Rio Grande Southern
Rio Grande Southern – Northern Division My layout is a late 1940s re-creation of a portion of the Rio Grande Southern RR, spanning from Ridgway, Co. to Telluride, Co., also including some D&RGW track from Ridgway to Ouray, Co. Under construction for approximately 7 years, the layout’s track work is 100% complete, with buildings and scenery about 80% complete. RGS and D&RGW mainline track measures approximately 150 lineal feet with about 400 lineal feet of passing sidings, yard tracks and industrial spurs. Most all track work was hand-laid except for two staging yards under the layout which represent the towns of Durango, Co. and Montrose, Co. In addition to the RGS and D&RGW operations, the layout contains a logging and ore railroad called the San Miguel Lumber and Ore Company which traverses the entire layout.
The On30 layout utilizes car cards for car forwarding. There is no dispatcher. Most operating sessions involve 2 one-man road crews, one Ridgway yardmaster and one operator for the lumber and ore operations. Sessions run about 3.5 hours long. All throttles are wireless NCE Cab06’s operating on a NCE DCC base station.
The layout is located in an air conditioned/heated 400sf room addition to the main house. Aisle spaces are minimum 3’ wide except at aisle entrance pinch points. Layout surface is approximately 48” above the finished floor. Lighting is very generous. Restrooms are a room away.
| Owner | Kim Bannister |
| Location | Scottsdale AZ |
| Prototype | Rio Grande Southern |
| Scale | On30 |
| Era | 1948 |
| Locale | Southwest Colorado |
| Forwarding | CC&WB |
| Control System | NEC Wireless DCC |
| Size | 15′ x 25′ |
| Style | Walkin ‘U’ plus peninsula |
| Communication | Verbal, visual rules |
| Access | No issues |
| Pets | No |
| Smoking | No |
| Jobs | 4 |
| Crew Size | 1 |