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Jim Pendley’s HO scale Western Pacific RR was featured in the December 2016 Model Railroader and Great Model Railroads 2009. The layout’s dramatic scenery depicts what railroading was like in the deep canyons of the Feather River in Northern California. Jim also enjoys modeling the railroad in four distinct time periods: the 1960s, the early 1970s, the early 1980s, and the mid 1980s. Watch examples of different trains from different eras run along the Feather River Route.
@Reynold, many of the mountains on Jim’s layout tower above me, and as you know I’m almost 6-4. Yes, it’s impressive scenery. You do feel as if you are in a canyon.
Jim also handlaid all the track. The model of the Spanish Creek Trestle (Keddie Wye bridge) is amazing to see in person. Many of the video and still shots look down on it, because that is how it’s seen from the highway. But when you get another perspective of it, it’s an mighty impressive model that really points to Jim’s craftsmanship.
So amazing to see the layout!! It makes you think your actually in the canyon!!
Great layout and great photography! Thanks for sharing.
I have the good fortune of living in the area of the Keddie Wye. I took one look at the photos taken of your layout and I new exactly what I was looking at. What a great job you did capturing the Feather River area! What an amazing layout!
Great attention to detail! Well done!
Great job on a wonderful layout, the wye is a signature feature,as it should be.
What a great layout…Gives me some thought to my layout.. As i like the WP railway also..
What a wonderful layout. I love the big mountain scenery and the colorful multi-unit lash-ups. Thanks for the video.
Love the “Wobbly!”
The low shots looking up at the trains above and the high shots looking across at the trains below were superb.
The last scene shot from ABOVE the mountains was fantastic and OVER-the-TOP.
Wow! It so reminded me of John Allen’s wonderful peaks to the ceiling and canyons down to the floor, but you had no ceiling.
Just how high are your mountains? !!!
I knew I was watching a model railroad, but some of the shots were so realistic that I had to watch again to make sure that some actual footage wasn’t interspersed in the video. Well done!!
Fantastic layout !
Wow. Absolutely fantastic. Great job and thanks for sharing.
Very nice layout, very nice video too!
Really nice layout Jim…
Jim, Your layout is just beautiful. Thanks for letting everyone take a look.
I know that the Rockies are like that (I live in Calgary, Alberta, 60 miles from Banff) yet I am just blown away by the railroad engineering that took place to actually build this railroad! Whether it was the real world or a model, it is amazing! Imagine building a railroad on a 60 degree slope!
Spectacular rockwork Jim. Thanks for sharing. Would really enjoy an “in cab” view.
Interesting layout. Lots of peaks and valleys to run through. Old engineers blow up rock piles so they won’t hinder sight or hold snow in the winter. Well laid out……running many con’sists and company lines. Thx for sharing your expertise.
Damn, let me pick myself up off the floor.
Sure glad I was able to see the WP that way in the 60’s / 70’s and 80’s as a railfan first, and then a train dispatcher for the Canyon and Highline for years. JUST UNREAL.
You are Pelle are making this hobby just too tough on the rest of us.
Congrats, loved the pictures previously but this video is OVER THE TOP!
Very well done!!
The scenery very well done. For a moment I thought The opening shot was of the prototype 🙂
G’day from North Queensland, Australia,
This was the Layout that inspired me to try to create a similar Layout in N Scale after getting my 2009 Great Model Railroads in the post. I now have a 2 level Layout complete with a Keddie Wye and a very simple Double Track Main Line plus a upper level section for the ” What’s yours is Mine ” Coal Mine at one end and a Service Centre/Engine House Turntable and Yard the other end of the upper Level.
I called it The Feather River Route Layout. but it is a Free Lance type of Layout that is designed for the running of fairly long Trains just doing their own thing of constant loops that I find relaxing.
Looking at this superb and all class effort by Jim Pendley makes me realise despite having got a lot done with the help of a few of the Guys from our small N Scale Club here in Townsville, Nth. Qld I sure have a long way to go.
I’ve lost most of this years progress in working on the Layout due to a horrible year of health issues indeed it seems by what they tell me I almost fell off the perch twice this year, once in January and a second one due to an infection in April.
I guess The Good Lord didn’t need any Stirrers upstairs for awhile yet.
The Bigger Shed I always wanted managed to get built in between visits to Hospital and I am now the proud owner of a 10 M X 5 M Air-Conditioned Steel Shed that’s about 30′ X 15′ in the old scale. so the big move for my Layout from our old house to our new place closer to our Hospital will be on as soon I can manage it. If anyone would like a look at my Layout or ask about our N Scale Club here in Townsville, Nth Qld you can always get me on my e-mail of marg_den@bigpond.net.au or if ringing in Australia try our home on 07 47250770
Regards to All and Congratulations to Jim on a Fantastic Layout.
For a couple of seconds at the opening I thought I was watching a prototype train. The low angle looking up at the engine coming around the corner was excellent. Very well done video – thanks!
Beautiful layout do you ever have an open house, would love to see up close
Jim describes how he makes those tree in the article in GMR 2009