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Layouts On Tour



Layouts on Tour — June 19-20, 2010

We've got a nice selection of well-established layouts for you to tour on the weekend of June 19-20. There are layouts open both days, with a variety of themes. Enjoy the tours!

Saturday June 19, 2010

The following layouts are hosting open houses on June 19 19, 2010.

Owner Name City Scale Description
Your name here Your City Your Scale If you would like to have your layout open for this tour, please contact the tour coordinator, Steve Williams by email at spwilliams@gmail.com or by phone at 408–857–6787.

Or fill out the online form and we'll be happy to contact you.
California Central Lines Santa Clara HO and HOn3 "California Central Lines"

An HO and HOn3 club layout located in the old Agnew depot, which was built for the South Pacific Coast Railroad. The club runs steam through diesel, and dispatching is done differently according to era. The 1,000 feet of track represents California connections to the Pacific Northwest, Southeast, and East. There is a small narrow gauge section. The layout has been featured in Model Railroader and Railroad Model Craftsman.

Open house: Saturday 6/20, 1:00-5:00pm
Restrictions: No smoking and no handicapped access.
Rick Fortin San Jose HO "ATSF 4th District, Valley Div"

HO proto-freelanced extension of ATSF in early 1970's from SF Bay Area to Portland. Modeled portion runs from Chico to McCloud south of Mt. Shasta. Double deck point-to-point mainline in purpose-built 25'x47' room is 85% complete. 460' of track in place. Permanent track is hand-laid. 30% sceniced. Large yard w/2 switch crews & yardmaster/hostler; small yard w/full time switcher; heavy duty freight, some passenger, local switching. WIreless NCE DCC, dispatched by track warrants with FRS radios, car cards and waybills.

Open house: Saturday 6/19, 2:00-5:00pm
Restrictions: No smoking. 46" duck under entry. There will be an active operating session in-progress during the tour. Come, see, ask questions.
Ed Loizeaux Los Altos S "New York Central, Valley Division"

Large S layout is nearly complete with mid summer generic east coast scenery. The mighty NYC dominates, but the WSLCo also has a lot to show. NCE DCC, CMRI, and JMRI will all work harmoniously together to provide automatic signaling and dispatching on the mainline. The layout has appeared in Model Railroader, Railroad Model Craftsman, Mainline Modeler, Great Model Railroads 2005, Narrow Gauge & Short Line Gazette, Scale Rails, Model Railroad Hobbyist, and PBS TV Tracks Ahead.

Open house: Saturday 6/19, 3:00-5:00pm
Sunday 6/20, 3:00-5:00pm
Restrictions: No smoking. No handicapped access. Duck under entry to layout room.
Howard McKinney San Jose On3 "DRG&W"

Howard McKinney's freelance On3 Denver Rio Grande & Western Railroad is a point-to-point railroad running between Victoria, Co. and Notell, Co. The time period being modeled is the late 1930's through the early 1940's. This part of Colorado has no mining, but has lush pine forests which provide timber for the mining industry in the state. Engine turning and servicing facilities exist at both Victoria and Notell. Dual standard and narrow gage trackage at Victoria connects this railroad division with common carrier railroads. Both C&S and RGS equipment can be seen operating on the railroad as both have been given trackage rights on this DRG&W division. Lumber is being harvested from the lush forests of this area. The Sierra Western Co. that also has trackage rights on the railroad is doing the principle logging operation. Logging trains powered by geared locomotives transport logs from the logging camp near Notell to the saw mill at Kerberville which is way to Victoria. Howard's On3 railroad is in a 7 by 19 foot room with 5 by 6 foot dog leg extension. All of the presently planned hand laid narrow and dual gage trackage is complete and operational. Scenery is approximately 95% complete. Many major structures including the coaling tower and sand house at Notell are in place. On his layout is all trains are DCC controlled using the NCE system and essentially all locomotives are Soundtraxx sound equipped. Tsunami Soundtraxx decoders are in most of the locomotives Access to the main room is via a duck under and an additional view of the Notell yard, engine facilities and town is available on a platform through an access window external to his railroad room. Approximately 5 visitors can be accommodated at a time.

Open house: Saturday 6/19, 1:00-4:00pm
Restrictions: No smoking and poor handicapped access.
Silicon Valley Lines San Jose HO

Founded in 1979, Silicon Valley Lines (SVL) is an HO Scale Model Railroad Club located in San Jose, California. In 1999, we moved to our current location where our new 23' x 72' layout is now in operation.

SVL operates trains using digital command control (DCC), which allows engineers to control locomotives independently on the same track. Our layout is constructed using some unique benchwork building techniques, with much of the layout supported by structural steel components.

Check out the club's own website at http://www.siliconvalleylines.com

Open house: Saturday 6/19, 1:00-4:00pm
Restrictions: No smoking. Easy wheelchair access.
Ted Stephens Mountain View HO "Ohio & Little Kanawha RR"

The O&LK is a West Virginia coal hauling railroad in a 10' x 30' space featuring mid-1950's C&O and related Appalachian railroads. Both steam and diesel locomotive power traverse the 135 feet of twice-around mainline. All locomotives are sound equipped. All track is hand-laid including a crossing, turnouts, 3-ways and double slip switches utilizing Fast Tracks tools and dies. The mainline and yard are complete. Some craftsman built structures with extensive sound effects. Scenery is just beginning. NCE DCC.

