Backwoods branchline…

It was, as a lot of my North American layout dreams are, YouTube’s fault. You see I do have a soft spot for old EMD diesels and even more so for patched paint jobs. The Portland and Western, a Genesee and Wyoming operation in Oregon have (or at least had) a couple of big SD7/9 still lettered for their own predecessor the Willamette and Pacific, still in their Southern Pacific bloody nose scheme…

Restricted now to yard duties I ask, how can you not love the sound of these classic 567 power units? They sound alive in a way today’s locomotives do not with their silenced exhausts and emissions regulation. The car bodies have character by the bucket load, faded glory, almost old dinosaurs. For me, that was enough to dig about a bit and find out more of the history of the railroad and where these units came from.

Hill Oaks mill, Corvallis. Greg Brown photo (https://flic.kr/p/23uFKRy)

Southern Pacific had a network of Branchlines across Oregon penetrating the heavily forested mountains both east and west of its mainline that ran north to south through the state. The longer ones in the west  headed for the coastal ports but many survived solely for the forest products industries. The Dawson branch, a 6 mile line from Alpine Junction headed west to serve the Hull Oaks lumber mill and this became the last of its kind in Oregon. 

During its’s busier days the secondary line carried on beyond Alpine Junction to reconnect with the main, but by the end trains ran from Corvallis with slow speed orders made the job take all day. SP had used its big SD7s and 9s on these branches, their Co-Co trucks spreading their weight a little more evenly on the aging right of way. It is these locomotives that found their way into the Willamette and Pacific fleet, and into my consciousness. 

In this room sized scheme I’ve tried to include two important elements that I felt epitomised my experience, albeit third hand, of stumbling upon the branchline. Contrast and Discovery. Contrast from the fields to the wooded valleys. Discovery of the mill, of the trestles… but more the intimacy of being in one spot up close with the railroad. I hid the mill operation from the rest of the room, instead suggesting it is operated from behind the closed door. You discover it last, after first marvelling at the journey through the mountains along the river to the mill.

Operation is relatively limited to those who like multiple customers and car cards, but having lived with Beaverbrook for a number of years and never tiring of its two sidings I feel comfortable with this - and by providing a few sidings at Alpine Junction too it gives you a chance to create a little more interest. Trains were propelled up the branch as there was no run around at the mill. In my original scheme I did include one at Alpine junction but on reflection it didn’t add to the operation and I felt cluttered things up too much.

Built for eye level operation, book cases and work space could be created under the layout. A grown up space to indulge in your hobby. The temptation to look in the garage or shed should be avoided, in my experience layouts needs to be part of the home, even, as in this case, if they are hidden behind a closed door.

I haven’t mentioned scale, but in my heart this is HO. Not because N or O don’t work, just that I find the middle ground works best with the feeling of a place like this - big enough to enjoy as trains, small enough to fit within a natural scene.

For those who enjoy a weekend morning lost in videos I will add some more flavour. These four were filmed by Ken Olson when I think he realised the operations days were numbered. They offer a glimpse of the branch and the operation possible on this layout, it is this character I have tried to capture.

I am sure there are other similar operations out there that I haven’t found yet, but I enjoyed this rabbit hole. Luckily I don’t have the space and so far I have successfully dodged buying a model SD9 to rebuild myself! If you fancy a change perhaps this is a prototype you’d like to consider? If not this railroad perhaps this operation? I hope you have enjoyed the rambling post, the illustration and the wonderful videos. Until next time, more soon… 

Donate

I love writing and creating material for the blog. If you enjoy what you read and engage with I would be appreciative of any donation, large or small, to help me keep it advert and restriction free.