THE BOTTOM

There is much talk these days about finding "the bottom". I may not have found the bottom of the stock market, but I have found the bottom of the Western Hemisphere. It is is 282 feet below sea level and is called Death Valley. After living for more than a year on the edge (i.e., the edge of the Grand Canyon) I decided it was time to take a step or two back and get to the bottom of things. You will still find me behind a hotel front desk, but this one is in the Furnace Creek Inn. Since arriving I have discovered that a railroad once served Death Valley. The locomotive a (Baldwin 2-8-0 oil-burner) now stands in a museum here. I have been too busy to start taking pictures and will leave talk about Death Valley for another jounal entry.>

Before leaving Grand Canyon, I did take a vaction trip to Colorado where I once again rode the Rio Grande Scenic RR based in Alamosa.  The steam locomotive pulling trains this year, a 2-8-0 locomotive, came to Alamosa from the Grand Canyon Railroad. The steam engine which headed up the train when I rode last summer is being overhauled and sits in pieces in the yard. Unfortunately, I managed to lose most of my photos when I lost the data card. Very unfortunate because it was a beautiful autmn day. The aspen trees were turning and provided a wonderful backdrop as we climbed up and over Laveta Pass.

The next day I rode a train of a sort seldom see today from Alamosa to Monte Vista. This train was headed up by a diesel locomotive. It was a mixed train comprised of a single passenger coach followed by a string of empty covered hoppers. We delivered the freight cars to a siding in Monte Vista and then returned to Alamosa with only the coach in tow. The few passengers besides myself were children and teachers from the local grade school. But riding a revenue mixed tain in this day is a unique experience at a bargin price of $11.00.

The mixed train was only a half day trip. When we arrived back in Alamosa I got on the road to Durango. The highway took me through South Fork, over Wolf Creek Pass, and through Pagosa Springs. The Rio Grande tracks never crossed the Pass, but at South Fork turned north to the mining town of Creede and the end of the line. The track between South Fork and Creede lies abandoned. Trains no longer run regularly between Monte Vista and South Fork. The tracks are used by the Rio Grande Scenic to store cars for other railroads. Right now mile after mile of TOFC spine cars occupy the tracks. These cars are being held for the scrapper, victims of the move to containerized shipping. South Fork once boasted a moderate sized saw mill. Nothing remains today but foundations for the many buildings and an old D&RG water tower. In addition to the spine cars there were other unexpected rolling stock stored on sidings. At least I for one would not expect to see a Seaboard passenger car sitting in the middle of the Rocky Mountains.

 

I had no time to spend exploring South Fork further, because I was due the next day to ride a photographers' special train in Durango.

The Durango & Silverton Narrow Guage Railroad is the holy grail of Colorado railroading and a Mecca for narrow guage fans the world over. It rained overnight but the clouds seemed to breaking as I arrived next morning at the Durango Yard.> It was a false hope, however. No sooner had we left Durango the clouds thickened and it began to rain. The rain and clouds were to dog our trip until shortly before we arrived in Silverton.  The weather was not the only problem. With a train full of passengers intent on photographing every mile of the trip, it was impossible to get a shot from the moving train of anything more than the back of heads leaning out the side of the cars.

It was nearing sundown when we arrived in Silverton. The photo special would return to Durango the following day, but my calendar required instead a return to the Grand Canyon. The bus for our ride back to Durango was an hour late. I was to stay that night in Cortez, an  hour's drive from Durango. It was a long drive at the end of a long day. I could not sleep in the next morning because I wanted to take a side trip to Monument Valley on my way back to Grand Canyon. I was brought up on the old movie westerns of the 1950's so I couldn't drive past the Valley without taking a look. It was a dusty, rough road but worth it to see the backdrop for so many of those old movies. Even with the side trip, I was able to arrive back in Grand Canyon in time to see the sunset. Soon I will be uploading to the Station Master's home page website new photo albums of this trip and a collection of Arizona landscapes.

