Sierra Memories 2008 PCR Convention

Layouts Open for Tours

*Host*	Location	Scale	Description
Ron & Dave Baker	Clovis	HO	Ron and Dave's 16' X 24' HO layout depicts the 1940s to early 1960s featuring Milwaukee Road and D&RGW steam and early diesel electric locomotives. An NCE ProCab DCC system is used to control this freelanced three-level layout, including three reversing loops. The steam locomotive servicing facility features an operating 130' turntable, leading to a 6-stall roundhouse, and a coaling station. Also featured are several Fine Scale Miniature kits, including a passenger station. Most buildings have working lights to enhance night operations. A full switching yard is currently under construction. Layout Tour: Thursday, May 1, 6:00 - 9:00 PM; NEW! ==> Friday, May 2, 6:00 - 9:00 PM; Saturday, May 3rd, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Belmont Train Group	Fresno	HO	The Belmont Train Group operates a three-level HO-scale layout on both sides of the 17' x 40' room featuring a double-track mainline with plenty of switching using Digitrax DCC. The two sides are connected via overhead trackage. Scenery is about 30% complete. Website NEW ! ==> Video: Low resolution: 1.7 MB; High resolution: 27.6 MB. WARNING - LARGE FILES. For improved playback, right click to save/download and play from your PC. Running time: 3:27 Layout Tour: Wednesday, April 30, 12:00 to 7:00 PM
Carter Braxton	Fresno	HO	Botum, Lyne & Marqueting - The 15' x 18' Digitrax-controlled HO-scale layout is on two levels and hangs 18 inches from the ceiling in an office where no other space is available for a layout. Operators stand on step ladders to view the action. A unique solution to a common problem! Layout Tour: Sunday, May 4, 12:00 to 3:00 PM
Rob Briney	Clovis	HO	Sierra, Clovis & Western - Depicts Southern Pacific and Santa Fe in Fresno and vicinity during the mid-1970s to early 1980s era. Layout is a 13’ x 22’ double-deck along all the walls with helix and center peninsula. This is a switching layout with plenty of track mileage recreating both railroads and the many industries they worked in Fresno, Sanger, Reedley, Dinuba, Goshen and surrounding areas before the attempted SP-SF merger. Switchlists are used to route freight cars. Several custom-built structures match prototypes in the area. Scenery is in progress. Layout is built with welded steel benchwork. Control is by Digitrax radio DCC. OpSIG #1: Saturday, May 3, 1:00 - 4:00 PM. Bring Digitrax throttle if you have them. Layout Tour: Wednesday and Thursday, April 30 and May 1, 6:00 - 9:00 PM;
Marlin Costello, MMR	Fresno	HO	Goshen and Goosechase Shortline Railroad - This 40' x 40' triple-decked HO-scale layout on welded steel benchwork in its own building includes California features with the Tehachapi Loop and Caliente Loop, both scenicked using over 100 photos and computer-matched colors, Fresno Calwa Yard and Foster Farms Grain Facility. There are three other operating yards including a container ship. Era is modern with the capability of switching over to steam for special trains, such as Daylight or PFE reefer trains. A double bascule bridge frames the entryway into the layout room and leads to an exposed "herniated" helix. There are 24 staging tracks for 1,020 feet of storage and staging, plus the yard throats leading in and out. Each yard is a different design from easy-to-use to quite challenging. Operations are by radio with dispatcher and track warrants. Switching is both by engineer and yardmaster. The throat system was written up in Loy's Toys Newsletter, and was a Sunday Feature in the Fresno Bee. Train control is by a Digitrax radio system, allowing a design capacity of 50 locomotives. The panel is entirely computerized and uses Railroad & Co. for dispatching and block detection. The layout has been under construction since 1999. Mainline trackwork is complete, scenery is in progress, and regular operating sessions have commenced. Website NEW ! ==> Video: Low resolution: 2.4 MB; High resolution: 38.4 MB. WARNING - LARGE FILES. For improved playback, right click to save/download and play from your PC. Running time: 4:47 OpSIG #2: a) Wednesday, April 30, 6:00 - 9:00 PM. Bring Digitrax throttle if you have them. b) Saturday, May 3, 1:30 - 5:00 PM. Bring Digitrax throttle if you have them. Layout Tour: Friday, May 2, 3:00 - 9:00 PM
Clay Cunningham	Fresno	HO	This 3-car garage 20' x 24' freelance BNSF or modern-day SP layout, features a large diesel facility, large lower level yard, intermodal yard, and a future 3rd level industrial area. The plywood-covered steel benchwork has 2 large modular sections that swing or roll out of the way to accommodate two cars. NEW ! ==> Video: Low resolution: 1.7 MB; High resolution: 27.6 MB. WARNING - LARGE FILES. For improved playback, right click to save/download and play from your PC. Running time: 3:26 Layout Tour: Friday, May 2, 6:00 - 9:00 PM; Saturday, 12:00 - 9:00 PM, Sunday, May 4, 12:00 - 3:00 PM
