So I have been wanting to build a roundy-round set in the early 1950’s so I can run my Bachmann 2-8-0. My fiend Joe D’Amato really planted the seed when he gave me a Micro-Trains engine house. This engine house has many components that look and feel like John Allan’s Gorre and Dephetid engine house, except that it is open on one side and is a single stall. Joe and I have agreed to build a pair of 2×4ish layouts using the same basic track plan, but with different eras and locations. I have decided to model the Pacific Coast railway as if it survived WWII, was standard gauged and was purchased by the Southern Pacific. I plan to use Atlas Code 80 track with Customline #4’s, and all wood kits for the buildings. I am also thinking about scratch building an SP SC-73-1 whaleback tender and modify the 2-8-0 to look and feel more like an SP loco.




Well the shift back to the 1950’s is starting to pick up steam. As loyal readers of my blog know, I finished the engine house. Today, I dug out an old Dimi Trains water tower that I built back in the 1990’s when I never thought about modeling diesel locos of the 80’s. I also got something in the mail that I ordered, a Micro-Trains weathered runner pack of Southern Pacific boxcars and a 50″ SP boxcar.





and yes, I did let the factory air out