Kenneth & Sonje - Loveland, CO
RGS Extension
The original idea was to reflect the Rio Grande Southern during its last few years with lots of deferred maintenance and motive power on loan. The layout has evolved substantially over four years with many modifications and abandonments. The track makes a loop on the south end and a large loop on the north end connected by a single track but with a long passing siding. Added to this was a very long passing siding on the north loop. The most open area is a long curve over 300 degrees around a blue spruce. This is where the village of Mountain Pride is located. Most if the line is under bushes and tree and is not visible on Google Earth. I soon discovered that commercial buildings were not in a true 1:20.3 scale. This has led to the construction of 11 buildings including a four stall car barn, a hotel and a large section house. Motive power are all remote control, battery powered steam locomotives: C-16, C-19 and a Mogul. Some 40 cars, both passenger and freight, are kept in service on the layout. During the summer, there are three to four operating sessions. The RGS Extension operates around the year on about 600 feet of track including sidings plus 16 switches.
The original idea was to reflect the Rio Grande Southern during its last few years with lots of deferred maintenance and motive power on loan. The layout has evolved substantially over four years with many modifications and abandonments. The track makes a loop on the south end and a large loop on the north end connected by a single track but with a long passing siding. Added to this was a very long passing siding on the north loop. The most open area is a long curve over 300 degrees around a blue spruce. This is where the village of Mountain Pride is located. Most if the line is under bushes and tree and is not visible on Google Earth. I soon discovered that commercial buildings were not in a true 1:20.3 scale. This has led to the construction of 11 buildings including a four stall car barn, a hotel and a large section house. Motive power are all remote control, battery powered steam locomotives: C-16, C-19 and a Mogul. Some 40 cars, both passenger and freight, are kept in service on the layout. During the summer, there are three to four operating sessions. The RGS Extension operates around the year on about 600 feet of track including sidings plus 16 switches.
C-16 comes around the blue spruce loop with tank cars.
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True 1:20.3 scale buildings were constructed for the layout with a supervisor’s home and an old section house.
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C-19 pulls a long freight past the section house on the main line connecting the two loops.
A K-27 pulls a long freight with the town of Mountain Pride in the background.
Mogul No. 6 is approaching the large section house on the north loop were there are two sidings.
A homemade gondola and snow plow are used to clear the tracks for winter operation.
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A large four-track car barn is near the main line at the south end.
This is Mountain Pride in winter with the hotel on the right and the small depot on the left.
The small depot is patterned after one along the Norfolk & Western in Virginia.
This is an ore sorting house and head frame on the south end service by a spur. Gondolas are used to haul the hand picked, high grade ore to a mill.
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