Southern Pacific trains occasionally operated over Santa Fe’s Cajon Pass, as was the case on August 29, 1951, when this westbound Golden State detoured over Cajon because of flooding on the SP at Yuma, Ariz. This model railroad layout was featured in the October 2005 issue of Model Railroader. Photo by Gary Hoover.
Santa Fe blue-and-yellow freight-painted cab units roll through Gary Hoover's depiction of southern California's arid mountains in this HO Scale model railroad. This model railroad layout was featured in the October 2005 issue of Model Railroader. Photo by Gary Hoover.
Second-generation diesel locomotives pose in front of a depot — a main thoroughfare for the Santa Fe in the steam-to-diesel transition era. This model railroad layout was featured in the October 2005 issue of Model Railroader. Photo by Gary Hoover.
Just above Wootton Ranch on New Mexico’s Raton Pass, Santa Fe F7 freight units pass the tail end of another freight sporting a waycar with highball signals. In the days before radios the rear-end crew wagged the signal back and forth to communicate with the locomotive crew. This model railroad layout was featured in the October 2005 issue of Model Railroader. Photo by Gary Hoover.
A friendly wave from the engineer greets these Colorado natives as they watch the 3800-class 2-10-2 steam helper pound over a stone culvert just north of Wootton Ranch. This model railroad layout was featured in the October 2005 issue of Model Railroader. Photo by Gary Hoover.
A westbound Santa Fe passenger train and an eastbound freight meet at Dick Wootton’s ranch just north of the Colorado-New Mexico border. Gary scratchbuilt the barn from stripwood. This model railroad layout was featured in the October 2005 issue of Model Railroader. Photo by Gary Hoover.
Rainbow Bridge, just railroad-west of Victorville, Calif., carries historic U.S. Route 66 over the Mojave River. The tonnage on this westbound Union Pacific freight warrants a helper. The presence of UP steam helpers was one reason Gary chose to model 1951. This model railroad layout was featured in the October 2005 issue of Model Railroader. Photo by Gary Hoover.
A Santa Fe steam locomotive and caboose are posed at Gary Hoover's HO Scale representation of "Summit", the top of the grade for the Santa Fe in California's Cajon Pass. A trolley car that was at Summit in the 1950s is easily seen in the background of this parched scene. This model railroad layout was featured in the October 2005 issue of Model Railroader. Photo by Gary Hoover.
An Alco-powered UP freight smokes up the cut just west of the Summit yard. To warn the crews at Summit, the “TRAIN” sign rotated into view when a train entered the block. This model railroad layout was featured in the October 2005 issue of Model Railroader. Photo by Gary Hoover.
With Fairbanks-Morse Erie-builts on the point, the westbound Union Pacific Los Angeles Limited glides past Summit depot on California’s Cajon Pass. Union Pacific operates via trackage rights over this part of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Ry., and the variety of traffic is a key reason why Gary Hoover included Cajon Pass in his 1951-themed Santa Fe layout. This model railroad layout was featured in the October 2005 issue of Model Railroader. Photo by Gary Hoover.
The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe’s Golden Gate, led by Alco PA no. 51, stops at Oxnard on Rick Stern’s HO scale layout. Though the prototype’s Golden Gate only ran north of Bakersfield, Calif., on Rick’s freelanced Southern California branch line, it’s the premier passenger train. This model railroad layout was featured in the December 2015 issue of Model Railroader. Photo by Lou Sassi
This view of the original part of the layout room shows Oxnard to the right, Casitas Yard to the left, and the Casitas engine terminal straight ahead. Railroad postcards and artwork decorate the lighting valance above the layout. This model railroad layout was featured in the December 2015 issue of Model Railroader. Photo by Lou Sassi
Engine no. 1075, a 2-6-2, switches Reyes. Other than the general store-gas station in the former opera house, the storefronts are mostly abandoned. Rick used Reyes as a place to test structure weathering techniques. This model railroad layout was featured in the December 2015 issue of Model Railroader. Photo by Lou Sassi
Occasionally the Southern Pacific will detour a train over Rick’s Santa Fe branch. Here, a Broadway Limited Imports Cab-Forward pulls a sugar beet train over the Sespe Creek trestle, while a Santa Fe local freight passes below. This model railroad layout was featured in the December 2015 issue of Model Railroader. Photo by Lou Sassi.
Santa Fe 2-10-2 no. 3012 is under a slow order as it rolls through a Cuyama grade crossing, since the wig-wag signals are being repaired. The town’s “Wild West” look was inspired by a trip to Virginia City, Nevada. The locomotive is a West Side brass import. This model railroad layout was featured in the December 2015 issue of Model Railroader. Photo by Lou Sassi
Westbound passenger local No. 43, consisting of a Doodlebug and a round end observation, stops at Cuyama. Rick scratchbuilt the station from wood blocks and cardstock, following plans for the Santa Fe freight house at Capistrano. This model railroad layout was featured in the December 2015 issue of Model Railroader. Photo by Lou Sassi
