GMRRC - About the Layout

The Verdugo Valley Lines portrays operations of the Southern Pacific Railroad between downtown Los Angeles and the city of Bakersfield over 100 miles to the north. Intermediate stations represented in miniature are: San Fernando, Saugus, Lancaster, Mojave and Caliente. As a visitor views the layout, the foreground from right to left is occupied by the Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal and supporting coach yards, roundhouse, diesel facilities, Taylor Yard (the massive facility that in real life stretched for more two miles along San Fernando Road), the Glendale station and finally, at far left, the city of Burbank.
Our Track Plan, courtesy of Model Railroader magazine. Click to enlarge

To help promote safety by reducing the potential for confusion, prototype railroads have reduced the four points of the compass to two. East and West. On the Verdugo Valley lines trains headed west originate on the right, leaving from Union Station, Taylor Yard or Glendale. Enroute to Bakersfield the will meet and pass eastbound trains by the means of sidings at intermediate stations. Between stations trains will often disappear into tunnels and on to hidden tracks, only to reappear later on the way to their destination. Bakersfield, the point of origin for eastbound trains is hidden under the mountains at the rear of the layout where there is a yard with holding tracks for trains awaiting departure. Regardless of direction, all trains traverse our replica of Southern Pacific's engineering marvel, the Tehachapi Loop. Completed in 1876, the loop assists trains in their climb over the rugged Tehachapi Mountains by allowing then to gain altitude without the need for excessively steep grades. A California State Historical Landmark, the loop has long been famous for a unique feature whereby a long train will actually pass over itself as it circumnavigates a conical hill. Our loop is located near the right rear of the layout.

Five trains can be operated simultaneously from an equal number of "locomotive cabs" behind the overhead windows to the right of the layout. There are 15 passing and control points know as "blocks" to ensure the safe passage of each train over the railroad. These blocks and the five engineers in the "cabs" are under the control of a single "Dispatcher", also in the overhead area. In addition, the dispatcher also directs the men and women at the various yards panels who prepare trains for departure and receive those coming in off the main line. These floor level panels are located at Glendale, Taylor Yard, and Bakersfield, with auxiliary panels for the trolley line, branch line, narrow gauge railway and turntable areas.

Whoa! Big panorama below! Scroll way to the right to see it all.
photo by Mike O'Brien, November 2005


	The Verdugo Valley Lines portrays operations of the Southern Pacific Railroad between downtown Los Angeles and the city of Bakersfield over 100 miles to the north. Intermediate stations represented in miniature are: San Fernando, Saugus, Lancaster, Mojave and Caliente. As a visitor views the layout, the foreground from right to left is occupied by the Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal and supporting coach yards, roundhouse, diesel facilities, Taylor Yard (the massive facility that in real life stretched for more two miles along San Fernando Road), the Glendale station and finally, at far left, the city of Burbank. Our Track Plan, courtesy of Model Railroader magazine. Click to enlarge To help promote safety by reducing the potential for confusion, prototype railroads have reduced the four points of the compass to two. East and West. On the Verdugo Valley lines trains headed west originate on the right, leaving from Union Station, Taylor Yard or Glendale. Enroute to Bakersfield the will meet and pass eastbound trains by the means of sidings at intermediate stations. Between stations trains will often disappear into tunnels and on to hidden tracks, only to reappear later on the way to their destination. Bakersfield, the point of origin for eastbound trains is hidden under the mountains at the rear of the layout where there is a yard with holding tracks for trains awaiting departure. Regardless of direction, all trains traverse our replica of Southern Pacific's engineering marvel, the Tehachapi Loop. Completed in 1876, the loop assists trains in their climb over the rugged Tehachapi Mountains by allowing then to gain altitude without the need for excessively steep grades. A California State Historical Landmark, the loop has long been famous for a unique feature whereby a long train will actually pass over itself as it circumnavigates a conical hill. Our loop is located near the right rear of the layout. Five trains can be operated simultaneously from an equal number of "locomotive cabs" behind the overhead windows to the right of the layout. There are 15 passing and control points know as "blocks" to ensure the safe passage of each train over the railroad. These blocks and the five engineers in the "cabs" are under the control of a single "Dispatcher", also in the overhead area. In addition, the dispatcher also directs the men and women at the various yards panels who prepare trains for departure and receive those coming in off the main line. These floor level panels are located at Glendale, Taylor Yard, and Bakersfield, with auxiliary panels for the trolley line, branch line, narrow gauge railway and turntable areas. Whoa! Big panorama below! Scroll way to the right to see it all. photo by Mike O'Brien, November 2005

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