I have visited this layout a few times & loved it each time. Just so true to the California vibe its amazing. Thank you for presentations.

Transition Era Tehachapi Pass Operations👍👍

I would like to sincerely thank the La Mesa Model Railroad Club for being the highlight of the most recent of my trips to the San Diego Model Railroad Museum. As a kid, I was always drawn to the 3-railers, and I made many great memories there. But, during my most recent trip as a teenager, I got to have a more serious discussion about trains and the hobby. One member of the club even let me operate his train for a couple of hours. Thank you, for bringing me the second greatest experience involving trains in my life. Getting a small cab ride in Tallyllyn was still just a bit better.

I am so glad to see this layout. It brings back old memories. I visited this layout back in 1994 and they took me on a personal behind the scenes tour of the layout. It was one of my favorite memories of visiting San Diego.

Great video of a great layout. Thanks for the video.

Thank you having us along.

these videos are awesome

The level of realism and verisimilitude is impressive. No exaggerations. Just what is expected of a model that represents the ferme system in all its expression.

I visit the San Diego model Railroad museum every chance I get when I’m home in he San Diego area. My late wife & I used to take our children there when they were small, they loved the trains. I’m in the process of starting up my own N scale layout. My layout plan is the entire West Coast from San Diego to Vancouver,BC,Canada.

Thank you for doing this,I love the history ,I used to drive semi reefer truck through this area but never had the opportunity to learn all the history behind the Tehachapi Loop. Thank you all for what you have done here.

As a long-time San Diego resident since 1966, I watched this layout grow over the years with great interest and couldn't admire it more if I tried. But bloody hell, man, the Spanish word 'de' is pronounced 'day!"

Astounding layout. Sweeping scenery give an idea of the wide open spaces. Enjoyed every second of the video.

I've really enjoyed this video. The dedication to the history of this iconic route is impressive as I have rail-fanned this area many times and am now better informed. I would like to thank those who spent countless hours weathering the motive power and rolling stock of this video and those that are the scenic artists as well. As a model railroader, the detailing alone is priceless. Thank you to all. Great work !

When I was in the Navy, I was in the San Diego Model Railroad Club. Even though it took a lot of growing pains, it is wonderful to see how the museum has expanded.

Ah, somewhere beyond this veil of tears, Frank Cox might actually be smiling (a little) at what the San Diego Model Railroad Museum has accomplished. Well done especially LMMRRC!

Back in 1968, I think it was, I was a "military associate" (Navy of course) member of the original club in Balboa Park. I have often wondered what happened to the old layout. Then there was an "O" gauge line too. What an outstanding improvement over the original. It also goes to show, if you want to reproduce the prototype it takes space and many years to do it. After all most of the fun is the building, and the operation too, I guess. Thanks for a great Show.

Brilliant as always, and this particular video offers an excellent, comprehensive overview of the entire project. I was never a member (as I live out of state), but the club graciously afforded me opportunities to run trains on "display" weekends (for about two months) back in the early '80s and to participate on Tuesday nights, which were work nights. The latter was no small thing as this club had then, and probably still does now, the most exacting model-building and operating standards I've ever come across. Then, the cars were very heavily weighted (six to eight ounces), and used Kadee #5 couplers (#5's metal vs plastic #4's). There were absolutely no "dummy" locomotives. As museum director John Rotsart explained to me, every bit of motive power was needed to get the trains up and over the pass (which in those days ended in a turnback loop not far above tunnel five). He also pointed out the ruling grade (on this layout) was 2% rather than the 2 1/2% percent of the prototype...because had they used the real-world gradient, the line would have ended up going right through the museum's ceiling. As I recall the bottom of the ceiling was about 20 feet off the floor...which gives you a true picture of the scope of this project. If you ever travel to San Diego make it a VERY high priority to visit not only the entire museum, but this layout in particular. It's truly a project second to none.

