The Symposium was the last time for modelers to view the late Paul Scoles model railroad. He had passed a few months prior and his widow was kind enough to keep the layout open for one last show case of the layout. Quite a gesture to keep the layout and host all of us in the home. The local modelers ran a few trains and talked to all of us who came to visit each day.
The free-lanced Sn3 layout represents a 1895-1900 railroad running inland from the Northern California coast. It has been well published in many model railroad magazines including NG&SLG, RMC, and MR and MRP (probably more). Additionally Paul created and sold DVD about his scenery techniques and operations on the railroad.
For posterity sake here are my best photos from my 2nd and last visit to the model railroad. The photos are order from east (the desert) to the west (Or maybe it’s from South to North). Most of the photos can be clicked on to see the high level of detail that Paul obtained.
This map was on Paul’s wall. It shows the railroad as originally envisioned in one room (before expansion to Silverado). In what follows, I describe the railroad from East (or maybe South) to West (North at Klamath)
Del Norte, the east staging yard was above Paul’s workbench. The connection though the backdrop was for the reversing loop connection back into Silverado for continuous run.
Going east, Silverado was the first modeled location on the railroad
Silverado was a substantial town with multistory buildings
Looking west through Silverado
This trackplan sat above Paul’s workbench. Use it to follow your way on this tour. (Click on the image to see full size)
Silverado grew into the aisle
As the layout evolved, Paul was known to add bump outs when he wanted just one more industry or structure. Luckily he planned his layout with ample aisle space for such expansions.
A head on view of Silverado.
The first bridge crossing in the Diablo River canyon
A trestle over a tributary of the Diablo River. At this point, the river canyon was behind the railroad.
Paul added the lime (or some mineral) plant after the railroad was built. It was located before getting to Big Trees.
A better view of the plant. On his operations DVD Paul described how he ran special trains to this plant. They were run as extra’s and were optional to the operating scheme. The freight cars were in captive service, so could be run or not. The trains looked like a great way to see the railroad and experience a running an extra on a TT&TO layout.
The Big Trees area of the layout was quite impressive. I think there was a NG&SLG article on building the large trees.
The Big Trees depot area
A train emerges from the tunnel between Rio Dell and Big Trees. The tunnel got trains around the stairs and between the two rooms that housed the layout.
Engine #11 is waiting to depart Rio Dell for Big Trees
The Rio Dell depot
An overview of Rio Dell
A water level shot of the Rio Dell tank and bridge.
The Bridge at Rio Dell
Humboldt Landing
A shot of the car ferry. This too was an article for NG&SLG.
Humboldt Landing from the West.
Trains passed from Humboldt to Pelican Bay by passing under the arched road bridge in the background. Here we see the Pelican Bay engine house and turntable.
The servicing area of the Pelican Bay engine terminal
This down low view of the servicing area really shows off Paul’s modeling talents.
Pelican Bay yard and depot in the background of this shot. My memory is that in 1998 Paul and mockups for a large city behind the depot. He must have changed his mind, I’m glad he did as the hills make the railroad seem much more remote.
A few buildings were still mocked up for the West end of Pelican Bay.
Along the coast toward Fort Nash
A dry wash and more tunnels as the railroad fought it’s way along the coast.
The train led by engine #11 emerges at Fort Nash.
The west end of Fort Nash
Out of the tunnel and onto Camp Riley. Paul added bridges everywhere and had inlets and creeks. The constant crossing of changing terrain added interest and realism to the railroad. The railroad itself was flat, no grades. But the terrain was not.
Above Camp Riley sat this mountain farm
Camp Riley is in site
Camp Riley’s main reason for existence was the mine in the background (Distorted by the camera). Another wonderful bridge with a combination of wood and metal so right for the time and the span being crossed.
Arriving at the Klamath Falls wharf. What a great catch of solder fish on the dock. Paul used a combination of paint and natural wood look on his structures.
Another view of the wharf.
A water view shot
The leads to the wharf. Trains enter Klamath via the tunnel at right.
An over view of Klamath. The main line proceeded around to the left, infront of Fred and into staging under the town. The track at right was a cut-off connection to form a reversing loop for continuous run.
Klamath Sawmill and town on the hill.
An end view of the saw mill
The main street to the town of Klamath. Trains passed under the bridge and entered staging yard was at lower right, after
It seems fitting to end this tour at Paul’s workbench. The dispatching magnetic board mounted above on the fascia of the east staging yard
It’s my understanding that the layout has now come down and been auctioned off in some way shape or form. I know one person who was very appreciative to acquire two of his locomotives and some rolling stock to get started on his own freelanced railroad!
Sn2 Modeler 
Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
ANOTHER GREAT ONE AND HIS MODEL TRAIN LAYOUT…PASSES !!!!
Hi David:
Thanks for sharing this look at Paul’s layout. It was wonderful of his widow to keep it open for the Symposium.
FYI, we interviewed Paul on The Model Railway Show podcast about the challenges of modeling a railroad set in the 19th Century. (The other interview on that episode was Bernie Kempinski, who is well known for his Civil War era layout.)
That interview can be found here:
Cheers!
– Trevor, producer and co-host, The Model Railway Show.
Port Rowan in 1:64
An S scale study of a Canadian National Railways branch line terminal… in its twilight years.
http://themodelrailwayshow.com/cn1950s
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