Here is a look at the Colorado Central Model Railroad as we build it.
The current layout was started in 2011 and is constructed in a three-layer design utilizing open grid, flat top and L-girde elements to allow maximum run-time for the trains. As stated earlier, it is a shelf layout spread through-out a 18 X 12 foot room, with a 10 X 2 foot staging area in an adjacent room.
The upper most layer contains a large staging yard located in another room. This yard represents the northern-most parts of the railroad at Cheyenne, Wyoming. It also acts as the starting point for Colorado & southern (C&S/CB&Q) trains that use a portion of the Colorado Central. As trains are dispatched fro the staging area they pas though an opening in the wall and enter the area known as Centennial, Colorado (a fictitious city in north-central Colorado. On this layer there is also access to a prairie town (Wheaton) and a foothills town (Cody).
The mid-level, accessed via a helix, is actually hidden, but contains a reverse loop and two long siding which allow us to run multiple Colorado & Southern (C&S) trains which give the appearance of a much larger layout hidden from view. Also, using the mid-level, Colorado Central trains can access a helix at the other end which permits them to reach the lower level and the southern end of the Northern Division.
The lower level represents the southern end of our Northern Division and contains a large yard and engine facilities. In addition there is a connection to a small, hidden, 5-track yard that contains connections for northbound and southbound Colorado Central trains to and from the Central Division; interchanges with D&RGW and a DoD stub: and a storage track for a maintenance train. As trains enter this level from the helix they enter the town of Brighton, Colorado, and the Colorado Sugar COOP.
Specifications and a schematic are included in two additional tabs.
The current layout was started in 2011 and is constructed in a three-layer design utilizing open grid, flat top and L-girde elements to allow maximum run-time for the trains. As stated earlier, it is a shelf layout spread through-out a 18 X 12 foot room, with a 10 X 2 foot staging area in an adjacent room.
The upper most layer contains a large staging yard located in another room. This yard represents the northern-most parts of the railroad at Cheyenne, Wyoming. It also acts as the starting point for Colorado & southern (C&S/CB&Q) trains that use a portion of the Colorado Central. As trains are dispatched fro the staging area they pas though an opening in the wall and enter the area known as Centennial, Colorado (a fictitious city in north-central Colorado. On this layer there is also access to a prairie town (Wheaton) and a foothills town (Cody).
The mid-level, accessed via a helix, is actually hidden, but contains a reverse loop and two long siding which allow us to run multiple Colorado & Southern (C&S) trains which give the appearance of a much larger layout hidden from view. Also, using the mid-level, Colorado Central trains can access a helix at the other end which permits them to reach the lower level and the southern end of the Northern Division.
The lower level represents the southern end of our Northern Division and contains a large yard and engine facilities. In addition there is a connection to a small, hidden, 5-track yard that contains connections for northbound and southbound Colorado Central trains to and from the Central Division; interchanges with D&RGW and a DoD stub: and a storage track for a maintenance train. As trains enter this level from the helix they enter the town of Brighton, Colorado, and the Colorado Sugar COOP.
Specifications and a schematic are included in two additional tabs.