Tom Davis	Mariposa	O	This O-gauge 24' x 34' layout is set in Southern California during the 1950's, with both Lionel steam and diesel locomotives, running on Gargraves track, features several scratch-built buildings, including the Bodie stamp mill and Saugus Depot. Layout Tour: Saturday, by Van Tour; Self-driven OK
Leon & Zac Emory	Fresno	HO	Knucklehead Northern Railway - The 13.5' x 19.5' fictitious Knucklehead Northern Railway, created by Leon and his 15-year old son, Zac, has 245 feet of flex track on a double-deck layout. Features include 2 extra large staging yards, one small intermediate yard, 7 industries you can switch, a working drive-in theater, full-size intermodal yard, small town in center, over 200 locomotives, 350 cars, and many custom or scratchbuilt specialties. The Digitrax-controlled layout is fully operational with scenery about 30% complete. Layout Tour: Wednesday, April 30, 3:00 - 7:00 PM; Friday, May 2, 3:00 - 7:00 PM
Fresno Model RR Club	Selma	HO, N	Daylight Valley Lines - The approximately 800 sq ft HO layout on the 2nd floor of the old Selma Depot models the Southern Pacific in the 1930's to 1960's era, from Bakersfield to Madera, using modeler's license where appropriate. Control is by Digitrax DCC. The 1st floor of the depot accommodates a 12'x24' modular HO layout and a permanent N-scale layout that is operational, but without scenery. Website Layout Tour: Thursday, May 1, 4:00 - 9:00 PM; Saturday and Sunday, May 3 & 4, 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Chuck Harmon	Fresno	HO	San Joaquin Central - Modeling the Southern Pacific's Sacramento Division from Roseville to Truckee (Donner Pass) in the spring of 1949, plus a fictional branchline located on the west slope of the Sierra Nevada. The HO mainline is 200' long, with another 100' on the branchline. Most of the trackage is handlaid on milled pine roadbed. Especially nice is gauntlet trackage across Long Ravine Trestle. Control is by a Lenz DCC system. Scenery is about 25% complete. Photos NEW ! ==> Video: Low resolution: 2.0 MB; High resolution: 32.7 MB. WARNING - LARGE FILES. For improved playback, right click to save/download and play from your PC. Running time: 4:05 OpSIG #3: Saturday, May 3, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM. Layout Tour: Friday, May 2, 6:00 - 10:00 PM
John Houlihan	Fresno	O	Modeling the ATSF yards in Fresno at Tulare and Q Streets. The 36' x 48' O-scale layout has detection, signaling and transponding provided by "TrainController" software from Railroad & Company. The principal era modeled is 1947 to 1957 on a hot August afternoon. Control is by a Digitrax DCC system. Photos NEW ! ==> Video: Low resolution: 2.4 MB; High resolution: 38.6 MB. WARNING - LARGE FILES. For improved playback, right click to save/download and play from your PC. Running time: 4:43 Layout Tour: NEW ! ==> Wednesday, April 30, 7:00 - 11:00 PM; Thursday, May 1, 7:00 - 11:00 PM
Bob Jakl	Mariposa	O	Bob's 34' x 80' O-scale layout features trains of the UP, AT&SF, CB&Q, and Katy railroads of the 1950's operating from the Midwest to the western mountains on over 2,000 feet of handlaid track. A 7-track passenger station is dwarfed by city landscapes, many of which are the late Lorell Joiner's buildings. All three mainlines are operated from an overlooking tower, while yards and industrial trackage are operated from floor level. Five to nine trains may be operated simultaneously. Be sure to visit the website for impressive panoramic and aerial photos. (If you get the Homestead hosting service website, close it then click the link again.) Layout Tour: Saturday, May 3, Van Tour; Self-driven OK
Paul Johnson	Fresno	HO	Minarets & Western Railway - This 3-level HO layout in a 17' by 20' garage contains the same track arrangements as the featured Sierra logging railroad of the 1920s. The Minarets & Western/Sugar Pine Lumber Company Rwy used a portion of the SP Friant branch line, and this layout includes the Fresno SP yard in this point to point setup that uses car cards and TT/TO. The backyard contains track from the 30 inch gauge drying yard in Pinedale with a homemade handcar. Control is by a Digitrax DCC system. Layout Tour: Thursday and Friday, May 1 and 2, 6:00 - 9:00 PM, Sunday, May 4, 1:00 - 6:30 PM
Vern Johnson	Fresno	G	Santa Fe Way - This G-scale garden railroad follows one of John Allen's long-time rules, NO DIESELS, and has 353' of track meandering through scenes from the Fresno-Clovis area during 1900 to 1956. Be sure to check out his website for lots of great photos. Layout Tour: Saturday, May 3, 12:00 - 5:00 PM
