|
HOGRAILS.COM
|
        |
|
|
Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe |
|
|
THE GULF, COLORADO & SANTA FE RAILWAY In HO Scale Norm Bruce’s GC&SF represents the Santa Fe in Central Texas in late spring, 1951. Steam is still powering many trains east of Brownwood, but most traffic west has been dieselized, due to the poor quality of water available in West Texas. The layout is in its third year, and shares the entire lower level (approx. 2500 sq. ft.) of Norm’s lakeside home in Bella Vista with a comfortable crew lounge . The track work is now 100% complete, and scenery has just begun. The layout utilizes the Digitrax DCC system with wireless walk-around throttles. Car cards and waybills are used to move traffic on the GC&SF, and the layout will operate under TT&TO as soon as the telephone and train order systems are installed. Track work is code 83 flex track, with Atlas, Peco and Walthers turnouts, all thrown manually (except staging). The center of the layout is Brownwood, Texas, where several Santa Fe districts converge. Included are: The Lampasas District Beginning in Temple (staging), the district runs West through Lampasas, Lometa and Goldthwaite, ending at Brownwood. Local freights serve all towns. The Dublin District
Beginning in Fort Worth (staging), the district runs Southwest through
Dublin and The Sweetwater District Beginning in Sweetwater (staging), the district runs Southeast to Brownwood. The San Angelo District Beginning in San Angelo (staging), the district runs Northeast through Ballinger and Santa Anna, ending at Brownwood. Local freights serve both towns. Also included is: The Lometa District Beginning in Eden (staging), the district runs East through Brady and San Saba, meeting the main at Lometa. All Santa Fe traffic West to California from Houston, Dallas and Fort Worth routes through Brownwood, a busy place on the layout and in real life (the site of a 1000 car yard in the ‘50’s). Brownwood also has local industry switching, and serves nearby Camp Bowie, an infantry/armored post which was quite busy during the Korean conflict In addition to the Santa Fe traffic, the layout includes branch line operations of the Texas & New Orleans Rail Road (Southern Pacific) With staging representing Austin, trains serve Burnet and Lampasas, interchanging with the Santa Fe at Lampasas. Missouri-Kansas-Texas Lines The branch line from Waco (staging) to Cisco (staging) serve the towns of DeLeon and Dublin, interchanging with the Santa Fe at Dublin. Abilene & Southern Railroad (Texas & Pacific) With staging representing Abilene, the A&S serves a branch ending at Ballinger, where it interchanges with the Santa Fe. Operations include local freights (14 in all), manifest freights, and passenger trains (including two name trains, The Angelo and The California Special), with all sound in virtually all locos. When fully operational, the layout will keep 15 railroaders busy operating. |
|
|
You can reach Norm at normbruce@aol.com
|
|
|
|
|
