The Sacramento Northern & Southern Pacific in O scale (proto 48) Color Country Railroad Tour

Part three - The Sacramento Northern and Southern Pacific. The Color Country Model Railroad Club’s eleventh annual “Model Train Home Tour” AMAZING DETAIL!
This week we are back to Jim Harper's AMAZING O scale (proto 48) layout of the Sacramento Northern and Southern Pacific in Northern California.
From the web:
The history of model railroading has been one of steady and constant improvement in the quality and accuracy. As more information has become available modelers have attempted to make their models more accurately. In the 1960's a group of modelers decided to change the fundamental relationship of wheel contour and gauge in an attempt to create a more realistic model that would operate better and more reliably than the traditional NMRA O gauge standard. The change entailed the adoption of a scale replica of the AAR standards used by full-sized railroads. The wheel profile was changed to a scale 5.5" in width with a scale flange depth of approximately 1". The gauge was corrected to a prototypically correct 4' 8 1/2" rather than the traditional 5' gauge used by modelers since the scale's inception. To more accurately identify this subset of O scale, the new standards were referred to as 1/4"AAR scale or gauge.
St George Utah's Color Country Model Railroad Club held its eleventh annual “Model Train Home Tour” last November as part of National Model Railroad Appreciation Month.
20 layouts were on the tour including these four Train Layouts in American Flyer "S" scale, "HO Scale and Lionel "O" scale.
Red Cliffs Miniatures
www.redcliffsminiatures.com
2166 Thomas Trail
Santa Clara, Utah 84765
Red Cliffs Miniatures has an extensive line of track related parts and details. You will find turnout kits, switch stands, instructional material on track building.
www.proto48.or...

[@randallhawkinson4727]

Thank y'all for this. I've never had that much interest in O Scale (Standard Gauge) because of the third rail and most of it's followers running trains at lightning speeds. I couldn't get myself out of thinking of that scale as "toy railroading". It was "never model railroading" to me. With the popularity of On30 (that I assist some of our club members with) and now this, my faith in O scale is renewed. A dear friend, John Armstrong, was probably responsible for sowing this seed in me when I was but a lad. Thank you for bringing Proto 48 to my attention. I would love to see more. Special cudos for someone modeling the old Sacramento Northern. I grew up with it in it's dying years as it made it's three days a week journey through my (and now our oldest children's) old home town of Walnut Creek, CA. Y'all brought back some very, lovely old memories for me.

[@ToyManTelevision]

Randall Hawkinson hi Randal. I found O Scale way back in the 60s. Not the three rail, but accurate 2 rail. Jack Douglas ( we have talked about him on the channel) had like 15 brass locomotives, no layout. He had a cab forward! A Big Boy! Like half of his locomotives were articulated. Later he built a layout. Basic but huge. And I got to see all those brass engines running. Jack has been gone now for years. His layout building is now a storage rental. All the locomotives sold off. But I fell in love with O scale. Our group had a big layout for years. I still have one standard gauge diesel and two On3 locomotives. But not looking to ever have a layout again. Building the #1 gauge. Perhaps a small HOn3 at some point? Who knows. I rule nothing in or out. But I love my toys. All the G stuff, the O. The HO and HOn3. Yes even N. And I’m laying track again! But in 1gauge.

[@JerkRice]

I love how accurate the details are. You could almost trick yourself into thinking you are looking at vintage movie footage.

[@ToyManTelevision]

Doesn’t take a lot of suspension of disbelief

[@HelloHello-hj7nw]

Your the man that made me start model railroading! Thank you so much...

[@ToyManTelevision]

Hello Hello hi!!! Super!! Grand bit of screwing around.

[@yrunaked4]

The best looking SN traction ive seen period

[@ToyManTelevision]

Right? In fact son of the best train models period! Wow!!! I love the “magic carpet” drives. One motor per axle. Runs so well!!

[@lescobrandon3047]

Beautiful work. Eye-level makes very good sense so people view trains at a level they would see on an actual Railroad. No helicopter views, thank you.

