SP Los Angeles Division
The Los Angeles Division was designed for operations. Taylor Yard is the hub of the railroad. There are three other yards as well. Switching is a major focus, and there are plenty of locals. Mainline trains are required to move the traffic in and out of the Los Angeles basin. 46 staging tracks represent four off layout destinations. The track plan and industries are derived from the Southern Pacific Industrial Numbering System (SPINS) diagrams for the area. The majority of the industries modeled existed on the prototype.
The era is 1979 to 1984. Per-diem boxcars and power pooling provide color amongst a fleet of scarlet and gray SP locomotives and many oxide freight cars.
For DesertOps ’24:
– The session will use switchlists. Eventually, a car card and waybill system will be used.
– The railroad will be staffed with a crew of 5 operators.
Control: NCE DCC wireless.
Rick is working hard to complete the railroad for DesertOps. It is still under construction, being about 70% complete. He is looking to be operational for DesertOps ’24. In the event that the railroad isn’t ready, The LA Division session will move to Rick’s SP Exeter Branch.
Construction of the Southern Pacific Los Angeles Division is being chronicled in his blog: https://spladivision.blogspot.com/
| Owner | Rick Watson |
| Location | Tempe AZ |
| Prototype | Southern Pacific, Los Angeles Division |
| Scale | HO |
| Era | 1979-84 |
| Locale | Los Angeles |
| Forwarding | Switchlist |
| Control System | NCE DCC |
| Size | 40×50 |
| Style | Along the walls with peninsulas |
| Communication | Verbal, visual rules |
| Access | Stairs – Stand alone room – 4.5′ aisles |
| Pets | Dogs – not in layout room |
| Smoking | No |
| Jobs | 5 – Local switching and mainline running |
| Crew Size | 5 |