I would like to sincerely thank the La Mesa Model Railroad Club for being the highlight of the most recent of my trips to the San Diego Model Railroad Museum. As a kid, I was always drawn to the 3-railers, and I made many great memories there. But, during my most recent trip as a teenager, I got to have a more serious discussion about trains and the hobby. One member of the club even let me operate his train for a couple of hours. Thank you, for bringing me the second greatest experience involving trains in my life. Getting a small cab ride in Tallyllyn was still just a bit better.
I am so glad to see this layout. It brings back old memories. I visited this layout back in 1994 and they took me on a personal behind the scenes tour of the layout. It was one of my favorite memories of visiting San Diego.
The level of realism and verisimilitude is impressive. No exaggerations. Just what is expected of a model that represents the ferme system in all its expression.
Thank you for doing this,I love the history ,I used to drive semi reefer truck through this area but never had the opportunity to learn all the history behind the Tehachapi Loop. Thank you all for what you have done here.
I visit the San Diego model Railroad museum every chance I get when I’m home in he San Diego area. My late wife & I used to take our children there when they were small, they loved the trains. I’m in the process of starting up my own N scale layout. My layout plan is the entire West Coast from San Diego to Vancouver,BC,Canada.
I've really enjoyed this video. The dedication to the history of this iconic route is impressive as I have rail-fanned this area many times and am now better informed. I would like to thank those who spent countless hours weathering the motive power and rolling stock of this video and those that are the scenic artists as well. As a model railroader, the detailing alone is priceless. Thank you to all. Great work !
to think that a bunch of teens decided to build this masterpiece is astonishing thank you for the tour you need to do another video update after tunnel 14 and other places are scenic
I'm totally up for that - been talking to some folks at the museum about covering the other layouts too. Assuming it all happens, that would be pretty epic!
The scenery crew's been working at it since this video was shot. Much of the Tunnel 10 to Cable area has at least basic scenery and color on it now. Tunnel 8 to 4th Crossing is also coming along nicely. Last I was there in December 2018, there was still a bit more to do between 2nd Crossing and the Hwy 466 Bridge over Woodford. That being said, what a difference a couple of years makes! NOM
Being a childhood/teenage resident of Bakersfield I've ridden the Amtrak train in an out of the tahachapi loop to eastern destinations. This model looks better than the somewhat dry conditions of the areas in the summer lol. Which is a plus! As a young adult I even drove up to the loop to see the trains on the loop driving over themselves. Just wow in person and even greater Wow to the builders, designers, artists and crews involved with this model of the loop. Great job done by all 🖒
When I was in the Navy, I was in the San Diego Model Railroad Club. Even though it took a lot of growing pains, it is wonderful to see how the museum has expanded.
Back in 1968, I think it was, I was a "military associate" (Navy of course) member of the original club in Balboa Park. I have often wondered what happened to the old layout. Then there was an "O" gauge line too. What an outstanding improvement over the original. It also goes to show, if you want to reproduce the prototype it takes space and many years to do it. After all most of the fun is the building, and the operation too, I guess. Thanks for a great Show.
Brilliant as always, and this particular video offers an excellent, comprehensive overview of the entire project. I was never a member (as I live out of state), but the club graciously afforded me opportunities to run trains on "display" weekends (for about two months) back in the early '80s and to participate on Tuesday nights, which were work nights. The latter was no small thing as this club had then, and probably still does now, the most exacting model-building and operating standards I've ever come across. Then, the cars were very heavily weighted (six to eight ounces), and used Kadee #5 couplers (#5's metal vs plastic #4's). There were absolutely no "dummy" locomotives. As museum director John Rotsart explained to me, every bit of motive power was needed to get the trains up and over the pass (which in those days ended in a turnback loop not far above tunnel five). He also pointed out the ruling grade (on this layout) was 2% rather than the 2 1/2% percent of the prototype...because had they used the real-world gradient, the line would have ended up going right through the museum's ceiling. As I recall the bottom of the ceiling was about 20 feet off the floor...which gives you a true picture of the scope of this project. If you ever travel to San Diego make it a VERY high priority to visit not only the entire museum, but this layout in particular. It's truly a project second to none.
Ah, somewhere beyond this veil of tears, Frank Cox might actually be smiling (a little) at what the San Diego Model Railroad Museum has accomplished. Well done especially LMMRRC!
As a long-time San Diego resident since 1966, I watched this layout grow over the years with great interest and couldn't admire it more if I tried. But bloody hell, man, the Spanish word 'de' is pronounced 'day!"
It could be worse: When I was there back in the early eighties I was speaking to the (then) museum director John Rotsart about the project. Not knowing any better I said something like "This is an amazing piece of work. The real Tehachapi (not knowing any better, because I had only ever seen the name written, I pronounced it "Tuh-hawk-a-pie") is something I've just got to see for myself before I head back to Colorado." John gave me a real funny look, trying, I'm sure, not to burst into laughter. "Uh...no. It's pronounced "Teh-hatch-a-pee." It's an indian word.... I would guess my ignorance/stupidity might still be the butt of jokes at the club even today. "Remember that guy from way back when who called it...." :D
Great presentation! The layout is astounding, if only we all possessed the talent and skill that went into this layout!! And the added history lesson that is given in this video...nice touch!
