Let’s Follow an Extra on the Yosemite Valley.

It’s mid-day on August 20th, 1939 and #23, a 4-4-0 is ready to depart the yard with a short extra freight. In the background, you can see the magnificent roundhouse, and all the correct YVRR equipment sitting in and around it.

Most of the cars in this yard are resin kits, fully re-detailedwith intricate under body details, correct paint and lettering and extra additional details. The Locomotive roster is a mix of Brass, Specially built plastic/metal models and highly kit-bashed Bachmann Spectrum locomotives. The Passenger cars are either completely scatchbuilt or old brass offerings, depending on the model.

 

Just out of the yard, the YVRR #23, a heavily modified Bachmann Spectrum 4-4-0, glides over the deep irrigation canal adjacent to Merced Tower, where the YVRR is intersected by the AT&SF. This scene was modeled exactly from actual photographs, as everything from this layout has.

After passing through rolling countryside, the whistle blows as the extra approaches a scratchbuilt steel truss bridge.

Th Echoed clatter of steel on steel the extra heads upgrade across the gently flowing creek. The chuffs become sharper as the 4-4-0 begins the upgrade approach.

After passing a large lumber mill at merced falls, the Extra hugs a hillside before ducking into a tunnel, which will take the train to the upper level.

After going over another truss bridge, through a small town, a shallow cut, over another trestle, past the Rock Quarry, and through some beautiful California scenery (All of which will be covered in future Articles)the Extra heads over a very interesting wooden trestle, with specially cast concrete piersdone just like the real thing, withminiature wooden forms with scale cement (Hydrocal, probably) poured into them, then once dry, he broke the mold apart and voila! A concrete pier.

After passing the Car lift at Incline, #23 stops for awhile. This is the end of our trip following the local around the layout.

STAY TUNED FOR FUTURE YOSEMITE RAILROAD COVERAGE!