[@upsd402]

Ken Konard i am trying the eye level layout, the only issue is the yard.

[@seanpacificrailroad3700]

Absolutely amazing thanks for another great video the Sacramento northern railway was an amazing railroad in its hay day it started in chico, ca in 1905 as northern electric and then later Sacramento northern and it ran all the up into Oakland Bay Area what a great layout 😁

[@ToyManTelevision]

Some survives. Just a bit.

[@NYCJDClark]

A very outstanding layout. P-48 O Scale is very nice. Thank you for sharing his layout with us.

[@ToyManTelevision]

It’s hard to get to operate well. But wow.

[@timothyboles6457]

Gorgeous layout!! Interesting to see the traction section with the mainland. Cool that there are 2 proto 48 layouts close to each other

[@ToyManTelevision]

Wanna get back. Covid is fading..

[@timothyboles6457]

@@ToyManTelevision hopefully soon. You guys are enjoying screwing around so much now. I hope one day I might be as good at it

[@richwhite4331]

Just a Beautiful piece of craftsmanship !! Thanks!!

[@ToyManTelevision]

Indeed. I love the “magic carpet” drives. One motor on every axle

[@robertemmons2260]

Such an amazing layout! It shows the level of hard work and dedication that one does. Thanks again for another great video.

[@ToyManTelevision]

Robert Emmons hi again. Yup this is just flat amazing. And such great operation

[@jamesf791]

Always loved Interurban trains. Thanks for another great video guys 👍

[@ToyManTelevision]

James I had an inter-urban railroad in HO yeas ago. Point to point. About 16 feet by 16 inches. Point to point. Loves it!!!!

[@terrydikkers4707]

Really really enjoy what you do in showing model RR from around the country. Thank you for all the video's you share with us. Hope you and Karen are healing well, looking forward to Tuesday.

[@ToyManTelevision]

Really well. Free to move about the cabin again. Heck almost free to move about the country! Except we can’t ride or drive more than 20 minutes or so without getting sore. So still not 100%. Let’s call it 68.7%. That’s close enough fir government work.

[@DarrelCarson]

I grew up in the foothills of the Sierras and as a kid, I loved seeing those steeple cabs whenever we'd go to town in the valley. The backseat of the Henry J became my locomotive cab.

[@ToyManTelevision]

Henery J!! Cool! Junk, but cool! Most became dragsters. Cause they don’t weigh much. Anyway cool way to see the SN.

[@colorcountry6605]

Thanks SO much for visiting the model railroads on our tour this past November and producing THREE video segments for Toy Man Television !! Not only did you folks record changes on existing layouts like Jim Harper's, you also included railroads not previously seen on your KZbin channel. To commemorate National Model Railroad Month next November, we hope to see you folks again to visit more club member railroads and the layout we built for the Southern Utah Veterans Home (Lionel) and the G scale (ceiling mounted) layout at Dixie Regional Medical Center's children playroom. Again Dale and Karyn, THANKS SO MUCH !!

[@ToyManTelevision]

Oh so cool!!! We love getting down there. Some times tempted to move there. I did live there in 1999 to 2002 or so. Kayenta. Started a garden layout. Never finished. Anyway every chance we get! If not for our health issues we’d be there NOW! But soon!

[@kevinyoung9557]

That's an incredible layout.O scale to boot.Very sweet.Thanks for the video.

[@ToyManTelevision]

You need to be over the top dedicated to model Proto 48. Wow!!

[@MoosesWorkshop]

Hand laid rail is a lot of work but a far better look. Labor of love.

[@ToyManTelevision]

MoosesWorkshop and it’s really fun. It’s so satisfying to build a switch or crossing and then have it work perfectly!!! That’s what it all a bout!!

[@MoosesWorkshop]

@@ToyManTelevision my outdoor ridable railroad is all hand cut, bent, and assembled. Loved every minute of it. :) My HO railroad... well that is going to be Peco code 83 track. Lol

[@dougcostello9064]

Wow! Beautiful details on these layouts. Thanks for sharing.