 

 

A Ride On The Williams Flyer

A couple weeks ago I finally rode the train between the Grand Canyon and Williams, Arizona. This is a trip I had anticipating making even before my arrival in the Canyon last September. But things happen. I was busy adjusting to a new job; the weather turned cold; I'd wait for the steam to start running again; etc.; etc.; etc. Even with the enticement of a free ride for myself as an employee, it did not happen until the very last day of July. This was not my first ride on a Grand Canyon train, however. Back on June 9, I rode on shakedown runs of the Coconino Canyon train which were open only to residents of the Canyon. This is a new service being tried this summer to test the market for a train originating in the Canyon. Unfortunately the public response has not been great and I doubt we will see the train offered next season. The train would be much more successful, in my opinion, if a chuck wagon dinner with campfire and cowboy music were offered before the turnaround at the far end of the route. Of course, if a steam locomotive could replace the GP7 I think success of the train would be assured. As it now operates there just isn't enough scenery or glitz to attract a significant audience.

The daily train comes up to the Grand Canyon from Williams each morning. During the height of the tourist season there are two trains a day. One of the trains is headed up by steam locomotive from the Memorial Day weekend until the Labor Day weekend. This year the operation of two trains was cut short by rising fuel costs and some decrease in ticket sales. As a resident of the Canyon, I did not want to drive to Williams to catch the train's morning departure only to drive back to the Canyon following the train's return to Williams. So I chose to take the afternoon train from the Canyon and stay overnight in Williams. I had "purchased" my ticket (employees ride coach at no cost) the previous day but arrived a half hour before departure. I was then able to upgrade  from coach to first class observation car in available unused seating. This gave me access to the rear platform for picture taking.

At this time Engine 29 is the lone operating steam locomotive on the Grand Canyon Railroad. Two other steamers were traded off to acquire a larger locomotive capable of handling larger trains on the stiff grades of the GCRR. That locomotive still sits on track outside the shops in Williams awaiting restoration. The restoration has been in doubt since the takeover of the railroad by Xanterra. If the impending purchase of Xanterra by Phillip Anschutz, who has some personal and business interest in other trains, may have any effect on the future of the restoration project is unknown. Engine 29 is heading up the train today and the return trip tomorrow as well.

The train departed Grand Canyon station promptly at 3:00 PM and was quickly headed south out of the Park. To exit the Park the route follows a depression created by the Bright Angel Fault which bisects the Canyon at the west end of the village on the South Rim. There is scarcely a glimpse of the Grand Canyon from the train. Upon leaving the southern boundary of the Park, the train enters the Coconino National Forest. This is part of the world's largest forest of Ponderosa pines. The stout, red trunks carry the crowns of these trees more than 100 feet into the air. During this initial portion of this journey, the train will lose a thousand feet of elevation and then must climb again to regain the thousand feet before arriving in Williams a bit more than 60 miles to the south.

The scenery along the route is far from spell-binding but the GCRR treats us to snacks, drinks, and entertainment during the ride. There is a distinctly western character to it all, of course. Passengers have full opportunity to interact with the entertainers in this intimate setting. There is even a train robbery before arriving in Williams. A few passengers taking a nap during this two and a quarter hour trip are jolted from their rest. Desperadoes pursue the train from horseback and board the train to lift a bit of silver and perhaps a few greenbacks from the passengers. Their ill-gotten gains go to a worthy cause I'm sure. There is no escape for these criminals who are apprehended before they can make a getaway. The marshal and his deputies take the villains into custody without firing so much as a single shot. If only all justice where so swift! All of this transpires with nary a pause in the train's progress toward its' final destination in Williams.

Upon arriving in Williams I walked two blocks from the station to my overnight accommodations in the historic Williams Hotel. Staying in this hotel struck me as being pretty much like my visits to Grandma's house back in my childhood. The place is furnished entirely with antiques. The rooms are small. The bathrooms are inadequate. There is no air conditioning, but a ceiling fan and an open window do the job with the cool mountain night air. Williams, located on historic US Route 66 is both archetypal small western town and tourist town. Without it's proximity to the Grand Canyon, it's Route 66 heritage, and the luck of being the terminus for the railroad Williams would have passed into near or total oblivion. But it bustles with tourists patronizing several shops, dining and drinking establishments, and more than a few motels. Most of my fellow employees bypass Williams for Flagstaff on their days off. I have come to enjoy the small town atmosphere, general friendliness, and camaraderie as a "local". If you're looking for night life this is not the place to be, however. By 10 o'clock PM the streets get pretty quiet. This is not a town with a lot of late night action. Even the bars seem as if you are sitting at a quiet kitchen table having a drink with friends. So it is early to bed.

 

Next morning, I go to Max and Thelma's restaurant for the breakfast buffet. This is a new building next to the historic Santa Fe station. It was built by the local couple who revived the Grand Canyon Railroad. By the time I have finished my breakfast the train is on the tracks behind the restaurant and the station and restaurant. This morning I get upgraded to the first class parlor car, but as a first class passenger I will still have access to the open platform at the rear of the train.

