Benchwork - some thoughts on my design process and modeling philosophy

S curve, Latrobe, Ca. Placerville Branch

Several modeling friends and acquaintances  helped with the layout design and planning process. Phil Gulley, patiently guided me through many of the pitfalls of yard design, as well as siding and spur help. Dave Bayless helped me early on with the general shape of the Placerville Branch within its long narrow rectangular boundaries, Dave Clemons suggested NOT USING A HELIX in my double deck design.  Other artistic and engineering talents have inspired me. From the artistry of Harry Brunk, George Selios to those that create entire railroads worlds like Tony Koester, Allen McClelland, and more recently Mike Confalone, as well as the small railroad designs of Iain Rice. Of course none of this would have been possible without my well worn copy of Track Planning for Realistic Operations by the late John Armstrong. I figure this is my last chance at this. I have no intention of  starting anew and doing it again as my age affects everything from balance, to eyesight, to manual dexterity. I still have many models to build, many scenes to create and though I never plan to "finish" this thing I would like a fully scenic, miniature version of the Placerville Branch that ran from Brighton to Placerville, Ca. Operations and the socializing it brings with like minded individuals is important to me as is the physical plant.
The following links, lower level Placerville Branch and upper level Placerville Branch will take you to my google drive. Scroll down the list to view the lower and upper level layout plans. The design, done in 2010 has changed over time, but the shape of it and its semi prototypical feel has not. Without a long, detailed and sorry, boring list of all my reasons for its design, I can summarize in a few sentences. I used what history gave me,  not on one day, but over a large period of time. I combined what I thought would make an operationally interesting model railroad, based a on specific prototype. So was there ever a yard in Folsom?, sure in the late 1800's when the CPR carried passengers from Sacramento eastward and home again. Was there a Latrobe Dairy Coop?, no, but if you visit Latrobe today there are still endless acres (yes they are disappearing) of livestock range land. A dairy COOP seemed prudent. Or the Amador Copper mine, which really existed, but was never rail served. Wagon loads of copper ore were brought by wagon train up to an open platform in Latrobe where westbound freights took them down to Sacramento for smelting. Dugan Springs lasted all the way out to the end of service in the mid 80's and Camino visa vie the Mich/Cal  lumber co. provided millions of board feet of prime sugar pine lumber to help build American homes. I like history and it was important to me to base this thing on some reality. This is a western Sierra Foothills railroad and my hope is that when you enter the room, under the porch, you'll get that straight away.

upgrade and westward toward Folsom. White Rocks, Ca

Latrobe curve

A quick note about the photo's. Taken in the hot, dry California summer months. If I took these same photos today (March) everything would be green.