Klamath River Line

Southern Pacific’s Klamath River Branch Line at a glance

Scale” HO (1:187.1)
Size; 9’ X 11’ (excluding staging)
Prototype: Southern Pacific
Locale: Northern California’s Klamath River basin
Period: October 1983
Style: Pit
Mainline Run: 80’ total (40’ visible)
Minimum radius: 24” visible main, 22” all others, 18” staging
Minimum Turnout: All but one no 6 mainline no 4 all others & Snap switches for staging
Benchwork: Plywood frame built domino style
Height: 48” Basement, 52” main area
Roadbed: Midwest Cork
Track: Atlas code 83 flex, sectional and turnouts.
Scenery Base: Extruded foam base with cardboard strips as needed
Backdrop: Painted vinyl flooring
Control: Digitrax Zephyr DCC
Hand throttles include one DT400R Wireless throttle and two UT4 tethered throttles….. as well as the Zephyr itself.

The Klamath River Line Overview

The Southern Pacific’s Klamath River branch line is a proto-lanced line that operates from Yreka CA to Eureka CA as if this area had continued to developed. It also includes the towns of Happy Camp and Willow Creek. The era is October 1983. The plan started from the Red Rock and Northern RY. that appeared in the June 2007 Model Railroader magazine as the 2nd place design contest winner.

Yreka and Eureka are represented by staging with Yreka providing the interchange with SP mainline.

Willow Creek and Happy Camp are the two towns modeled. Willow Creek is the larger of the two and incorporates a small classification yard. There is a large wood products facility in Willow Creek as the main rail customer.

Happy Camp offers more industrial switching opportunities of the two. There is a lumber reloader in Happy Camp and a neighboring woodchip loader. Anderson Window & Door is the largest rail customer represented.

The Klamath River Line is primarily designed for one operator but provides for possible operating sessions for up to several people.

Layout Location:
The layout is a free standing pit style located in the corner of the garage. It was to have 2 parts that were to be movable but the ROW committee has gotten a ten year lease to keep it standing at all times. I mention this because had this be the plan from the onset the construction would have been differently. Staging would have been different too.
There are 4 sections to the layout. The 4 sections are labeled North, South, East and West. The North and West sections are semi permanent. The South and East sections are movable and are mounted on wheels but see above.

Blog : http://klamathline.blogspot.com/