[@ToyManTelevision]

This layout and these trains are among the best anywhere. Super well done!!!

[@williamalexy1224]

one of the best layouts that you have ever covered on your chanel. absolutely stunning!

[@ToyManTelevision]

50 years in the making. This one and Ralph Gochnour’s Ogden roundhouse. I guess it takes time.

[@karynfelix-the-Cat]

I LOVE the palm trees!! These are some of the best looking palm trees modeled on a layout! Jim's entire model railroad is one of my favorites!

[@kevinyoung9557]

You all need to hit up St. Paul Minnesota and check out (O scale) Twin City model railroad museum. Their main O scale layout is huge and really beautiful.

[@ToyManTelevision]

Love to. In the summer. When the wind isn’t working.

[@kevinyoung9557]

@@ToyManTelevision check the Hennepin model railroad society in Minneapolis. HO scale layout that is quite large and very well detailed .One of my favorite layouts

[@pbyfr]

Excellent layout, I like the details

[@ToyManTelevision]

Looks so real!!

[@gunnyusmc4957]

Good morning! Wild how he did the track work, really awe, hope y'all have a great week, be safe and take care

[@ToyManTelevision]

gunny USMC hi. I laid a bit of track in HO like this. Sort of. Plastic tie plates. Easy to do. But it takes like an hour to lay a foot. So a railroad this size..... perhaps 500 feet of track.... well he has been on it for 50 years so....

[@simonalexandercritchley439]

Absolutely love this layout,guys. Wish my late uncle Jim Lubin could have seen this. He was a boilermaker back in the days of steam (and diesel) for the B&O.Jim and my aunt May moved here in 1996 from Baltimore (to New Zealand) I was lucky to inherit a lot of train and streetcar/tram books and videos and 2 loco head plaques. I must show you these sometime.

[@ToyManTelevision]

Wow! That’s a move to! We truly love Baltimore. Yes a mixed bag but what history! What a railroad! And the inner harbor and train museum. As for New Zealand I guess we will need to stick to watching lord of the rings. Beautiful place. But a really long drive. Love to see your stuff. Anything off a locomotive or trolley is cool.

[@carlsorensennb7c750]

It is great to see Jim's layout. I wished I traveled that way. My dad knew both Bob and Jim, maybe someday soon.

[@ToyManTelevision]

It’s really amazing. About 50 years old too.

[@jamesharper4797]

Carl, stop by someday when you are traveling I-15 through St. George. Jim

[@Mike-tg7dj]

Nicely done! I always enjoy the visits to model railroads, museums, really everything you do on the channel.

[@ToyManTelevision]

Thanks!!! Need to visit some more!!!

[@Brian_rock_railfan]

Awesome video liked

[@ToyManTelevision]

Castle Rock RAIL FAN hi! Ain’t this an amazing layout?

[@karterk2050]

You guys should totally see if you could get a tour of the UP Steam shops! They have a couple tours for January and February.

[@ToyManTelevision]

Karter K hi!! Have done three times! Look for Big Boy Update and Cheyenne roundhouse tour. And going back in the Soring! Ed is great but can’t let us in except on tours.

[@Loc0motive]

Awesome video once again! What a spectacular layout! SP Rail 4 life!

[@ToyManTelevision]

Amazing right?

[@j.j.foster7002]

So very cool! Every time I see a Southern Pacific F-unit in that "Black Widow" livery, it reminds me of the old Spencer Tracy movie, "Bad Day At Black Rock", which features them in the opening and closing credits.

[@ToyManTelevision]

That opening is the best right? I’ve watched it like 100 times. The rest of the film doesn’t suck either. But that opening!!!!

[@nathancorcoran5347]

There's a model of Southern Pacific 1744. That engine is another survived SP locomotive. It was also the steam locomotive that ran on the Heber Creeper. Which is now called the Heber Valley Railroad.

[@nathancorcoran5347]

The model is shown at 10:43.

[@ToyManTelevision]

Nathan Corcoran hi. Yup. Double headed with that and UP 618 in about 1993.

[@nathancorcoran5347]

Toy Man Television yep.