Thanks for watching. If you enjoyed this, check out the full HD version next time. It's the same thing, but it looks better: ua-cam.com/video/euIcAQLy88g/v-deo.html
Lovely video! Its awesome that you follow the train over the whole layout. One thing that I´d love to see in future videos: please show the consists of the other trains. Thanks for making and sharing!
Neat video. So far I like how your layout tours emphasize the history of the prototype and how it translates in miniature instead of trying to just go for the "wow" moment. Thanks for sharing!
I was lucky to get to not only see this layout in person not long ago, but also to get to look around inside and underneath it. I've heard stories about op sessions where someone could be waiting at a signal for hours. There's also a great N scale layout and a couple others there but the HO one is the only one you usually hear about
thank you for doing this! the history and the scene incorporation is just excellent! I have seen this layout in videos but never knew the history! the guy doing the video, is excellent! thanks to him too!
Great video of a great layout. Easily the best layout I've ever seen in person. Love the attention to detail in reproducing scenes and eras and equipment. And it's huge!! I guess today (on the prototype), more double track has been added and clearances extended for double-stack trains.
Excellent video, very well done, wish I knew about this layout when I visited San Diego several years ago, I guess I'll have to return just to see the layout in person, it is amazing!
That was awesome. What I really liked unlike some of the other videos of the same layout is it was mentioned where this was exactly and as well it explained how the layout went along and where the various sidings were at on the way to and beyond the Tehachapi loop. :)
The first fellow I met at the club was Paul Lubliner heading a train upgrade out of tunnel 1/2, who handed me his handheld throttle after a short talk (so he could make cow eyes at my lovely little sister) and with a note of caution to "be careful, because it's pretty hot." Yes it was--this was long before the age of DCC--sporting a big, fat power transistor and heatsink on the bottom. Yowch!!! The NEBO hall layout (the "Northern and Gulf," which had, by then, been featured in an issue of Railroad Model Craftsman magazine) was, I think, located on the upper floor of a fire-station in La Mesa proper. Knowing this I casually asked Paul if their Tehachapi layout was going to use the brand new, very high fidelity "N&G" signals, considered the best available at the time. He gave me a strange look and said "I AM N&G Signal." N&G=Northern and Gulf...doh!!! So once I had pulled my foot back out of my mouth he showed me a part of his then, new, project--what turned out to be the "Highliners" F units. That project took years, and he lost a lot of money pushing it through, but eventually it led to the high fidelity "Athearn" F3/7/9 units you can buy today. In fact, I think you are seeing those very same (A & B) units in this video.
Most of the narration voice work was done on-site during the filming. I was a bit scratched up from a 3-day convention only 48 hours before filming this. NOM
You bet! The sheer size of this layout is mind-blowing. The fact that they are able to detail the completed scenes as well as they do is very impressive as well!
Great Layout Tour, That is one nice "Big" Model Railroad. Hadn't seen it for few year, hope I will soon. Being from Tehachapi they always ask what I think....I tell them, It's just like home. Bob
At the tank where the engine takes water, I didn't see the large diameter (probably 12") black pipe that went down the embankment from the tank like the prototype had.
One of the techie things not mentioned is that a lot of the railroad has fully operational signals! The signals are not just for show. There's a central CTC dispatch office that can control signals (and switches) as needed. Just like the real railroad.
Another question: Back in the day there was a faction of the club that literally wanted to try to model "fog" in the Ilmon section, the method/idea being to use multiple layers of a fabric known taffeta, which is a fine mesh...or cotton balls (I can't remember). Had it used taffeta it would have used white taffeta, of course. Was that project ever tried, or pushed through? That section seems not to incorporate fog today, but I have to wonder if it ever did.