Both the parlor car and the observation car where I rode the day before have been fully restored. Riding in them you can understand what "luxury" rail travel once meant. The two dome cars in the train have also been returned to prime condition. I took a peek into one of the domes shortly after our departure from Williams. The large windows of Amtrak's lounge cars give great views of Glenwood Canyon on the current California Zephyr but domes like these would have been even better on the original train. The scenery between Williams and the Grand Canyon is not like that between Denver and Glenwood Springs, so I return to the open platform to take pictures of the train.

As the train moves between Williams and the Grand Canyon  the line drops into a bowl which is 1,000 feet lower than either Williams or the Canyon. The bottom of the bowl has a distinctly different ecology than the rim on which the two ends of the line are situated. Williams and the South Rim of the Canyon are both forested. The bowl is grassland and scrub which makes it suited for ranching. Although some early copper mining took place in the northern transition area between grassland and forest, it is only ranching which persists. Some corrals still exist and once were served by stock trains but are now visited only by trucks. Locomotive 29 puts on a show from time to time as it encounters stiff sections of grade. It is unfortunate these locations are on private land and in any case would be accessible only with an ATV or some other 4-wheel drive (both of which are popular in this area). Whereas I have neither I will have to be content with the shots I get from the rear of the train. The trains arrived back at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon on schedule just after noon. Since my ride I pass by the train nearly every day on my way to and from work and as I go about my daily activities. There will not be many more days with engine 29 at the head of the train, so this will certainly have been my only ride behind GCRR steam this season.

Trip to Winslow

About this time last month I made a day trip down to Winslow, Arizona. On my days off this summer I have been doing some traveling around Arizona but to places unrelated to railroads. This trip was different, however. When the AT&SF founded this town they anticipated it would become the principal city of northern Arizona. It has become instead something of a backwater. Fans of the Eagles may remember it as the subject of the song "Take It Easy", but it is not likely to pop into the consciousness of anyone else.

The only other possible claim to fame is that Winslow is also the site of the largest Harvey House. The Harvey Houses were the creation of hotelier, Fred Harvey. This was the largest of those hotels and was designed by Mary Jane Colter. Miss Colter was something of an anomaly in the early 20th century, pursuing a successful career and gaining recognition in a field populated almost entirely by men. She drew upon regional themes as inspiration for her designs. The Hopi House, Desert View Watchtower, and the Bright Angel Lodge on the Grand Canyon's South Rim were other projects where Harvey and the Santa Fe called upon her talents.

The La Posada was a much grander facility than a town of Winslow's actual size would ever have merited, but it was appropriate for the Santa Fe's intentions at the time of it's construction. With the end of passenger service on the Santa Fe, the contents of the building were put on sale and it was abandoned. It was rescued by a private individual who is now restoring it as a boutique hotel and private residence. An upscale restaurant also occupies a portion of the building. For my visit a modest budget dictated lunch in a much less grand establishment, i.e., a bar and grill popular with the local population. Bo Jo's Grill and Sports Bar is one of those small town establishments with no pretensions of being anything more. My traveling companion and I selected Mexican entrées from the menu. The food was great! The food was seasoned just right, plenty of zing while letting the flavor of all the the ingredients come through.

La Posada was designed as if it were the estate of a Spanish nobleman. The current owner is retrieving original furnishings when possible, but most are simply in keeping with the character of the original. A large and varied private collection of art adorns the walls. AT&SF railroad memorabilia is also on display.

There isn't a whole lot to do in Winslow. Unless, of course, you want to watch trains. The hotel faces the double tracked main of the BNSF and the throat of a moderate sized yard. The mainline host more than 100 trains per day, so you seldom wait long for some action. In the short time we were able to stay, we witnessed a three way meet between a unit train of covered hoppers with mid-train DPU's and pushers on the rear, a mixed freight, and an inter-modal all with the latest multiple high powered six-axle locomotives. In with this action was yard switching by a couple four-axle locomotives. This photo shows the inter-modal approaching from the rear of the waiting grain train.