Ed Matheny	Tulare	HO	California Central System - This HO-scale layout occupies a 19'6" x 60' building behind Ed's home. A truly operational layout, the entire railroad is on one level, with only one slight grade, and features 5.6 scale mile BNSF and 5.4 scale mile UP mainlines. Monthly operating sessions often begin in the morning and last into the evening hours, with operators switching the many industries and interchanging cars between the two railroads. The layout has complete scenery, with many operating scenes and lots of lighting for night running. DCC is Digitrax. OpSIG #4: (NOTE: Ops slots are in 90-minute increments both days) a) Saturday, May 3, 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM. Lunch: 12:00 - 1:00 PM. Bring Digitrax throttles if you have them. b) Sunday, May 4, 1:00 - 7:00 PM. Bring Digitrax throttle if you have them. Layout Tour: Wednesday and Thursday, April 30 and May 1, 5:00 - 9:00 PM
Jim Niell	Madera	HO	Southern Pacific - Mojave Subdivision - This 34' by 38' HO layout depicts the Southern Pacific and Santa Fe railroads from Bakersfield to Mojave from 1988 to1990. The layout is a multilevel, point-to-point design with staging yards, encompassing 400 feet of mainline with passing tracks, features the Tehachapi Loop and Caliente Horseshoe Curve. Prototypical running using car card operations and NCE DCC system. Scenery is about 75% complete. Website NEW ! ==> Video: Low resolution: 3.0 MB; High resolution: 48.5 MB. WARNING - LARGE FILES. For improved playback, right click to save/download and play from your PC. Running time: 6:05 OpSIG #5: Friday, May 2, 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM. Bring NCE throttle if you have them. Layout Tour: Sunday, May 4, 12:00 - 5:00 PM
Roy Ogle	Fresno	G	ORO Grande Railroad - Folded dog bone 20' x 30' backyard layout powered by analog, battery power, and live steam. The era is 1900-1930 with solar-powered buildings. Come watch trains run and relax! NEW ! ==> Video: Low resolution: 1.9 MB; High resolution: 30.1 MB. WARNING - LARGE FILES. For improved playback, right click to save/download and play from your PC. Running time: 3:50 Layout Tour: Wednesday, April 30, 12:00 - 7:00 PM
Robert Pethoud	Fresno	HO	Cascade Northern - Cab forwards and conifers are the focus of this 9' x 13' HO layout, which depicts a short section of Southern Pacific's Shasta Division tracks through southern Oregon, circa 1948. The point to point track plan includes stub-ended staging at each end and fifty feet of single track main line. The modeled portion of the railroad serves two towns and features 16 industrial spurs, as well as a small yard. The railroad is operational, but scenery is just starting to appear. Digital Command Control is by NCE. Layout Tour: Thursday, May 1, 5:00 - 9:00 PM; Sunday, May 4, 12:00 - 3:00 PM
Gary Saxton	Clovis	N	Carbondale & Kingston - An N-scale layout modeling the New York Ontario and Western, representing 200 miles between the Hudson River and the anthracite coal fields around Scranton, PA. Featured in Model Railroader's Model Railroad Planning 2003, its most unique feature is the layout helix, the equivalent of a 13-feet diameter helix. The layout does not have a helix in the usual sense, in that the entire layout is a helix. Operations are done in the helix. The track is down for about one third of the layout. Website NEW ! ==> Video: Low resolution: 1.9 MB; High resolution: 30.3 MB. WARNING - LARGE FILES. For improved playback, right click to save/download and play from your PC. Running time: 3:47 Layout Tour: Thursday and Friday, May 1 & 2, 5:00 - 9:00 PM; Sunday, May 4, 12:00 - 3:00 PM
Bob Sexton	Clovis	HO	Jackson, Drytown and Sonora - This 4' x 10' HO layout is an inspiration for all those who think you have to have a huge layout to enjoy the hobby. The layout with a yard extension is packed with operating action and interchanges with the San Joaquin Central and uses NCE DCC. Layout Tour: Wednesday and Thursday, April 30 and May 1, 3:00 - 8:00 PM
Steve Silva	Fresno	G	Pacific Western Rail Corp. - This G-scale modern-themed BNSF and Amtrak layout has 120' of mainline in a folded dog bone with two passing sidings and an 8-track staging yard. Control is by Digitrax DCC, with Phoenix sound systems. Photos Layout Tour: Saturday, May 3, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Dave Viale	Mariposa	O	Dave's 30' x 70' O-scale layout loosely represents the Southern Pacific from Sacramento to Sparks in the pre-1955 era with an extensive collection of steam engines from the SP, ATSF, and Sierra RR's. The 2,000 foot mainline is hand laid and in full operation with 84-inch minimum radius curves running through mountainous terrain, with mountains towering over the trains. Also included is a large engine servicing facility with turntable and roundhouse. Scenery is now 85% completed. Control is by Aristocraft. Layout Tour: Saturday, May 3; Van Tour; Self-driven OK

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