Aloha Jason ,,, *Great Fun* --- *Great Presentation* ... You've Got a "Knack" and a Great Voice For This Kind of Work... You're Good & Very Knowledgeable... I Was a SP "Daylight" Baby... I Love'd Them "Daylight's"... BIG, FAST & BEAUTIFUL ***Some Sad RR Trivia_The Darker Side of Trains*** ---- ***Please Read On*** We Had a Ranch About a Mile West of The Tracks, (Coyote Ca) With a House That Sat Up On a Hill That Over Looked The Whole Valley... "SP's Coyote Station" Was a Mail and Water Stop, Located Just South of San Jose... (The 10 Mile House) I Still Have a Business Located at SP's "Coyote Station"... In Fact, "We" Still Get All Our Water From The Same SP Well That Was Used To Fill The Water Tank That Serviced The Steam Engines... This Section of Track Was Almost a Straight Run Out of San Jose To Gilroy Ca... Almost 35 Miles of Straight Track, Running Right Down The Middle of What Is Known Today As, "Silicon Valley"... So The Trains Really Got Up a Big Head of Steam, On This Section of Track... (Very Fast) *Now The Real Sad Part* -- There Were At Least 35 Road (Car) Crossings On This 35 Mile Stretch... While Most Were "Graded Crossings", a Few Were Non-Graded Crossings... Those Were Extremely Dangerous... A Few Had "Warning Bells & Lights", But Most Were "Naked", Unprotected Crossings... For Years, Only a Couple Had "Drop Down Gates" ... (One In Morgan Hill, One In San Martin) The Rest Were "Naked" For Many Years... So It Was An Extremely Dangerous Situation For Cars, Tractors, or Anything Else That Had To Cross The Tracks... Every Year At Least Two or Three Cars Would Get Hit,,, Most Years, Many More... It Was a Regular Nightmare... This Section of Track and Highway, Got To Be Known As "Blood Alley" By The Locals... **And It Was a Real "Blood Alley"(US101)** Believe Me, It Was a Nightmare For All Anyone Who Lived There.. *I Personally lost 6 Friends In One Day* -- All At The Same RR Crossing, But In Two Different Accidents... Two Were Killed In The Am, and Four More Killed Later That Same Day... This Crossing Did Have One of "Wig Wag Signals",,, One of The Few On The "Line", But No Drop Down Crossing Gates... These Accidents Happened Right In The Middle Town, Morgan Hill... *A Little More SP Trivia* All The Trains Involved Would Blow Their Whistle or Horns In a Very Distinctive and Ominous Fashion,,, After They Had Hit a Car... It Was An Eire Sound, It Had a Different Cadence, and a Special, or Strange Tone... Especially The Steam Trains... So You, and Everybody Else In The Valley, Knew Exactly What, When, and Where The Accident Happened... What You Didn't Know,,, Was *"Who" Just" Got Killed*... I Have Many Horror Stories, More Then I'd Like To Remember... We Lost Neighbors, Schoolmates, and Yes, a Few Dear Friends... But I Still Love Trains,,, Especially Them Colorful "SP Orange & Red Daylights"
Great question. All the units and locomotives were individually powered when I was there back in the eighties, and I would assume it's the same today. Lifting those heavy (heavier than NMRA standard) trains up the pass required every bit of "horsepower" available. I would also assume the locomotives/units are NOT mu'd, as I'm pretty sure each "unit" was able to run light on it's own. Which begs the next question (I don't know the answer as I am not well versed in the use of mid-train helpers using DCC): Was there a second engineer boosting this train up the hill, or was it all done from a single controller from the head-end?
Question...@ 17:35 to 17:56 (or so) I hear the sound of what appears to be a diesel engine at idle. Is that, possibly, the sound "from" the diesel truck sitting at the road crossing, waiting for the train to pass and clear the road? If so, that's utterly brilliant, and just one more example of the attention to detail.
Great tour, and a lot of work! At the end, you can see a rough spot in the crossover being used by the helper. Now, a big question; you mentioned the roadbed ( on the real rails ) being raised several feet during reconstructions. For the time it would take to do this, was the railroad shut down?, or was there a temporary bypass built?
Yeah, That's newer track work, either we need to check the guardrails or it's more likely the AC-10 is a bit tight on gauge. One of those things you never see until the video is done.
This is such a great video about SD history. I had no idea that La Mesa's club was a charter member of the model railroad museum in Balboa Park. There's another small museum at Grossmont Center. Are they associated with your club?
Yo I just had a thought. What if they had a room model like a 1950’s interlocking tower with screens on the wall to simulate windows to watch trains pass and actually switch tracks like it’s real life just in HO form?
130 cars maybe? I saw one which stretched from tunnel 1/2 up to the Caliente road crossing...but it wouldn't surprise me to learn others had led further around, all the way to down and through Ilmon.
A track cleaning consist is generally run at least 3 times a week. Many times after the museum is closed, they run one over the main lines. Combination of roller cars and a few CMX.
We have not been to that one, but it is on our short list of places to possibly tour. If you know anyone from that organization and they would like the PR that a tour like this would create, send them the link to this and put them in touch with us.
Hey folks, for some reason, UA-cam did not fully process this version to full 1080 HD. I have uploaded a full HD version you can watch at this link: ua-cam.com/video/euIcAQLy88g/v-deo.html
I'm not sure what the narrowest curve is on this layout. They have lots of space, so I'm sure it isn't very tight. At least not any of the visible curves.
The club's curves are 48" Radius with spiral easements of at least 12", I think often more like 16-18" with 1/4" to 3/8" offsets to the tangents. There's also some slight super-elevations, but kept to scale. The club's Chief Engineer Tony Anderson (who worked as a Civil Engineer for the Santa Fe at San Berdoo) calculated the super-elevation which would work best for the model. Yes... the club members are crazy! Basically all switches are hand-layed in place to fit. Number 7 switches are standard, with most main track switches being Number 9s or custom, usually in Code 81 or 83. Staging yard switches are usually standardized at Number 8s in Code 100. Sidings and yards are Code 70 with many of the industrial spurs layed in Code 55. NOM
That's what I remember from back in the day: 48" minimum, code 83 (railcraft?) on the mainlines and primary sidings (but not the house tracks, which were code 70). I also remember having a discussion with someone (John Rotsart or the guy responible for maintaining car standards, whose name I cannot remember) about the need to replace the mains after a few years. Nickel silver rails and nickel silver wheels (locomotive wheels in particular) would increase the wear on both. (A)like metals wear more quickly both ways than do metals of differing hardnesses. I don't know if this was ever done, or if it's a project contemplated for today.