But our time was limited and we needed to head back toward home at the Grand Canyon. However, we still had one location to check out. That location was Canyon Diablo, one of the most photographed railroad sites in Arizona. This is not a site easily reached, however. It is only slightly more than 3 miles from Interstate 40, but it is overly generous to describe the means of getting there as a "road". It appears as if a bulldozer may have been used to clear loose rocks out of the way. Plenty of firmly anchored rocks remain to make this a trail suitable for 4-wheel drive. My Ford Tarus is not so equipped nor is it a high clearance vehicle.  Thus 45 minutes were required to negotiate the 3 plus miles. The car was thickly covered with dust. But I considered us lucky that it was dust and not mud. Ominous clouds loomed overhead and thunderstorms completely surrounded our location. But we remained dry.

The BNSF mainline is just inside the Navajo Reservation and behind a barbed wire fence. However, a "road" parallels the fence and it was possible to get within easy walking distance of the steel trestle over Canyon Diablo. I was encouraged by the appearance of two trains before I even reached the canyon. But only a single train crossed the trestle before my concern over the ever closer rain storms forced my retreat to the safety of a paved highway.

 

 

 

 

Phoenix Weekend

The first weekend in March I traveled to Phoenix to attend a meet of the Arizona Division of the NMRA. More than one hundred model railroaders were in attendance. These meets are held three times a year in various locations around the state. As with most such events a  contest room, swap tables, layout tours and clinics filled out the schedule. I must confess to some doubts when I saw the clinic titles. The evolution of gas stations, modeling eagles from scratch, and measuring prototype structures did not seem to be topics up my alley. But the quality of the presentations was excellent and they managed quite well to keep my attention. The contest entries were a bit sparse, but an aspect of their contest room was something I would like to see more of at NMRA meets. They call it Lenny's Challenge. Members are encouraged to bring a modeling project which they would like to share with group. The projects are not judged or voted on. They do not even have to be finished. The idea is to simply share techniques and perhaps stimulate similar efforts. Too often, in my opinion, NMRA tends to project an elitist image. I think something non-competitive such as Lenny's Challenge says we are just a bunch of guys having fun and enjoying our hobby.

On Sunday I visited an open house at Richard Newkirk's Shasta Division home layout. This a large layout which Richard began work on ten years ago. But he abandoned his initial efforts and is completely rebuilding the layout with higher standards. One of those higher standards is hand-laying all of the track.  That is quite an endeavor on a layout this size which will be double decked when complete.

I also visited three club layouts in The McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park. This is the most popular park in Scottsdale's city park system. The land for the park was donated to the city by the McCormick family. Originally the land was part of a ranch owned by the McCormicks of the spice and tea business. A mister Stillman who married into the family had an interest in trains and built a 15" gauge live steam layout. This is now the core of the railroad themed park. Several pieces of prototype equipment and train stations have been moved into the park. The day I visited there were long lines waiting to ride the little steam train.

The old ranch bunkhouse now houses three model railroad club layouts which are in operation each Sunday in exchange for free rent. These are not huge layouts but the N scale, HO/HOn3, and tinplate pikes are well done. The N scale layout is a collection of NTrak modules. A large yard takes up nearly all of one side of the display. Some scenes are composed of more than a single module to create a more cohesive display than a might be typical of an NTrak setup.

The HO/HOn3 layout may have more space devoted to narrow gauge than to standard. It all displays a high level of craftsmanship. If you find yourself in Phoenix on a Sunday I definitely recommend a visit to the McCormick Railroad Park.

 

 

FALLEN FLAG?
Topic: Ramblings

Several months have elapsed since the previous Journal entry. Those months have seen the closing of Augusta Station and my personal transition to a new life. It is still unknown if the Missouri Kansas and Pacific layout will make a similar transition. Augusta Station was both a model railroading project and a business venture. As a modeling project it was something of a success. Unfortunately, the business venture was not  successful and the owners of the business were left with no choice but to end the business venture. Some contacts have been made which might allow the MK&P layout to become a small part of another business venture in another location with other owners. It is an uncertain future, however, and the layout as so many others may become nothing more than another load for a trash dumpster. So it may be time to reflect a little on what was learned during this modeling endeavor.

One  thing demonstrated by the MK&P layout was not a new discovery, but a confirmation of my belief that N scale is not just for small spaces. In fact, N scale really comes into it's own in larger spaces. In a large space N scale can create sweeping scenic vistas which any other scale would be hard pressed to equal. Development of the layout did not progress to a stage where we could test the degree of detail which can be achieved in N scale. I have seen other layouts which do demonstrate that detailing is possible in N scale to a much higher degree than most persons might suppose. However that may be, the real strength of N scale will always reside in the ability to create big scenes be they magnificent mountain vistas or imposing industrial locations. If scenery is a strong interest for you, I can not think of any scale in which you would be happier.