Wow, that loop looks just like the real thing

to think that a bunch of teens decided to build this masterpiece is astonishing thank you for the tour you need to do another video update after tunnel 14 and other places are scenic

What can I say , great , well done !

Great presentation! The layout is astounding, if only we all possessed the talent and skill that went into this layout!! And the added history lesson that is given in this video...nice touch!

Outstanding production work. The quality is A plus. The club layout is very much in progress but what is to be done yet is very well explained.

Love the little jolt it gives at the 19:36 mark. Apparently wheel slip is a pain in any scale.

Lovely video! Its awesome that you follow the train over the whole layout. One thing that I´d love to see in future videos: please show the consists of the other trains. Thanks for making and sharing!

Fantastic! I wish I had taken the time to visit when we lived in San Diego. We left in 1993.

Beautiful video, and remarkable club layout. I visited around 2010, and it remains one of my favorite memories of San Diego.

thank you for doing this! the history and the scene incorporation is just excellent! I have seen this layout in videos but never knew the history! the guy doing the video, is excellent! thanks to him too!

That was awesome. What I really liked unlike some of the other videos of the same layout is it was mentioned where this was exactly and as well it explained how the layout went along and where the various sidings were at on the way to and beyond the Tehachapi loop. :)

Bravo! This is one of the most awesome layouts I've ever seen gang...great job. Blown away by the real looks and presentation 👍

Great video of a great layout. Easily the best layout I've ever seen in person. Love the attention to detail in reproducing scenes and eras and equipment. And it's huge!! I guess today (on the prototype), more double track has been added and clearances extended for double-stack trains.

This really gives me inspiration to press on with my project. Any project. Thank you!

wow - that is all!

I have to come see this. WOW

Neat video. So far I like how your layout tours emphasize the history of the prototype and how it translates in miniature instead of trying to just go for the "wow" moment. Thanks for sharing!

I was lucky to get to not only see this layout in person not long ago, but also to get to look around inside and underneath it. I've heard stories about op sessions where someone could be waiting at a signal for hours. There's also a great N scale layout and a couple others there but the HO one is the only one you usually hear about

Wonderful stuff! Thanks for sharing.

Loved it. More please!!!!

Really nice layout guys 👍🏻

Jason , Real good job of walking us through the layout . Very informative .

Fabulous layout. Also great attention to details.

Very well done!! Thank you!!

Well done! Thank you!!

This is amazing. Great commentary.

Incredible layout!

Next trip to CA. I will visit. I Never knew you were there. Beautiful workmanship.

That was a good layout you have there it was good to see it 👍

Fantastic! Shows the various aspects of MRRing. Educational. TY :)

Amazingly satisfying. Thank you so very much. fantastic work and overview.

Excellent work!

Amazing! Thanks for sharing. Very impressive.

Fascinating voice over and terrific layout modeling!

An amazing club layout!

Excellent video, very well done, wish I knew about this layout when I visited San Diego several years ago, I guess I'll have to return just to see the layout in person, it is amazing!

Great stuff !

The first fellow I met at the club was Paul Lubliner heading a train upgrade out of tunnel 1/2, who handed me his handheld throttle after a short talk (so he could make cow eyes at my lovely little sister) and with a note of caution to "be careful, because it's pretty hot." Yes it was--this was long before the age of DCC--sporting a big, fat power transistor and heatsink on the bottom. Yowch!!! The NEBO hall layout (the "Northern and Gulf," which had, by then, been featured in an issue of Railroad Model Craftsman magazine) was, I think, located on the upper floor of a fire-station in La Mesa proper. Knowing this I casually asked Paul if their Tehachapi layout was going to use the brand new, very high fidelity "N&G" signals, considered the best available at the time. He gave me a strange look and said "I AM N&G Signal." N&G=Northern and Gulf...doh!!! So once I had pulled my foot back out of my mouth he showed me a part of his then, new, project--what turned out to be the "Highliners" F units. That project took years, and he lost a lot of money pushing it through, but eventually it led to the high fidelity "Athearn" F3/7/9 units you can buy today. In fact, I think you are seeing those very same (A & B) units in this video.