@@NightOwlModeler You rarely hear about spirals today, and I would bet few modelers use them, even if they know what they are. The spirals (at La Mesa) are just one of the things that make watching trains such a pleasant experience. The fluidity...or "flow," as it were sets this project apart from almost any other, and a lot of that is due to the use of spirals and ease of superelevation transitions from one curve to it's opposite. What I don't remember were mention of superelevations back then as a rule. I would guess perhaps they run not more than 2," based on trackspeed, but I'm going from memory. I don't remember any mention of the use of track layout "stations," which are typically 100' apart in real-world alignments. It seems to me, based on roughly 'one half scale' that alignment transitions should use something like a 50' tangent between reverse curves, but I'm not sure how that would work with regard to vertical curves (gradient changes). Even with oversize model couplers I imagine 50' stations would push the limits of what will work without causing problems.
i cant think of the name off the top of my head, but doesnt this guy have an outfit that makes sp flatcar wood loads and computer service tail lights? i wanna say it starts with a G. grizzly something perhaps?
There was no "1967 rebuild" of the real rail line at Ilmon. Tunnel 1/2 was dug in 1885, not "about 1900." Regarding the watering of the steam engine helper at Woodford, the railroads never used such an ineffecient procedure as depicted by the La Mesa club. In the steam era, on a train with one steam locomotive helper, a train's air brake system would have been under the control of the helper locomotive's engineer as the helper approached one of the trackside water columns. The helper locomotive engineer would then stop the train when his engine was next to the water column. No need to uncouple the locomotive with cars behind it and then back down to a water column. The water tanks at Woodford were as black as the steam locomotives, not the rather odd shade painted by La Mesa. Throughout the video, the narrator mispronounced "Caliente."
Regarding the purported "1967 rebuild" of the line at Ilmon, the track layout as constructed by the La Mesa club is basically how the track existed in 1966 (plus several years before that) when I worked as a Santa Fe brakeman between Bakersfield and Barstow in the summer of that year. No changes were made in 1967. The 1885 building of Tunnel 1/2 was reported in the Kern County Californian (of Bakersfield) on May 2, 1885. For the watering of steam locomotive helpers at Woodford, I went by the procedure found on page 10 and page 11 of a Southern Pacific San Joaquin Division employee timetable dated March 8, 1942. The Santa Fe used the same procedure at Woodford, as recounted by a former Santa Fe engineer in an article about the Tehachapi line in the January 1977 issue of Trains magazine. As for the pronunciation of "Caliente," since I live maybe 25 miles from there, I'm familiar with how the locals pronounce the name.
Besides not being painted accurately, the shape of the wooden water tanks at Woodford wasn't modeled correctly. Like probably the majority of the standard 50,000-gallon wooden water tanks on the SP in the age of steam, the three actual wooden water tanks at Woodford had tapered sides but those on the La Mesa layout appear to have perfectly vertical sides. Water tanks with tapered sides are much more interesting to me than tanks with the expected vertical sides. I don't think La Mesa has captured the true "look" of Woodford in the age of steam. This is too bad.
I have visited this layout a few times & loved it each time. Just so true to the California vibe its amazing.
Thank you for presentations.
I would like to sincerely thank the La Mesa Model Railroad Club for being the highlight of the most recent of my trips to the San Diego Model Railroad Museum. As a kid, I was always drawn to the 3-railers, and I made many great memories there. But, during my most recent trip as a teenager, I got to have a more serious discussion about trains and the hobby. One member of the club even let me operate his train for a couple of hours. Thank you, for bringing me the second greatest experience involving trains in my life. Getting a small cab ride in Tallyllyn was still just a bit better.
I am so glad to see this layout. It brings back old memories. I visited this layout back in 1994 and they took me on a personal behind the scenes tour of the layout. It was one of my favorite memories of visiting San Diego.
Thank you having us along.
The level of realism and verisimilitude is impressive. No exaggerations. Just what is expected of a model that represents the ferme system in all its expression.
Thank you for doing this,I love the history ,I used to drive semi reefer truck through this area but never had the opportunity to learn all the history behind the Tehachapi Loop. Thank you all for what you have done here.
I visit the San Diego model Railroad museum every chance I get when I’m home in he San Diego area. My late wife & I used to take our children there when they were small, they loved the trains. I’m in the process of starting up my own N scale layout. My layout plan is the entire West Coast from San Diego to Vancouver,BC,Canada.
I've really enjoyed this video. The dedication to the history of this iconic route is impressive as I have rail-fanned this area many times and am now better informed. I would like to thank those who spent countless hours weathering the motive power and rolling stock of this video and those that are the scenic artists as well. As a model railroader, the detailing alone is priceless. Thank you to all. Great work !
Great video of a great layout. Thanks for the video.
Astounding layout. Sweeping scenery give an idea of the wide open spaces. Enjoyed every second of the video.
to think that a bunch of teens decided to build this masterpiece is astonishing thank you for the tour you need to do another video update after tunnel 14 and other places are scenic
I'm totally up for that - been talking to some folks at the museum about covering the other layouts too. Assuming it all happens, that would be pretty epic!
The scenery crew's been working at it since this video was shot. Much of the Tunnel 10 to Cable area has at least basic scenery and color on it now. Tunnel 8 to 4th Crossing is also coming along nicely. Last I was there in December 2018, there was still a bit more to do between 2nd Crossing and the Hwy 466 Bridge over Woodford. That being said, what a difference a couple of years makes!