 

Before starting this project I had read about building layouts using foam board insulation and also about bench work built with steel studs. I had no experience building with these products nor even seen them first hand. That may have been something of an advantage, however. There were few preconceived notions of how things were to be done. This left a lot of room for experimentation. I am now convinced I would never use any other method to build a layout. Two inch foam insulation mounted on top of an open grid of steel studs and topped off with Woodland Scenics foam risers is the easiest, least complicated, and quickest way of building I have seen. These materials have the further benefit of being uneffected by enviromental conditions of humidity and temperature.

A third thing learned, there is no better use of three inches of layout space than fluorescent lighting of your sky backdrop. This too was something I had seen written about but never witnessed first hand. No photograph can adequately show the profound effect up-lighting has when experienced in person. The flat blue wall behind the layout becomes a glowing, translucent sky. No need to worry about tricky painting techniques to achieve that graduated color from light blue at the horizon to the deep blue of the sky overhead. Just lay a string of T-8 fluorescent fixtures along the base of your sky backdrop. Then hide the fixtures behind scenery which now will be enhanced by a realistic sky. This single technique may do more than any other to lend believability to your scenery.

There were many small discoveries during the past six years. The condiment dispenser which I thought might be a good tool for gluing down ballast proved to be much better for spreading the dry ballast. Another style of condiment dispenser was successful as a glue applicator.  A few discoveries were less than happy. Instant Water proved unsatisfactory as did the black tarry Instant Roadbed. Although we returned for a time to traditional cork, Vinyl-bed (a recycled foam vinyl product) was our final choice for roadbed. And mounting turnout machines on 1/4 inch plywood wasn't a good idea either. But unsatisfactory results are merely a provocation to to look for a more satisfactory method. Using .060 styrene was a much better way to mount turnouts and turnout motors on a foam based layout. Small lessons such as these taught a larger lesson. Progress may come at the expense of prior failures. Discoveries are never made by persons doing what people have always done. When on the cutting edge there is always the danger of some blood being shed. But with proper attention wounds will heal.

I think willingness to innovate typified much of what went into building the MK&P. Perhaps most of the innovations related to the bench work construction. While foam insulation has been seen in layout building for some time using it as a structural material is relatively recent. The transfer of steel studs from the building trades to model railroading is even newer. Because such applications are new, there are few examples and exactly how to utilize these materials has not been fully explored. Hence, there are plenty of opportunities to be creative. Without previous experience in this type of construction, it took me awhile to understand how best to exploit these materials. Perhaps I am a little slow, but it took a bit of time to recognize some of the principles required by  construction of this sort . The open grid of steel studs topped with two inch extruded foam insulation defines the lowest level for any track or scenic features. Plan ahead, you do not want to intrude upon that bottom two inches of foam with gullies or streambeds. Woodland Scenics foam risers and inclines raise the track above that level. To gain elevation most foam construction which I have seen stacks foam sheets like layers of a cake. While this technique is satisfactory for small changes in elevation, it will quickly consume large quantities of foam for major changes in elevation. I discovered a more efficient use of material was to build boxes of foam which can be stacked on top of each other to any desired height. I lost count of how many sheets of foam insulation came into the building. (Certainly more than enough to build a good sized home.) Almost nothing went out. Scraps find their way into later construction so there is almost no waste of materials.One thing which has always bothered me about building bench work it plywood is the tremendous piles of scrap wood it seems to generate. 

 An even more efficient use of materials is to adapt the technique frequently used for plywood bench work construction. In areas where there are no structures which need flat surfaces for support it is possible to use foam pylons (called"risers" in plywood parlance) to support a base for the track. This gives a good deal of flexibility for creating very rugged scenery. Cutting the foam sheets may seem to lead to the same wasted trimming as seen when cutting plywood. However, the foam scraps are very useful for constructing scenery. As seen in this photo, foam scraps can be used as struts to support the wire form over which plaster hardshell is to be laid. Foam scraps can be assembled in all sorts of arrangements to provide scenery forms. Foam insulation board is very versatile. It easily can be cut or shaped with a saw, knife, hot wire, hot knife, or Shurform tool. It is quickly held in place with a hot glue gun. No drills or screws required.