Great work

this is impressive!

Great Layout Tour, That is one nice "Big" Model Railroad. Hadn't seen it for few year, hope I will soon. Being from Tehachapi they always ask what I think....I tell them, It's just like home. Bob

Amazing

great layout tour dan and John, i enjoyed the great content of this great channel

Never knew, will have to visit.

Bravo!

Great!

Wow.thanks for sharing.

Love it!

Impressive. Really, really nice. I hope I can operate there someday.

Pat your back!

Very impressive. Well produced in all ways. This would make a good DVD.

cool i like

Press F to pay respects to tunnel no. 4

Absolutely awesome amazing talent and detailed layout wow ! Take care! Peace from Welland Ontario Canada 🇨🇦

Aloha Jason ,,, *Great Fun* --- *Great Presentation* ... You've Got a "Knack" and a Great Voice For This Kind of Work... You're Good & Very Knowledgeable... I Was a SP "Daylight" Baby... I Love'd Them "Daylight's"... BIG, FAST & BEAUTIFUL ***Some Sad RR Trivia_The Darker Side of Trains*** ---- ***Please Read On*** We Had a Ranch About a Mile West of The Tracks, (Coyote Ca) With a House That Sat Up On a Hill That Over Looked The Whole Valley... "SP's Coyote Station" Was a Mail and Water Stop, Located Just South of San Jose... (The 10 Mile House) I Still Have a Business Located at SP's "Coyote Station"... In Fact, "We" Still Get All Our Water From The Same SP Well That Was Used To Fill The Water Tank That Serviced The Steam Engines... This Section of Track Was Almost a Straight Run Out of San Jose To Gilroy Ca... Almost 35 Miles of Straight Track, Running Right Down The Middle of What Is Known Today As, "Silicon Valley"... So The Trains Really Got Up a Big Head of Steam, On This Section of Track... (Very Fast) *Now The Real Sad Part* -- There Were At Least 35 Road (Car) Crossings On This 35 Mile Stretch... While Most Were "Graded Crossings", a Few Were Non-Graded Crossings... Those Were Extremely Dangerous... A Few Had "Warning Bells & Lights", But Most Were "Naked", Unprotected Crossings... For Years, Only a Couple Had "Drop Down Gates" ... (One In Morgan Hill, One In San Martin) The Rest Were "Naked" For Many Years... So It Was An Extremely Dangerous Situation For Cars, Tractors, or Anything Else That Had To Cross The Tracks... Every Year At Least Two or Three Cars Would Get Hit,,, Most Years, Many More... It Was a Regular Nightmare... This Section of Track and Highway, Got To Be Known As "Blood Alley" By The Locals... **And It Was a Real "Blood Alley"(US101)** Believe Me, It Was a Nightmare For All Anyone Who Lived There.. *I Personally lost 6 Friends In One Day* -- All At The Same RR Crossing, But In Two Different Accidents... Two Were Killed In The Am, and Four More Killed Later That Same Day... This Crossing Did Have One of "Wig Wag Signals",,, One of The Few On The "Line", But No Drop Down Crossing Gates... These Accidents Happened Right In The Middle Town, Morgan Hill... *A Little More SP Trivia* All The Trains Involved Would Blow Their Whistle or Horns In a Very Distinctive and Ominous Fashion,,, After They Had Hit a Car... It Was An Eire Sound, It Had a Different Cadence, and a Special, or Strange Tone... Especially The Steam Trains... So You, and Everybody Else In The Valley, Knew Exactly What, When, and Where The Accident Happened... What You Didn't Know,,, Was *"Who" Just" Got Killed*... I Have Many Horror Stories, More Then I'd Like To Remember... We Lost Neighbors, Schoolmates, and Yes, a Few Dear Friends... But I Still Love Trains,,, Especially Them Colorful "SP Orange & Red Daylights"

Hey folks, for some reason, KZfaq did not fully process this version to full 1080 HD. I have uploaded a full HD version you can watch at this link: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/m9t5lqSCsd-caJs.html

Amazing work but .... " Here we see " will haunt me :)

At the tank where the engine takes water, I didn't see the large diameter (probably 12") black pipe that went down the embankment from the tank like the prototype had.