NOM
Being a childhood/teenage resident of Bakersfield I've ridden the Amtrak train in an out of the tahachapi loop to eastern destinations. This model looks better than the somewhat dry conditions of the areas in the summer lol. Which is a plus! As a young adult I even drove up to the loop to see the trains on the loop driving over themselves. Just wow in person and even greater Wow to the builders, designers, artists and crews involved with this model of the loop. Great job done by all 🖒
When I was in the Navy, I was in the San Diego Model Railroad Club. Even though it took a lot of growing pains, it is wonderful to see how the museum has expanded.
Back in 1968, I think it was, I was a "military associate" (Navy of course) member of the original club in Balboa Park. I have often wondered what happened to the old layout. Then there was an "O" gauge line too.
What an outstanding improvement over the original. It also goes to show, if you want to reproduce the prototype it takes space and many years to do it. After all most of the fun is the building, and the operation too, I guess. Thanks for a great Show.
Wow, that loop looks just like the real thing
Brilliant as always, and this particular video offers an excellent, comprehensive overview of the entire project. I was never a member (as I live out of state), but the club graciously afforded me opportunities to run trains on "display" weekends (for about two months) back in the early '80s and to participate on Tuesday nights, which were work nights. The latter was no small thing as this club had then, and probably still does now, the most exacting model-building and operating standards I've ever come across. Then, the cars were very heavily weighted (six to eight ounces), and used Kadee #5 couplers (#5's metal vs plastic #4's). There were absolutely no "dummy" locomotives. As museum director John Rotsart explained to me, every bit of motive power was needed to get the trains up and over the pass (which in those days ended in a turnback loop not far above tunnel five). He also pointed out the ruling grade (on this layout) was 2% rather than the 2 1/2% percent of the prototype...because had they used the real-world gradient, the line would have ended up going right through the museum's ceiling. As I recall the bottom of the ceiling was about 20 feet off the floor...which gives you a true picture of the scope of this project.
If you ever travel to San Diego make it a VERY high priority to visit not only the entire museum, but this layout in particular. It's truly a project second to none.
Transition Era Tehachapi Pass Operations👍👍
Ah, somewhere beyond this veil of tears, Frank Cox might actually be smiling (a little) at what the San Diego Model Railroad Museum has accomplished. Well done especially LMMRRC!
Love the little jolt it gives at the 19:36 mark. Apparently wheel slip is a pain in any scale.
As a long-time San Diego resident since 1966, I watched this layout grow over the years with great interest and couldn't admire it more if I tried. But bloody hell, man, the Spanish word 'de' is pronounced 'day!"
It could be worse: When I was there back in the early eighties I was speaking to the (then) museum director John Rotsart about the project. Not knowing any better I said something like "This is an amazing piece of work. The real Tehachapi (not knowing any better, because I had only ever seen the name written, I pronounced it "Tuh-hawk-a-pie") is something I've just got to see for myself before I head back to Colorado."
John gave me a real funny look, trying, I'm sure, not to burst into laughter. "Uh...no. It's pronounced "Teh-hatch-a-pee." It's an indian word....
I would guess my ignorance/stupidity might still be the butt of jokes at the club even today. "Remember that guy from way back when who called it...." :D
Great presentation! The layout is astounding, if only we all possessed the talent and skill that went into this layout!! And the added history lesson that is given in this video...nice touch!
Jason , Real good job of walking us through the layout . Very informative .
Thanks for watching. If you enjoyed this, check out the full HD version next time. It's the same thing, but it looks better: ua-cam.com/video/euIcAQLy88g/v-deo.html
Fantastic! I wish I had taken the time to visit when we lived in San Diego. We left in 1993.
Lovely video! Its awesome that you follow the train over the whole layout. One thing that I´d love to see in future videos: please show the consists of the other trains. Thanks for making and sharing!
Outstanding production work. The quality is A plus. The club layout is very much in progress but what is to be done yet is very well explained.
Neat video. So far I like how your layout tours emphasize the history of the prototype and how it translates in miniature instead of trying to just go for the "wow" moment. Thanks for sharing!
Indeed. In this case, Jason wanted to include real life stories, because the layout is a prototype replica, and there's a ton of history on this line.
Really nice layout guys 👍🏻
This really gives me inspiration to press on with my project. Any project. Thank you!
Bravo! This is one of the most awesome layouts I've ever seen gang...great job. Blown away by the real looks and presentation 👍
What can I say , great , well done !
I was lucky to get to not only see this layout in person not long ago, but also to get to look around inside and underneath it. I've heard stories about op sessions where someone could be waiting at a signal for hours. There's also a great N scale layout and a couple others there but the HO one is the only one you usually hear about
thank you for doing this! the history and the scene incorporation is just excellent! I have seen this layout in videos but never knew the history! the guy doing the video, is excellent! thanks to him too!
Jason did an excellent job. You can watch it in full 1080 HD too by clicking the link in the video's description.
Fabulous layout. Also great attention to details.
Great video of a great layout. Easily the best layout I've ever seen in person. Love the attention to detail in reproducing scenes and eras and equipment. And it's huge!!