We did make one major change in our construction method. We began with building individual tables supported with 2x2 legs. The tables were then joined together with sheet metal screws. While this worked it did have some problems. It was difficult to keep the joints between tables level. Flat and level bench work is essential for the best track laying. Even though derailments did not emerge as a problem I was not comfortable with this situation.  The last segment of bench work was supported on continuous beams. This eliminated any problem maintaining a smooth transitions between sections of the steel grid. The beams in this case were a modified box beam. However, for any future construction we would have switched to "I" beams similar to those used for floor joists in home building. While the  box beams worked well enough constructing them was too complicated. 

In this bench work photo you will notice the bench work stands away from the wall. The resulting two foot wide aisle, accessible via a duckunder, accomplished two things. First was to provide access from both sides of the five foot wide bench. The second was to give access to hidden staging tracks to be located under the tall mountain ridge. Also note the ledge attached to the wall. A triple track continuation of the mainline would later be mounted on this four inch wide ledge to function as a hidden return route for trains. If you examine the previous photo of the pink foam, you can see an open box exists beneath the upper level of track roadway. This is the box where a hidden staging yard of fifteen tracks will be laid out.

Perhaps the last lesson learned was about track cleaning. With a layout as large as the MK&P there is a lot of track to keep clean. Track in the presence of on going construction and many visitors add to the track maintenance issues. Bright Boys, track cleaning cars, alcohol, paste polishes, and any number of track cleaning solutions were employed. It wasn't until the last couple months of operation, however, that I came upon the suggestion of mineral spirits as a cleaning treatment. I made a trip the the paint department of the local Lowe's homebuilding store. With some denim scrap as a cleaning pad, I went to work with this new cleaning solution. I followed up with a quick pass of a Bright Boy to burnish the rails. The mineral spirits, just as other solvents and cleaners I had used. was effective at removing gunk from the rails. The real surprise was how long the cleaning lasted. I was able to run for weeks without repeating the task. I had discovered some time ago that running trains every day extended the time before cleaning needed to be done again. Likewise, I discovered that after not running trains for a couple days I almost always had to clean the rails again before I could run trains successfully. Not so after using the mineral spirits. With the curtailed schedule of operations which preceded the final closing of Augusta Station, there were extended periods during which trains were not run. It was a pleasant surprise to find that I did not need to clean track before resuming operations. I do not know but I suspect "mineral spirits" are a blend of mineral oil and alcohol or some similar solvent. Cleaning with mineral spirits leaves behind the slightest of oil film on the rails. I am supposing that this creates some sort of protection for the metal rails and perhaps improves electric conductivity. However it works  it does work well as a track cleaner.

It has been a great six years creating the Missouri Kansas and Pacific layout. My only regret is that it could not continue. But life moves on. Right now my model railroading is in a forced hiatus. I am living in one of those infamous 10x12 spaces, a dorm room which I share with a roommate. Although he is a pleasant fellow he is not a model railroader. I have no idea how I could accomodate a paint booth or even a mini table saw into this space. It has been very difficult to manage even a computer and a printer. So, for the time being at least, I have returned to an earlier condition of armchair modeling.

But if at some future date I have an opportunity to build another layout, even if it were only a 10x12 space, how would I build it? I would definitely build my bench work with steel studs and rigid extruded foam insulation resting on "I" beams. Woodland Scenics foam risers and inclines would provide the base for my track. The track would be laid on Vinyl-bed roadbed. The track would be Micro Engineering code 55 weathered rail. I would use Atlas rail joiners, turnouts, and switch machines. I would continue to assemble the turnouts on .060" styrene. Notice a pattern here? Yes, I would build my new layout pretty much with the same materials and techniques we developed over the six years building the MK&P. I would hope to avoid any of the design mistakes which were made along the way. And there were a few, but by in large I was happy with the layout we built.

 My move to Arizona has opened a part of railroading of which I previously had little or no awareness. The railroads which historically existed around the former copper mining town of Jerome would make fascinating model subjects. And the BNSF raceway across northern Arizona offers plenty of action with nearly non-stop container trains. Add in some manifest freights, Amtrak, and a couple tourist railroads and there is more  than enough to keep a railfan happy. In fact I see one of those tourist railroads every day. And while I am no longer on the leading edge of model railroading, I am on living on the edge of something pretty big. You see, I am now living in Grand Canyon National Park and working in the El Tovar Hotel made famous by Fred Harvey and the Santa Fe Railroad.