Former Layout by Bill Young (d)

Layout Name:

"Railroad Bridges in Northern California"

Layout Status:

dismantled

Track Type:

Layout Space:

10' x 25'

Layout Style:

Around-the-room

Track Manufacturer:

handlaid

Rail Size:

code 100

Min. Turnout Frog:

#8 (main), #5 (yard)

Mainline Track Length:

85'

Railroad(s) Modeled:

Control System:

DCC (North Coast Engineering)

Featured In:

S Gaugian, Mar 2011, pg 17

S Gaugian, Sep 2008, pg 14 (2 photos)

Notes:

Bill passed away on July 25, 2024.

Other Links:

Michael Eldridge's photo album of the bridge that Bill built

A newspaper article about Bill and his bascule bridge (no photos)

More info on Bill's layout.

Three Geeps lead a time freight north across a beautiful scratchbuilt trestle toward Dunsmuir.

Here's something you don't see every day on a layout! Bill scratchbuilt this prize-winning operating bascule bridge piece by piece, starting with sheet brass that he cut and soldered together to make all the structural members. Bridge opening and closing sounds, recorded next to a real-life bascule bridge, are automatically played as the bridge operates. Additionally, Bill built all of his signal bridges by hand, piece by piece, including the two in this shot.

Dunsmuir is nestled in the foothills of Mount Shasta in northern California. This scene mirrors the peaceful streets of the prototype Dunsmuir. The railroad is just out of sight below the foreground retaining wall.

These SP F units prepare to lead a train north out of Dunsmuir Yard. The Dunsmuir business district is in the background. Local artist friend Diana Woods painted Bill's backdrop.

A train passes over the beautifully scratchbuilt trestle toward Dunsmuir. Bill cut the lumber for this trestle from an old redwood fence. Notice the clouds and lightning in the sky above? The lightning actually flashes as thunder peals out.

SP MT-5 #4369 heads south over a trestle while a northbound cab-forward rumbles onto the through truss bridge. See all those laced truss members? Every one of those laces is an individual piece, part of the bridge's meticulously construction by Bill.

Northbound SP AC-12 Cab Forward #4280 hauls a freight past Dunsmuir Station. The loco is a SouthWind Models import.

This cute little church sits in God's country at the end of the road through Dunsmuir. The trees and Diana's background tie the scene together beautifully.

Southbound F units lead a freight past the Dunsmuir diesel shop. Residential Dunsmuir is at the left; downtown is in the right rear. The shop was built from a Lehigh Valley Models kit.

Bill is in the foreground running his SP train. Lee Johnson, next to him, watching the train (Lee passed away a number of years ago), and Joe Visintine looking on in the back.