My first serious layout!

[MilesWestern]

Finally, after years of dreaming, a room-sized layout has become a reality! :thumb:

I'm Modeling the San Jacinto Branch of the Famous AT&SF, from 1940-1959.

Here's the trackplan!

(Layout Drawn by Andy Sperandeo, 1980 MR.)

I've already started on the benchwork, and the procurement of AT&SF rolling stock.:thumb:

 

[MilesWestern]

Where in the world IS San Jacinto Anyway?

It's Right Here:
http://www.sanjacinto-real-estate.com/map.htm
Find the red dot on this map, it should lead right to the town of San Jacinto. Around in a sort of "U" shape, are the other major stops along the way: Hemet, Highgrove, Perris, and eventually riverside and "San Berdoo". This "forgotten" branch of the Santa Fe was, at the turn of the century, the AT&SF's 4th most-profitable line. This little branch was lines with richly-yielding citrus, and had the climate to grow all year around. The unique makeup of the local soil, which basically had a thin layer of soil, a 10 foot layer of clay, and below that, sandy soil which carried the rushing underground aquifer off the San Jacinto Mountain range. Once the tree's roots penetrated the clay, they didn't need any irrigation, except in the dryest of summers! Here's an Aerial Shot of Highgrove. All these photos were taken in 1965 by my Pen pal, Mr. Marty Quaas. He's granted me permisson to post these, and I'll gladly share them!

 

[racer25j]

DUDE!...how cool.

That's my home town!

Jeff
Hemet, Ca

 

[oldtanker]

Miles looks real good, wanna plan mine????


Rick

 

[MilesWestern]

Here's a typical frieght on the SJ Branch. Up front are two GP9's, followed by an interesting mixed freight. Note the interesting "raised-roof" boxcar, distinctive to the AT&SF. Does anyone have a sunshine models kit they'd be willing to share?

Here's the end of the train, with the traditional "way car" (Caboose) carrying the markers.

Hope you enjoyed this runby!

 

[MilesWestern]

More to come..

 

[cnw1961]

Finally, after years of dreaming, a room-sized layout has become a reality!

Miles, that’s great news. I love this trackplan. Does this layout fit exactly into your room or do you have to modify it? Anyway, I am really looking forward to see your layout grow. I hope to see lots of pics, pics, pics, pics .

 

[joesho]

hmmm think you could fit a little southern pacific in there too?? btw nice planin glad to have another southern modeler

 

[Russ Bellinis]

Miles, have you seen this forum http://www.socalrailfan.com/forums/index.php? If you go to the BNSF section at the bottom of that section is (BNSF)Local Industrial Branches, Leads, and Subdivisions. At the top of the page is a map of the San Jac, and it is one of the most interesting locals to railfan still. I doubt if they would have much information to help you model your era, but you can see what it looks like today. Another place where there has been some discussion of the San Jac more in your era is the Yahoo Citrus Modelers Group started by Bob Chapparo. Here is a link http://groups.yahoo.com/group/citrusmodeling/ If you become a member of the group, and go to the links page there is a link to Jim Lancaster's web page on historic So. Cal. packing houses, that you might find interesting. Here is the link to Jim's packing house site http://ljames1.home.netcom.com/scph.html The last link I'm throwing up for you is the Santa Fe Railway Historical & Modeling Society. They are a great resource for all things historical aabout the Santa Fe http://www.atsfrr.net/

I forgot to mention, your track plan looks like a lot of fun!

 

[MilesWestern]

hmmm think you could fit a little southern pacific in there too?? btw nice planin glad to have another southern modeler

I'm a big SP fan. so no doubt there will be alot of SP run-throughs. There's also an SP diamond between Highgrove and Perris that I'll add to the plan as well (there was one in the prototype as well.) So stay tuned joesho. BTW,what's you avater pic about?

Kurt,
It was creepy...it fit EXACTLY in the space I have!! It's 9 feet "tall" and 12 feet "wide", and the room is 9X16, so I was pleasantly amazed! my only modification as of yet is that I'm going to incorporate modular construction (mainly 2'X4' modules) to construct the layout. Truth be told, I've already completed 5 of the 11 modules already! They're primed, and standing 4' above the floor as I write this. I'm tall, what can I say!

Anyways, who wants to see some more pictures?!

 

[TruckLover]

Awsome Miles!!!!!!

SWEET, AWSOME Miles, glad to hear you can start a full room layout!! Did ya move out of something?sign1 or just convinced your parents to let you have 2 rooms? one for the layout and one for you to sleep in.:thumb:

Hope that I can start a big layout soon

BTW, I like that track plan, has some cool stuff in it, like the cement plant,:thumb: oil depot,:thumb: and the packing plant.:thumb: Also looks like some nice scenery too, I like the idea of the Orange groves. Looks like it will be fun to operate also which is a must.:thumb: Great choice man.

Cant wait to see some progress!!!:thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:

 

[TruckLover]

I'm a big SP fan.

I got a SP AC4400 a few weeks ago, I like it, In fact, I like it so much I might even keep it unpatched sign1

 

[Ralph]

That is a nice plan! Looking forward to updates!
Ralph

 

[Gary S.]

I love that plan! Of course, I am partial to around the room point-to-points because in my head they are "pure". I think that will be a fun layout to operate. Have you given any thought to how you'll run it? Car cards and waybills?

If you get a chance, I'd love to see some pics of your progress.

 

[joesho]

miles,glad to hear than,my avatar is bce,british columbia electric,which was a trolley/interuban,line that went around the whole lower mainland until bout 1957/8 when it shut down ps:its the history around where i live

 

[MilesWestern]

I agree with you Gary, I love P2P layouts! You actually get a sense of going someplace! :thumb: My only modification will be a drop-leaf section so I slao have the option of having Cont. Run for when guests come by, and also when I just feel like making circles! (It'll also come in handy for breaking in new locomotives! :thumb:

Otherwise, I'll leave it down, so I can operate it with SWITCHLISTS and CARCARDS! Point to point!

Joesho, thanks for the insight, I had a feeling it looked like it was from the Pacific NW!

Also, thanks to Ralph, Trucklover, and Russ for the courteous comments and insight! Thanks guys!

 

[MilesWestern]

Alright! In light of my recent victory on the Time Travel challenge, let's soo some more pictures! This first one is of an OREM fan trip along the route in the late 1960's. These photos are once again taken by my Penpal, Marty Quaas. :thumb:

Here's an F7ABBA Set pulling this fan trip! The Depot at Hemet is in the Backround.

Here's another shot of the F units.

Take a look at the Father and Son talking to the Dining car chef! Now there's a great scene to model!

Here's a sea of stainless steel...in the middle of Hemet 5 miles from EOT at San Jacinto...Not sure why. :conufsed: Well if anything, it gives me a reason to keep my KATO Business car! :thumb:

Hope you enjoyed this Fantrip!

 

[Russ Bellinis]

Cool pics Miles! I have a problem though. Everytime one of these branch line picture sets come up, I decide on another spot I want to model. I just don't have the space to model everything I want to!

 

[racer25j]

These photos mean alot to me. I can only remember the Hemet depot run down and boarded up. They did the restoration and it looks great but they put a coffee and juice bar in, complete with a huge sign out front. Uhg.... The Perris depot looks great too but sadly, the San Jacinto Depot was torn down a couple of years ago.

I commend Miles for his layout.

 

[doctorwayne]

Neat pictures, Miles, and an interesting track plan. I'm looking forward to watching this develop. :thumb: :thumb:

Wayne