This is such a great video about SD history. I had no idea that La Mesa's club was a charter member of the model railroad museum in Balboa Park. There's another small museum at Grossmont Center. Are they associated with your club?

Are the 'F' units M/U'd with the steam engine or is it providing power on its' own. he's the master couldn't have said it any better!

Another question: Back in the day there was a faction of the club that literally wanted to try to model "fog" in the Ilmon section, the method/idea being to use multiple layers of a fabric known taffeta, which is a fine mesh...or cotton balls (I can't remember). Had it used taffeta it would have used white taffeta, of course. Was that project ever tried, or pushed through? That section seems not to incorporate fog today, but I have to wonder if it ever did.

What do you guys use to clean and keep the track so clean? I have a hard time keeping track clean.

Great tour, and a lot of work! At the end, you can see a rough spot in the crossover being used by the helper. Now, a big question; you mentioned the roadbed ( on the real rails ) being raised several feet during reconstructions. For the time it would take to do this, was the railroad shut down?, or was there a temporary bypass built?

My friend Ryder runs trains there!

Yo I just had a thought. What if they had a room model like a 1950’s interlocking tower with screens on the wall to simulate windows to watch trains pass and actually switch tracks like it’s real life just in HO form?

How long did it take to scratchbuild the station?

One of the techie things not mentioned is that a lot of the railroad has fully operational signals! The signals are not just for show. There's a central CTC dispatch office that can control signals (and switches) as needed. Just like the real railroad.

Very excellent. Train engines could use more sound.

Have you guys ever been to Black Diamond Lines Model Railroad Club in Antioch California?

whats the longest train that has ever ran on the layout

I live near the real caliente and bakersfeild

Nice. But like all the others, trains are moving too slow. Can't they run at track speed

Question...@ 17:35 to 17:56 (or so) I hear the sound of what appears to be a diesel engine at idle. Is that, possibly, the sound "from" the diesel truck sitting at the road crossing, waiting for the train to pass and clear the road? If so, that's utterly brilliant, and just one more example of the attention to detail.

What are the minimum curve radaii you use?

I wonder how often the tracks need to be cleaned

i cant think of the name off the top of my head, but doesnt this guy have an outfit that makes sp flatcar wood loads and computer service tail lights? i wanna say it starts with a G. grizzly something perhaps?

with passenger cars

There was no "1967 rebuild" of the real rail line at Ilmon. Tunnel 1/2 was dug in 1885, not "about 1900." Regarding the watering of the steam engine helper at Woodford, the railroads never used such an ineffecient procedure as depicted by the La Mesa club. In the steam era, on a train with one steam locomotive helper, a train's air brake system would have been under the control of the helper locomotive's engineer as the helper approached one of the trackside water columns. The helper locomotive engineer would then stop the train when his engine was next to the water column. No need to uncouple the locomotive with cars behind it and then back down to a water column. The water tanks at Woodford were as black as the steam locomotives, not the rather odd shade painted by La Mesa. Throughout the video, the narrator mispronounced "Caliente."

Besides not being painted accurately, the shape of the wooden water tanks at Woodford wasn't modeled correctly. Like probably the majority of the standard 50,000-gallon wooden water tanks on the SP in the age of steam, the three actual wooden water tanks at Woodford had tapered sides but those on the La Mesa layout appear to have perfectly vertical sides. Water tanks with tapered sides are much more interesting to me than tanks with the expected vertical sides. I don't think La Mesa has captured the true "look" of Woodford in the age of steam. This is too bad.