I guess today (on the prototype), more double track has been added and clearances extended for double-stack trains.
these videos are awesome
I have to come see this. WOW
William Brewster Please do! This is in Balboa Park in San Diego (as probably mentioned lol) it’s. Great time!
Excellent video, very well done, wish I knew about this layout when I visited San Diego several years ago, I guess I'll have to return just to see the layout in person, it is amazing!
Glad you enjoyed it, and yes, it's well worth a visit.
That was awesome. What I really liked unlike some of the other videos of the same layout is it was mentioned where this was exactly and as well it explained how the layout went along and where the various sidings were at on the way to and beyond the Tehachapi loop. :)
Amazingly satisfying. Thank you so very much. fantastic work and overview.
Jason did a great job showing off this amazing layout.
Beautiful video, and remarkable club layout. I visited around 2010, and it remains one of my favorite memories of San Diego.
Excellent work!
The first fellow I met at the club was Paul Lubliner heading a train upgrade out of tunnel 1/2, who handed me his handheld throttle after a short talk (so he could make cow eyes at my lovely little sister) and with a note of caution to "be careful, because it's pretty hot." Yes it was--this was long before the age of DCC--sporting a big, fat power transistor and heatsink on the bottom. Yowch!!!
The NEBO hall layout (the "Northern and Gulf," which had, by then, been featured in an issue of Railroad Model Craftsman magazine) was, I think, located on the upper floor of a fire-station in La Mesa proper. Knowing this I casually asked Paul if their Tehachapi layout was going to use the brand new, very high fidelity "N&G" signals, considered the best available at the time. He gave me a strange look and said "I AM N&G Signal." N&G=Northern and Gulf...doh!!! So once I had pulled my foot back out of my mouth he showed me a part of his then, new, project--what turned out to be the "Highliners" F units. That project took years, and he lost a lot of money pushing it through, but eventually it led to the high fidelity "Athearn" F3/7/9 units you can buy today. In fact, I think you are seeing those very same (A & B) units in this video.
Fascinating voice over and terrific layout modeling!
Jason did a great job guiding us on the tour around that amazing layout!
Most of the narration voice work was done on-site during the filming. I was a bit scratched up from a 3-day convention only 48 hours before filming this.
NOM
great layout tour dan and John, i enjoyed the great content of this great channel
We appreciate your continued support!
Fantastic! Shows the various aspects of MRRing. Educational. TY :)
An amazing club layout!
You bet! The sheer size of this layout is mind-blowing. The fact that they are able to detail the completed scenes as well as they do is very impressive as well!
Incredible layout!
Loved it. More please!!!!
Next trip to CA. I will visit. I Never knew you were there. Beautiful workmanship.
Press F to pay respects to tunnel no. 4
That was a good layout you have there it was good to see it 👍
Never knew, will have to visit.
You should! It’s awesome, and the rest of Balboa Park is interesting and awesome too!
Amazing! Thanks for sharing. Very impressive.
Thanks very much for watching!
Wonderful stuff! Thanks for sharing.
Very impressive. Well produced in all ways. This would make a good DVD.
Yes, it would be a short one, but still good. Isn't it great that you get to see it in HD on UA-cam for free instead!
Pat your back!
this is impressive!
Very well done!! Thank you!!
This is amazing. Great commentary.
wow - that is all!
Great Layout Tour, That is one nice "Big" Model Railroad. Hadn't seen it for few year, hope I will soon. Being from Tehachapi they always ask what I think....I tell them, It's just like home. Bob
At the tank where the engine takes water, I didn't see the large diameter (probably 12") black pipe that went down the embankment from the tank like the prototype had.
Well done! Thank you!!
Impressive. Really, really nice. I hope I can operate there someday.
Great work
Great stuff !
One of the techie things not mentioned is that a lot of the railroad has fully operational signals! The signals are not just for show. There's a central CTC dispatch office that can control signals (and switches) as needed. Just like the real railroad.
Love it!
Amazing work but .... " Here we see " will haunt me :)
Well, not everyone is Walter Kronkite. :D
Wow.thanks for sharing.
You are welcome. Thanks for watching. By the way, the full HD version is posted at: ua-cam.com/video/euIcAQLy88g/v-deo.html
Absolutely awesome amazing talent and detailed layout wow ! Take care! Peace from Welland Ontario Canada 🇨🇦
Great!
Another question: Back in the day there was a faction of the club that literally wanted to try to model "fog" in the Ilmon section, the method/idea being to use multiple layers of a fabric known taffeta, which is a fine mesh...or cotton balls (I can't remember). Had it used taffeta it would have used white taffeta, of course.
Was that project ever tried, or pushed through? That section seems not to incorporate fog today, but I have to wonder if it ever did.
Aloha Jason ,,, *Great Fun* --- *Great Presentation* ... You've Got a "Knack" and a Great Voice For This Kind of Work... You're Good & Very Knowledgeable... I Was a SP "Daylight" Baby... I Love'd Them "Daylight's"... BIG, FAST & BEAUTIFUL
***Some Sad RR Trivia_The Darker Side of Trains*** ---- ***Please Read On***
We Had a Ranch About a Mile West of The Tracks, (Coyote Ca) With a House That Sat Up On a Hill That Over Looked The Whole Valley... "SP's Coyote Station" Was a Mail and Water Stop, Located Just South of San Jose... (The 10 Mile House) I Still Have a Business Located at SP's "Coyote Station"... In Fact, "We" Still Get All Our Water From The Same SP Well That Was Used To Fill The Water Tank That Serviced The Steam Engines...