[@PaulAFulcher]

Another great o scale layout and you filmed it well,thank you for this !

[@ToyManTelevision]

Paul A Fulcher thanks!! Fun trip. In lots of pain. We took the trip days before our planed surgeries. In part to keep our minds off that. But the pain!! Geeezzz. Great now! New hip better living. Wanna go back!

[@danielboone3770]

Dude, thos is an amazing model railroad!

[@ToyManTelevision]

Right!!!

[@john15207]

awesome part 3 keep up the awesome work :-)

[@ToyManTelevision]

Thanks!! Weird show tomorrow

[@upsd402]

Wow, and double wow. Great video, layout, narration, love your channel. It was interesting to see the stream engine about to plow into a caboose.

[@ToyManTelevision]

Close. O scale has better brakes than 1:1 scale. Or it would have been messy that area is blind and the “Engeneer” needs to have someone call the distance to stop. Which should not be STOP!!

[@IronHorsefan1869]

My favorite era is the Old West and 1800s but i love all trains from all eras

[@furiouswolf777voodoo4]

Sacramento, Cal My home town ....nice vid my friend💯🙂

[@ToyManTelevision]

FuriousWolf777 voodoo love the whole area. Old town is amazing

[@daviddryden8088]

Simply amazing!

[@ToyManTelevision]

That it is!!!!!!

[@iannarita9816]

Spectacular layout. Having run 654 at Rio Vista, I was almost drooling over seeing a well detailed model. (hey the pantograph even leans). The SN at its peak ran from Transbay Terminal in San Francisco thru Sacramento(via Rio Vista Junction, the Western Railway Museum) all the way to Chico. Also in Chico the SN ran the last nickel streetcar in the US. Thx again

[@ToyManTelevision]

Over the bay bridge right? Been to rio vista a couple of times. Wow! Even a salt air car. Modeled that in HI years ago. Still have the trains and a few of the structures

[@5-7Farms]

hey guys, Jim Harper's railroad isn't in a basement. He built that room onto his house for his layout.

[@ToyManTelevision]

Hi. I think it was the garage.

[@igordzukleski3851]

The Challenger 3985 was retired 2020

[@ToyManTelevision]

igor dzukleski yup. Working on a video about. 4014 was restored because 3985 was in such bad shape. Cheeper to restore the big boy than the challenger.

[@igordzukleski3851]

New biggest fan and living in living in Macedonia 15 years old have a nice day goodbye America and like America

[@jerrycarpenello9307]

Grew up in Pittsburg Cal sac northern ran through town

[@ToyManTelevision]

Cool! We had a similar. The kennacorr mine railroad. And the salt lake and Garfield western.

[@kevinking5406]

Keep us up to date on your garden railroad PLEASE

[@ToyManTelevision]

Will do!! About 3 inches of snow right now. So moving on to Chama Coaling tower! With 2 drop bottom gons and SOUND!!

[@alejandrobarraganlopez3231]

There's few proto 48 and 87 layouts around there and this one Is amazing on every detail level and item, the tracks, the engine with the same way as prototype works with traction motors on trucks and switch levers makes a magnificent level of detail non common to see this days

[@ToyManTelevision]

Proto 48 to me makes more sense than 87. Still I get it. It’s just that the standard for O was always so bad. And if you want accuracy Proto 48 is the way to go. Not a lot of new people getting in though. Everyone’s 80.

[@SierraRailway]

I've operated the real SN 654 a few times, she's a sweet runner.

[@ToyManTelevision]

I love these. Traction locomotives. Not everyone’s thing. But dang!

[@SteveScotsman]

Wow! That's amazing the detail in that railroad, hey maybe one time could you do a video on the southshore eletric railroad in Chicago?

[@ToyManTelevision]

Kerry Kerner be fun. Love the second city. A lot! Chicago and San Francisco tied fir best in my mind. Oh... and I guess Manhattan. And Baltimore. Anyway lots of great amazing American cities. But ya, that would be cool.

[@SteveScotsman]

@@ToyManTelevision did you hear about the T1 rebuild on the Pennsylvania railroad?