Open house: Saturday 6/19, 2:00 - 5:00pm
Sunday 6/20, 2:00 - 5:00pm
Restrictions: No smoking. The layout is located in an office complex and not a residential area.

Sunday June 20, 2010

The following layouts are hosting open houses on Sunday June 20, 20, 2010.

Owner Name City Scale Description
Your name here Your City Your Scale If you would like to have your layout open for this tour, please contact the tour coordinator, Steve Williams by email at spwilliams@gmail.com or by phone at 408–857–6787.

Or fill out the online form and we'll be happy to contact you.
California Central Lines Santa Clara HO and HOn3 "California Central Lines"

An HO and HOn3 club layout located in the old Agnew depot, which was built for the South Pacific Coast Railroad. The club runs steam through diesel, and dispatching is done differently according to era. The 1,000 feet of track represents California connections to the Pacific Northwest, Southeast, and East. There is a small narrow gauge section. The layout has been featured in Model Railroader and Railroad Model Craftsman.

Open house: Sunday 6/20, 1:00-5:00pm
Restrictions: No smoking and no handicapped access.
Howard Lloyd Los Gatos HO "Claremont Docks RR"

This 12' x 12' World War II era layout is inspired by the Lehigh Valley's National Docks harbor-side terminal in Jersey City. Although there is a loop for continuous running, most of the activity involves switching the piers. A highly detailed ship basin with freighter and barges is completed. Yet to come are a terminal grain elevator and oil tank farm. About one third of the layout is fully sceniced. Radio controlled DCC (NCE).

Open house: Sunday 6/20, 2:30pm - 5:30pm
Restrictions: No smoking. No handicapped access.
Ed Loizeaux Los Altos S "New York Central, Valley Division"

Large S layout is nearly complete with mid summer generic east coast scenery. The mighty NYC dominates, but the WSLCo also has a lot to show. NCE DCC, CMRI, and JMRI will all work harmoniously together to provide automatic signaling and dispatching on the mainline. The layout has appeared in Model Railroader, Railroad Model Craftsman, Mainline Modeler, Great Model Railroads 2005, Narrow Gauge & Short Line Gazette, Scale Rails, Model Railroad Hobbyist, and PBS TV Tracks Ahead.

Open house: Saturday 6/19, 3:00-5:00pm
Sunday 6/20, 3:00-5:00pm
Restrictions: No smoking. No handicapped access. Duck under entry to layout room.
Rod Miller Palo Alto O and On30 "Great Basin Lines"

15' x 48' Southern Pacific transition era layout. On3 D&RGW will be added later. Designed for operation with stacked staging loops feeding double-decked mainline. Mainline, staging, and continuous-run connection are complete. New this year: more scenery, some tunnels.

Open house: Sunday 6/20, 1:00-4:00pm
Restrictions: No smoking, no handicapped access, no parking in driveway.
Seth Neumann Mountain View HO "Niles Canyon Layout"

Union Pacific in the East Bay 1999. Parts of the Niles, Oakland and Milpitas Subdivisions. Features switching operations in Mipitas, NUMMI auto plant in Fremont, Centerville, Niles Canyon, Pleasanton and Radum (Kaiser Sand and Gravel).

Trains are controlled by NCE DCC with wireless cabs. Dispatching use Track Warrants over radio and a modern (computer based) CTC system is coming up.

This is an operations-focused layout, but scenery is well underway.

Open house: Sunday 6/20, 2:00-5:00pm
Restrictions: No smoking. Aisles are reasonably wide but there are no ramps for the handicapped.
David Parks Los Altos HO "Cumberland 1953"

Baltimore & Ohio and Western Maryland both snaking their way though a 1200 square foot HO layout in its own custom-built room. Multiple levels provide huge staging yards below the mainlines. The benchwork and mostly hand-laid trackwork are complete. Scenery is roughed in and the beautiful backdrops by Mike Kotowski are being painted, and several landmark structures are in-place. With the era set to 1953, both railroads are in their steam to diesel transition, so both are seen in large numbers.

Open house: Sunday 6/20, 2:00 - 5:00pm
Restrictions: No smoking and no handicapped access.
Ted Stephens Mountain View HO "Ohio & Little Kanawha RR"

The O&LK is a West Virginia coal hauling railroad in a 10' x 30' space featuring mid-1950's C&O and related Appalachian railroads. Both steam and diesel locomotive power traverse the 135 feet of twice-around mainline. All locomotives are sound equipped. All track is hand-laid including a crossing, turnouts, 3-ways and double slip switches utilizing Fast Tracks tools and dies. The mainline and yard are complete. Some craftsman built structures with extensive sound effects. Scenery is just beginning. NCE DCC.

Open house: Saturday 6/19, 2:00 - 5:00pm
Sunday 6/20, 2:00 - 5:00pm
Restrictions: No smoking. The layout is located in an office complex and not a residential area.



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