This Section of Track Was Almost a Straight Run Out of San Jose To Gilroy Ca... Almost 35 Miles of Straight Track, Running Right Down The Middle of What Is Known Today As, "Silicon Valley"... So The Trains Really Got Up a Big Head of Steam, On This Section of Track... (Very Fast)
*Now The Real Sad Part* --
There Were At Least 35 Road (Car) Crossings On This 35 Mile Stretch... While Most Were "Graded Crossings", a Few Were Non-Graded Crossings... Those Were Extremely Dangerous... A Few Had "Warning Bells & Lights", But Most Were "Naked", Unprotected Crossings... For Years, Only a Couple Had "Drop Down Gates" ... (One In Morgan Hill, One In San Martin) The Rest Were "Naked" For Many Years... So It Was An Extremely Dangerous Situation For Cars, Tractors, or Anything Else That Had To Cross The Tracks... Every Year At Least Two or Three Cars Would Get Hit,,, Most Years, Many More... It Was a Regular Nightmare... This Section of Track and Highway, Got To Be Known As "Blood Alley" By The Locals... **And It Was a Real "Blood Alley"(US101)** Believe Me, It Was a Nightmare For All Anyone Who Lived There..
*I Personally lost 6 Friends In One Day* -- All At The Same RR Crossing, But In Two Different Accidents... Two Were Killed In The Am, and Four More Killed Later That Same Day... This Crossing Did Have One of "Wig Wag Signals",,, One of The Few On The "Line", But No Drop Down Crossing Gates... These Accidents Happened Right In The Middle Town, Morgan Hill...
*A Little More SP Trivia*
All The Trains Involved Would Blow Their Whistle or Horns In a Very Distinctive and Ominous Fashion,,, After They Had Hit a Car... It Was An Eire Sound, It Had a Different Cadence, and a Special, or Strange Tone... Especially The Steam Trains... So You, and Everybody Else In The Valley, Knew Exactly What, When, and Where The Accident Happened... What You Didn't Know,,, Was *"Who" Just" Got Killed*... I Have Many Horror Stories, More Then I'd Like To Remember... We Lost Neighbors, Schoolmates, and Yes, a Few Dear Friends... But I Still Love Trains,,, Especially Them Colorful "SP Orange & Red Daylights"
Are the 'F' units M/U'd with the steam engine or is it providing power on its' own. he's the master couldn't have said it any better!
Great question. All the units and locomotives were individually powered when I was there back in the eighties, and I would assume it's the same today. Lifting those heavy (heavier than NMRA standard) trains up the pass required every bit of "horsepower" available. I would also assume the locomotives/units are NOT mu'd, as I'm pretty sure each "unit" was able to run light on it's own.
Which begs the next question (I don't know the answer as I am not well versed in the use of mid-train helpers using DCC): Was there a second engineer boosting this train up the hill, or was it all done from a single controller from the head-end?
Question...@ 17:35 to 17:56 (or so) I hear the sound of what appears to be a diesel engine at idle. Is that, possibly, the sound "from" the diesel truck sitting at the road crossing, waiting for the train to pass and clear the road? If so, that's utterly brilliant, and just one more example of the attention to detail.
What do you guys use to clean and keep the track so clean? I have a hard time keeping track clean.
Great tour, and a lot of work! At the end, you can see a rough spot in the crossover being used by the helper.
Now, a big question; you mentioned the roadbed ( on the real rails ) being raised several feet during reconstructions. For the time it would take to do this, was the railroad shut down?, or was there a temporary bypass built?
Yeah, That's newer track work, either we need to check the guardrails or it's more likely the AC-10 is a bit tight on gauge. One of those things you never see until the video is done.
This is such a great video about SD history. I had no idea that La Mesa's club was a charter member of the model railroad museum in Balboa Park. There's another small museum at Grossmont Center. Are they associated with your club?
Amazing
Great video,,, enjoy the narration with the histories and anecdotes of the areas represented. Looking forward to seeing it in person again soon!
Yo I just had a thought. What if they had a room model like a 1950’s interlocking tower with screens on the wall to simulate windows to watch trains pass and actually switch tracks like it’s real life just in HO form?
Bravo!
How long did it take to scratchbuild the station?
Very excellent. Train engines could use more sound.
Nice. But like all the others, trains are moving too slow. Can't they run at track speed
whats the longest train that has ever ran on the layout
130 cars maybe? I saw one which stretched from tunnel 1/2 up to the Caliente road crossing...but it wouldn't surprise me to learn others had led further around, all the way to down and through Ilmon.
My friend Ryder runs trains there!
I wonder how often the tracks need to be cleaned
A track cleaning consist is generally run at least 3 times a week. Many times after the museum is closed, they run one over the main lines. Combination of roller cars and a few CMX.
And maybe "Wahl hair clipper oil?" That was the magic formula many years ago now.
Have you guys ever been to Black Diamond Lines Model Railroad Club in Antioch California?
We have not been to that one, but it is on our short list of places to possibly tour. If you know anyone from that organization and they would like the PR that a tour like this would create, send them the link to this and put them in touch with us.