[@Vman7757]

Do they have a track plan for this layout? Wow.

[@ToyManTelevision]

Hi. I’m sure they do. But I haven’t seen it. I’ll look into that.

[@TF856]

Instead of having to duck under the track it would be nice if they had put in a working drawbridge, but maybe a draw bridge would not match up to the prototype of the are that they were trying to copy.

[@TF856]

I wish the steam engines were live steam. I wish I could see a great looking model of the area between Oakland and Walnut Creek of the Sacramento Northern. I drive that way all the time and I'm always looking at where the tracks used to be. I always wished that I could have rode the train before they took it out. With the expansion of commuter trains in the Bay area I always hoped that they would put those tracks back in but it would not be the same, they would modernize it and ruin the historic feel of it. Just like the Western railroad museum near Rio Vista. They put in what they called a reproduction of a historic old train station which does not resemble an old train station in any way whatsoever and it angers me that they wasted that much money on something that does not reflect the past at all! Every single thing about that building looks very modern inside and outside! I have not been back since they built that. I much prefer the very old gas station that was converted to a train station that they used to use there. The Sacramento State railroad museum did a fantastic job, for the most part, of representing something built over 100 years ago.

[@wmtrader]

He should add the Sacramento Northern Railroad ferry across the Sacramento river or the Sacramento Tower Bridge with the Sacramento Northern Railroad going across it.

[@ToyManTelevision]

William Trader or the Mole!! But all those are huge. But WOW!!

[@bobrenner7213]

Beautiful work. Only one minor 'quibble' - the interior of the gondolas are too 'pristine' from what I remember. They look 'fresh from the shop' and should show signs of usage.

[@ToyManTelevision]

Our friend Don was marked down on his scratch built drop bottom gondola for that!! He built it most new. Very little weathering. And painted the inside of the gon. Judge knocked one point for that as he said they never even bothered to paint the inside as that would be a wast of paint. D and RGW. Not sure on that. But he got 124 out of 125 NMRA points at the National in about 1990? It’s on the channel. Look for scratch built gondola.

[@ToyManTelevision]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/iZKsmKOdZc-EbZY

[@Shadowfax-1980]

How does someone find the time to make this??? Amazing!

[@ToyManTelevision]

Traveler 1980 well he has been on it for 50 years. So...

[@jamesharper4797]

The layout has been a labor of love for the past 30 years and cost me a lot less than a 5th wheel RV and the truck to pull it. Jim

[@cambridgeh.lutece6658]

Is the catenary wiring on his SN model custom-built or made by a specific company?

[@ToyManTelevision]

Both. The frogs are a product. As are the hangers. Not sure who. May be part of his product line? Sydham makes them in HO. Or did. Not in business perhaps. Not sure.

[@cambridgeh.lutece6658]

I live by the old Sacramento Northern Right-Of-Way in fact, and it used to run from San Francisco to Chico, with branch lines going to Danville, Walwood, Oroville, Dixon, and Vacaville. 1:29 I was intrigued to find a Niles Car (least I think it is an SN Niles Car) in Proto-48, as I cannot find any SN Equipment, whether a steeple cab or a Holman-Combine in O Scale/Proto-48 for sale. I aim to model the SN Railway in Walnut Creek.

[@ToyManTelevision]

Hi. Jim and some guys made and sold wheel sets for wheel trucks. Thousands of sets! The power trucks were added the the SN units. Jim explained it but I didn’t get that on video. And not sure but the power trucks are “magic carpet” Proto 48 trucks.

[@ToyManTelevision]

rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F223690288034

[@cambridgeh.lutece6658]

Thanks!

