SMVRR & SP on Ca Central Coast

truckdad · Aug 29, 2018

Finally making more progress on the new train room. Painting coming soon, wiring and lighting, then maybe, just maybe I can start the benchwork. Planning on representing the Calif. central coast from Oceano to Vandenberg AFB with the SP 1960- 1980. Local Santa Maria Valley RR will have a major representation with The Union Sugar Co and Douglass Oil Co. where I spent many hours in a truck. Here is a 1st draft of the layout, I'm sure it will change a bit. The Daylight will occupy the outside track while freights will run on the inner track. Guadalupe yard is where the SMVRR picks up cars for the sugar plant , oil tankers and freight for Santa Maria.
Dave

otiscnj · Aug 29, 2018

What scale are you working in? Any idea regarding the radii of the curves? What you are showing in your sketch is probably doable, more or less. I'd try and keep the aisles wider than 2'. Have you built any layouts before? Keep us posted.

migalyto · Aug 30, 2018

Looks like you have a nice space to work with. Looking forward to watching this unfold. Keep us posted.

truckdad · Aug 30, 2018

otiscnj said:
What scale are you working in? Any idea regarding the radii of the curves? What you are showing in your sketch is probably doable, more or less. I'd try and keep the aisles wider than 2'. Have you built any layouts before? Keep us posted.

HO. Are there other scales?? I had a 5x9 in 1980. I'm still thinkin on the aisles, I could trim the benchwork a few inches on the shorter walls for more breathing room.
Dave

autocoach · Aug 31, 2018

At the risk of demoralizing you on your layout effort you may wish to glance at the efforts of Brian Moore of Plymouth England and his efforts in reproducing Guadalupe and the SP SMV interchange in HO on Facebook . Brian is a frequent contributor with photos on the Southern Pacific Prototype Modelers group on Facebook.
See https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...&set=gm.2127423770849166&type=3&theater&ifg=1

If you are allergic to Facebook, he also posts albeit less frequently on https://groups.io/g/Espee/topics.

He has documented his conversions of the Bachmann modern 2-6-0 to a SMV prototype somewhere in the above Facebook groups pages.

I don't know where you are located, but if you can get to San Luis Obispo, the Central Coast Model Railroad group located in the old SP Freight House just south of the Amtrak depot has an outstanding club layout of the SP coast line from Santa Maria to Oceano which of course includes Guadalupe. They have also nailed modeling the groves of California central coast eucalyptus trees that are the most distinctive and dominating trees in an otherwise fairly treeless countryside.

santafewillie · Aug 31, 2018

Looks good Dave. Parts of the yard and the corners may be hard to reach without a small foot stool. Although you don't have the dimensions for the aisles, if you're the only operator than 2' could work. If you have visitors (think grandkids), then you might consider 30".

truckdad · Aug 31, 2018

autocoach said:
At the risk of demoralizing you on your layout effort you may wish to glance at the efforts of Brian Moore of Plymouth England and his efforts in reproducing Guadalupe and the SP SMV interchange in HO on Facebook . Brian is a frequent contributor with photos on the Southern Pacific Prototype Modelers group on Facebook.
See https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...&set=gm.2127423770849166&type=3&theater&ifg=1

If you are allergic to Facebook, he also posts albeit less frequently on https://groups.io/g/Espee/topics.

He has documented his conversions of the Bachmann modern 2-6-0 to a SMV prototype somewhere in the above Facebook groups pages.

I don't know where you are located, but if you can get to San Luis Obispo, the Central Coast Model Railroad group located in the old SP Freight House just south of the Amtrak depot has an outstanding club layout of the SP coast line from Santa Maria to Oceano which of course includes Guadalupe. They have also nailed modeling the groves of California central coast eucalyptus trees that are the most distinctive and dominating trees in an otherwise fairly treeless countryside.

Ken, I lived in Santa Maria for 50 years, I'm in Penn Valley now and I have seen some of Brian's photos. I became demoralized right after I joined this group and saw all the beautiful layouts and at age 66, I don't think there will be enough time to worry about eucalyptus trees!

I plan on focusing on the Union Sugar plant as I spent 5 years hauling sugar out of there and the old Douglas Oil refinery and the Union Oil refinery in Nipomo/Arroyo Grande where I hauled in and out of. The sugar plant provided the SMVRR with the majority of its revenue with beets going in and sack, bulk & liquid sugar coming out.
Dave

truckdad · Aug 31, 2018

santafewillie said:
Looks good Dave. Parts of the yard and the corners may be hard to reach without a small foot stool. Although you don't have the dimensions for the aisles, if you're the only operator than 2' could work. If you have visitors (think grandkids), then you might consider 30".

WILLIE I drew this layout on the floor in chalk and 2' is a little tight even for my average size. I will experiment with 2' bench and 18" before I get the screws & glue out. I think I can get some gentle radii in the curves on the outer rails and still have the inner rails move under & over in a couple places. Once the around the room bench is in place, I will configure the peninsula for the main 2 industries. If I don't set fire to the trainroom over my drywall taping job.Lol I'm looking at country scene wallpaper...……...
Dave

cajon · Aug 31, 2018

Rather than the double Xovers make them single Xovers on either side of the spurs off right & left sides. Dropoffs & pickups will be a lot easier if you use them as sidings. Why do you have a double track mainline all the way around? Just have sidings on both sides of the layout for trains to pass each other.

truckdad · Jan 17, 2020

A year and half later......…………………...Most of the track laid and I can run a train while working on other stuff. This area, named Truckers Gulch and Retirement Home is where I'm trying to learn how to model. The rock outcroppings are pieces of gas fireplace stones I found at the local Restore place. The rip-rap are from the road out in front of the house. 3/8 chips. Getting the ground color right has been and still is the most difficult part for me. The box culvert pipe is a section cut from a small single wooden cigar box. Still trying to figure how to get a more defined edge to the dry creekbed.
Dave in PV