I live near the real caliente and bakersfeild
Hey folks, for some reason, UA-cam did not fully process this version to full 1080 HD. I have uploaded a full HD version you can watch at this link: ua-cam.com/video/euIcAQLy88g/v-deo.html
In 1952 What was passenger service like?
Something like this for the SP's San Joaquin Daylight train ---
ua-cam.com/video/gOjaW8bPXKc/v-deo.html
cool i like
What are the minimum curve radaii you use?
I'm not sure what the narrowest curve is on this layout. They have lots of space, so I'm sure it isn't very tight. At least not any of the visible curves.
The club's curves are 48" Radius with spiral easements of at least 12", I think often more like 16-18" with 1/4" to 3/8" offsets to the tangents. There's also some slight super-elevations, but kept to scale. The club's Chief Engineer Tony Anderson (who worked as a Civil Engineer for the Santa Fe at San Berdoo) calculated the super-elevation which would work best for the model. Yes... the club members are crazy!
Basically all switches are hand-layed in place to fit. Number 7 switches are standard, with most main track switches being Number 9s or custom, usually in Code 81 or 83. Staging yard switches are usually standardized at Number 8s in Code 100. Sidings and yards are Code 70 with many of the industrial spurs layed in Code 55.
NOM
That's what I remember from back in the day: 48" minimum, code 83 (railcraft?) on the mainlines and primary sidings (but not the house tracks, which were code 70). I also remember having a discussion with someone (John Rotsart or the guy responible for maintaining car standards, whose name I cannot remember) about the need to replace the mains after a few years. Nickel silver rails and nickel silver wheels (locomotive wheels in particular) would increase the wear on both. (A)like metals wear more quickly both ways than do metals of differing hardnesses.
I don't know if this was ever done, or if it's a project contemplated for today.
@@NightOwlModeler You rarely hear about spirals today, and I would bet few modelers use them, even if they know what they are. The spirals (at La Mesa) are just one of the things that make watching trains such a pleasant experience. The fluidity...or "flow," as it were sets this project apart from almost any other, and a lot of that is due to the use of spirals and ease of superelevation transitions from one curve to it's opposite.
What I don't remember were mention of superelevations back then as a rule. I would guess perhaps they run not more than 2," based on trackspeed, but I'm going from memory.
I don't remember any mention of the use of track layout "stations," which are typically 100' apart in real-world alignments. It seems to me, based on roughly 'one half scale' that alignment transitions should use something like a 50' tangent between reverse curves, but I'm not sure how that would work with regard to vertical curves (gradient changes). Even with oversize model couplers I imagine 50' stations would push the limits of what will work without causing problems.
i cant think of the name off the top of my head, but doesnt this guy have an outfit that makes sp flatcar wood loads and computer service tail lights? i wanna say it starts with a G. grizzly something perhaps?
Maybe it was Owl Mountain Models. :D
with passenger cars
ua-cam.com/play/PLnxQpj82XbtoGG46eQx2UC56B0sVjs73g.html
Couple of videos of the San Joaquin Daylight running across the layout.
ua-cam.com/video/gOjaW8bPXKc/v-deo.html
There was no "1967 rebuild" of the real rail line at Ilmon.
Tunnel 1/2 was dug in 1885, not "about 1900."
Regarding the watering of the steam engine helper at Woodford, the railroads never used such an ineffecient procedure as depicted by the La Mesa club. In the steam era, on a train with one steam locomotive helper, a train's air brake system would have been under the control of the helper locomotive's engineer as the helper approached one of the trackside water columns. The helper locomotive engineer would then stop the train when his engine was next to the water column. No need to uncouple the locomotive with cars behind it and then back down to a water column.
The water tanks at Woodford were as black as the steam locomotives, not the rather odd shade painted by La Mesa.
Throughout the video, the narrator mispronounced "Caliente."
You have a lot of corrections to make there, but you didn't mention where you got the information you're repeating.
Regarding the purported "1967 rebuild" of the line at Ilmon, the track layout as constructed by the La Mesa club is basically how the track existed in 1966 (plus several years before that) when I worked as a Santa Fe brakeman between Bakersfield and Barstow in the summer of that year. No changes were made in 1967.
The 1885 building of Tunnel 1/2 was reported in the Kern County Californian (of Bakersfield) on May 2, 1885.
For the watering of steam locomotive helpers at Woodford, I went by the procedure found on page 10 and page 11 of a Southern Pacific San Joaquin Division employee timetable dated March 8, 1942. The Santa Fe used the same procedure at Woodford, as recounted by a former Santa Fe engineer in an article about the Tehachapi line in the January 1977 issue of Trains magazine.
As for the pronunciation of "Caliente," since I live maybe 25 miles from there, I'm familiar with how the locals pronounce the name.
Besides not being painted accurately, the shape of the wooden water tanks at Woodford wasn't modeled correctly. Like probably the majority of the standard 50,000-gallon wooden water tanks on the SP in the age of steam, the three actual wooden water tanks at Woodford had tapered sides but those on the La Mesa layout appear to have perfectly vertical sides. Water tanks with tapered sides are much more interesting to me than tanks with the expected vertical sides. I don't think La Mesa has captured the true "look" of Woodford in the age of steam. This is too bad.