Photos of the final condition of the layout

These photos show the layout, before being removed in 1996. The scenery was started with ground-cover and hard-shell. Many trains ran on this layout, as every Tuesday night was "Train Night", with plenty of switch-lists and glasses of Coke. Trains started in the hidden storage yard of Alamosa and circled the room/layout once before arriving in Los Pinos. After switching, they would travel up the branch line to Loma Alta. This journey included a 5% grade and switch-back to reach the station. One scene featured a mirror, that most did not noticed. The round trip was about 40-50 minutes for most crews.

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alloflayout.jpg
The layout circled the operators, here Frolin stands in the canyon

atpanelfrolin.jpg
Frolin standing at the control panel, ready to operate trains

atpanelpaul.jpg
Paul Steves, ready to operate a local freight

firstopsessionjan93.jpg
The first Operating Session on 1/1/1993, even before all trackage was laid

laoverview.jpg
Main line, the grade and the Loma Alta town area

lathelevels.jpg
Station has no back wall, grade is 5%. See a mirror?

lptowna.jpg
Los Pinos is where the "Marek Branch" connects to the D&RGW main line

lptownb.jpg
The station and false-front buildings, lots of switching

lptownanddiningroom.jpg
Front door on right, dining room & PC in back, and Marek Mountain on left

marekmountain.jpg
Namesake of the railroad, Marek Mountain, 6ft 6in

swbkbridgea.jpg
The tail of the switch-back used a bridge and ended on a mantel in the dining room

swbkbridgeb.jpg
Removable bridge over the hallway, connects to mantel

switchinglaa.jpg
Switching Loma Alta, trains had to back in to town

switchinglab.jpg
A 3-car run-a-round makes switching more a challenge

switchinglpa.jpg
Switching in Los Pinos included 2 "push-pull" spurs and a stub-end switch

switchinglpb.jpg
Instead of a turntable, there are two more industries

Page was created on 1/18/2001.