Southern Pacific Lines / Lost Dutchman RR
This layout was featured in the April `22 issue of RMC.
The two different railroads are depicted with an interchange at Tempe AZ in a “could have been” alternate history. It is August of 1967, and cotton, citrus, and copper reign.
The layout is a half mile south of the actual Southern Pacific line between Phoenix and Chandler. Modeled locations include Tovrea, Tempe, Normal, Mesa, and Chandler, with staging representing Phoenix and Tucson. Tempe actually had 3 branches; theKyrene(1), Terrace, and Creamery branches. In the alternate history, the SP spun off the branches as well as the Tempe engine facility to the Lost Dutchman RR.
The Lost Dutchman is a bridge line / tourist railroad owned by an eccentric Cajun billionaire with minority interest held by both the Southern Pacific and the Great Northern. The branches have been rationalised and freight traffic further developed so that the line is self-supporting. The tourist operation is the special interest of the Cajun. As a result, a significant amount of “heritage” equipment is preserved and operated. Steam engines from a handful of roads are kept at the Tempe roundhouse and there are historic freight and passenger car paint schemes in service as well.
The Kyrene(1) extends south from Tempe, serving the industrial park at Peterson, Oncroy Ridge, Tyrell industries at Helena, Marathon Steel at Kyrene, and then the new industrial park at Aptakisic. The Dutchman has redeveloped the area south of Kyrene by subletting it to the Chicago Shortline Association(2), and they named Aptakisic after an area near Chicago. The raised area near the center of Aptakisic is the only intact section that could be saved from the famous GSV (in Phoenix) of Ed Ravenscroft(3). That entire area is now the Aptakisic Artificial Shrub Corp, and will get a chain-link fence at some point. The roundhouse and turntable (also from the GSV) serve as overflow from the main shops in Tempe. The elevated track represents a grade separation project over State Highway 347. The plate girder bridges were saved from the original 1947 GSV layout in Chicago.
The Lost Dutchman interchanges with the Southern Pacific in Tempe, then runs to the north. Locations are Hayden Mills, Creamery, Galveston, Uvalde, Gringo Junction(4), Ephrata, Eden Perdu, Clannad(5), and Two Guns. (all in Arizona). There will also be an inland car ferry operation (a la Slocan) on Saguaro Lake from Butcher Jones Landing to Port Evangeline and Tortilla Flat. Eden Perdu is a division point and will have a yard, and Baker Paper Mill No.6. Two Guns will be the site of more staging and the Santa Fe interchange, just west of Winslow and south of Canyon Diablo.
Traffic is managed by conventional CC&WB, control is DCC. Jobs currently work Tempe Yard, Mesa Yard, the Engine Terminal, and Locals on the Kyrene, the Lost Dutchman line to the north, and the SP. No dispatcher (yet). Welcome!
1 The Kyrene was the actual original line to Phoenix, built in the 1880’s.
2 Consortium: Glencoe Skokie Valley, Central of Wisconsin, and Colorado Northern
3 Aptakisic appeared in the Sep 72 MR p.41
4 Home of the “Monsters of Gringo Junction”.
5 “LD” devices are made and fitted here. The LD emblem is commonly seen on freight cars.
| Owner | W David Doiron |
| Location | Tempe AZ |
| Prototype | Freelance suburban |
| industrial railroad | |
| depicting Tempe AZ and Northward | |
| Scale | HO |
| Era | 1967 |
| Locale | Tempe and Northern AZ |
| Forwarding | Car Card / Waybill |
| Control System | Easy DCC |
| Size | 50′ x 100′ (50% built) |
| Style | Walk around |
| Communication | Verbal, visual track rules |
| Access | Basement |
| Pets in home | None |
| Smoking | No |
| Website | Under construction |
| Crew Size | 11 |
| Jobs | |
| 2 Yardmasters | |
| Engine terminal | |
| Local (8 positions) | |
| Road crew |