Dunsmuir engine facilities and Shasta Division

HO Scale - circa 1954
Owner: Larry Saslaw
Layout Location: 14700 Orchard Crest Avenue, Bakersfield
This HO scale layout is based on circa 1954 (and last day of Southern Pacific operations on Sept 11, 1996).
Larry has used plans of the roundhouse, machine shops, mallet shed, sanding tower and station from MAINLINE MODELER articles of the early 1980s.
The layout is built within the third stall of his garage and measures 12' x 21' feet.
There concept is based on a climbing out of the Sacramento River from lower Dunsmuir yard, through the engine facilities, up the canyon past Shasta Springs, across Hotlum (Dry Canyon) up to a second level to what could be the summit at Siskyou (Larry has used artistic license to switch lines) up to a helix and down, or reverse loops on top and bottom.
The layout climbs twice around the room, from the helix and Dunsmuir yard and shops located on the center peninsula, around the room twice, back onto the peninsula to the top of the helix. Larry's intent is to portray the scenery and feeling of railroading in the Shasta Route.
He uses Digitrax Radio DCC and has a sample of SP steam, Diesels, Shasta Daylight, Klamath, lumber trains of the 1954 era. He also can switch out the whole power and rolling stock to portray the last days of the SP with the Coast Starlight.
The layout was on the SPH&TS Bakersfield Tour in September 2008.