 ft. room. The 21' x 29' E-shaped layout has a long interchange yard along the back, and three peninsulas in the front. A single track mainline runs along the perimeter of the entire layout with passing sidings for opposing traffic. Two staging yards, one for each level, are in a separate room.

Upon entering the layout room, the helix and the staging room are to the left, and directly ahead is the north side of Peninsula 1, the 21' bottom of the "E". To the right and around Peninsula 1 there's generous space between the peninsulas so that visitors can walk along the perimeter of the peninsulas and take in the views one-at-a-time. There are dioramas all along the way. A backdrop blocks peninsula views from side-to-side, and to the back. Spaces between peninsulas are 15' deep, and about 6' wide at the bottoms.

The layout is designed to run trains for visitors, as well as for operations. There are wyes at both levels that connect the mainline to the staging yards, so that trains can leave a staging yard heading north or south and trains can enter from either direction. Each staging yard contains an 8-track ladder for consists and a shorter 6-track ladder for engines. Engine ladders can be set to quiet all sound-equipped engines, or to power a single track.

There are passing sidings at all five passenger stations; at an upper-level yard that includes a roundhouse; and at an interchange yard on the lower level that includes a diesel service facility. There are over 50 spurs, many serving multiple industries and businesses, which help make operating sessions all the more interesting.

Both levels have hidden, overhead LED lighting with color control. Buildings and structures are kit-bashed or scratch-built. Backdrops are hand-painted. Turnouts are hand-built. The layout scenery is 100% completed.

The West Bay Model Railroad Association was established in 1947, in the historic Railway Express Agency baggage building at the Menlo Park Station. Until five years ago, the club ran three scales for visitors, O, S and HO, on a fully sceniced layout. About six years ago, the club demolished the old layout and built the current one from scratch.

Our club resides in the historic Railway Express Agency building and has no running water or toilets, so plan your visit accordingly. (A McDonalds and the main library are about a block away.)

The building is at the south end of the Menlo Park Caltrain Station parking lot, between the station and Ravenswood Avenue. The Caltrain Station is 100 feet away, and there's plenty of parking right outside our door. For more information, email westbaylines@gmail.com.

Handicapped Access: Wheelchair mobility in the layout room can be challenging when viewing lanes are crowded. There's one step up from the parking lot to the sidewalk in front of our door.