[@jamesharper4797]

The interurban car is a St. Louis Car Company car #107 and is a Labelle kit with a lot of extra detail, powered by a NWSL Magic carpet on each truck. My SN is the SP/SN interchange that was at Cannon (Vacaville)and goes to Oakland located in the workshop area. Jim

[@IronHorsefan1869]

Whats your favorite scale, mine is definitely G

[@ToyManTelevision]

Hi. I tend to agree with you on both categories. I’ve had layouts in in HOHOM 300 and three and G. The layout and building right now is a 1/20. Historically I have always loved the old west engines. 1870 my favorite year. Also I like the locomotives all the way out to 1890. And as far back as the Civil War. That said I do enjoy 50s era large steam engines and first generation covered wagon diesel‘s. As well as traction. So I’m really hard to pin down. My railroads as it goes together now will be predominantly Colorado narrow gauge 1930 era. But eight of my locomotives or 3 foot gauge 1870 era. About 12 locomotives from 1930 era. Then there are the logging locomotives. 5 of those. I guess I have a rubber soul.

[@K-Effect]

At 12:12 there is a burnt red union pacific box car. What is under that box car between the trucks? What is that used for? Is it to keep the track clean? Any help would be appreciated.

[@ToyManTelevision]

Kevin Guthrie I’m thinking track cleaner. A bunch of guys in the 60’s and 70’s would scratch build a cleaner that just rides under a car. Usually a pair of brass tubes and 2 rods, often nails, and a lead weight and thin block of wood. When you don’t want it just pick up the car and it falls away. Simple and works great.

[@jamesharper4797]

Yep, the box car has a floating pad underneath that helps clean the rails, used mainly before open house shows. Jim

[@K-Effect]

Thank you👍🏻

[@allanegleston4931]

sac northen was a subsidiary of western pacfic. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacramento_Northern_Railway love the tram models espically. the reason for 2 different poles on the juce jacks were for different voltages along the system. sn even had a 3d rail system.

[@ToyManTelevision]

I love the fireworks when changing poles.

[@ToyManTelevision]

Ps. Love traction and Sacramento northern is a great one!

[@PowerTrain611]

Man, that is cool... but if it were me, I would have drawn power from the catenary. If you're gonna go all the way, might as well go ALL the way! I believe MTH has a working catenary line...

[@ToyManTelevision]

I tried it. Really hard. If you use pantograph like the steeple cab, that’s fairly easy but if you try to use the trolley poles as on the trolley car it’s really hard to get that to work right.

[@PowerTrain611]

@@ToyManTelevision I assume it's hardest to keep contact with the wire because the pantograph isn't spring loaded like the real deal. It would be cool to see a company make components for a system like that!

[@ToyManTelevision]

Bryson Grondin the problem with trolley pole is it’s direction. Pole must always be at the rear. If at the front it’s comes off the wire in a few feet. So just like on the real trolley the motorman has to pull down the rear pole and rase the other pole to change direction. So your layout can’t switch or do point to point. Just circles. Now pantograph is just left up. So better. But the SN uses trolley wire not centenary. So the pantograph tends to loose contact. Modern DCC has a great way to deal with that but old school DC is not good. Lights flash. Motor skips and stalls. I’ve seen a Swiss layout with DCC and Catenary and pantograph that work great! But the easy fix is just power the track. Oh and then you can run diesels and steam too. Note the trolley has trolley pole but it’s down. But it can be raised just to try it. Fun!

[@jamesharper4797]

All of the locomotives are Digital Controlled (DCC) using track power so picking up current from a live overhead wire would be very complicated. Jim

[@PowerTrain611]

@@jamesharper4797 That explains it. I hadn't even considered that. thanks for the information straight from the horse's mouth! Love the layout. I'm so used to 3 rail o-gauge stuff I never heard of proto 48, but now I'm inspired!

[@KandRCustomModels]

Does he sell the the switch stand

[@ToyManTelevision]

Yes. I think so. I think I put a link in the description. At least the name of his web site.

[@jamesharper4797]

All of my former Red cliffs Miniatures switch stands are now available from Jay Criswell of Right-O-Way (right-o-way.us). Jim

[@neilguptill6541]

Here is a model railroad for your review. They plan on putting it on public display sometime in the future. Perhaps at King Street Station in Seattle. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bV6Th2eNr9WXpJI

[@ToyManTelevision]

Wow that’s great!! Thanks!! Hope to see it