ABOUT THE LAYOUT

The Scottsdale Model Railroad Club layout is located in the old McCormick Ranch bunkhouse. The layout room measures 20 by 40 feet. The layout includes nearly 1,000 feet of HO, HOn3 and dual gauge (HO and HOn3 gauge) track. The HO gauge track is generally located lower and towards the windows at the front of the room while the HOn3 gauge track is more towards the back of the room and higher into the mountains.

Layout Portrayal

The HO gauge portrays a free-lanced (fictional) bridge line running from Holbrook, Arizona generally northward through Arizona, eastern Utah and east to Grand Junction, Colorado. The route follows the contours and grades that a real railroad might have used. It passes through a number of existing towns in the three states. This bridge route interchanges freight with the Santa Fe (now BNSF) in Holbrook and the Denver & Rio Grande Western (now UP) in Grand Junction. The HOn3 gauge portrays some of the Colorado narrow gauge operations of the Denver & Rio Grande Western and the famed Rio Grande Southern Railway. A branch line to Montrose, Colorado includes some dual gauge track.

Layout Construction

The layout is constructed using L-girder bench work supporting a sub-roadbed of homasote over plywood. The mountain scenery is mostly hard shell construction made of hydrocal soaked paper towels over which rock castings, paint, ground cover and trees are placed. Flex track, commercial and hand built turnouts are used on both the HO and HOn3 gauge. A number of buildings on the layout are scratch built or modified from kits. As the layout matures, we continue to add scenic details including new buildings, roads, vehicles, people and vegetation.

Layout Operation

The HO and HOn3 gauge layouts can be operated either as DC (Direct Current) or DCC (Digital Command Control). Mainline turnouts are powered and can be operated either from control panels or the DCC hand-held cabs. A computer is currently being incorporated with the HO gauge layout to provide train detection in various areas.

Club Layout

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Page updated 12/04/07