# STEAM IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA STYLE



## R.W. Marty (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi all,
As many of you know this past week has been taken up by the 26th National Garden Railway Convention in Tacoma, WA. For me there were up as well as down sides to the convention as a whole. I will leave those discussions to others better versed in these matters to discuss. This thread is about the fun I had. The Convention was enjoyable but the highlight for me was the opportunity to bring rolling stock and run it on the Sierra Cascade and Pacific Railroad of Paul and Mary Burch in Gig Harbor. Paul had issued a blanket invitation to MLS members to "come by and bring something to run" I was just one of numerous people to enjoy his hospitality that day. 
To explain the title of this thread. Paul lives in the lush green rainforest of the Pacific Northwest and models the Southern Pacific Railroad in the Mojave, Tehachapi loop area of Southern California. This is a dry and burnt desert like land that he depicts very well in his "garden" railroad. For me, personally, this was a bizarre twist as I live in a dry, burnt, desert like area of Northen California and try to model the lush green Coastal area of Northen California.



A few pictures of the day steam came to the SC&P Railroad. ( 1:20 steam on a 1:29 diesel railroad)

Consolidation #22, motive power and rolling stock from the visiting Shasta Pacific, drags a short consist of stock cars up the grade and into the Loop in these first three pictures.

































Paul making emergency repairs to a signal tower that was just a little bit too much 1:29 for the 1:20 equipment to clear. Either luckily or with good planning and forthought, i'm not really sure which







, this was the only spot on the railroad that was any problem with clearance. Every other possible obstruction on the line was fine, tight but fine .












Paul and Jonathan Bliese seem to be discussing something serious, perhaps the possibility of changing the SC&P to narrow gauge







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My favorite shot of the #22 as she reaches the top of the loop.













The future passangers for the stock cars, perhaps wondering where the cars will take them. If they only knew! 













An overall shot of the inside leg, at least part of it, of Paul's huge railroad. Right in front of where Paul is standing is a wye that you can turn entire trains on. To the right is the top of the loop and the bridges that run the trains into the dedicated train room/storage facility. Just a wonderful railroad!












I'm not sure it is necessary but I guess it is only fair to include a shot of some of the home roads motive power. I'm not really sure what it is/was but it was pulling a train so I guess it is motive power


















Paul,
Again thank you and Mary for being such gracious hosts and allowing us the privilege to enjoy your beautiful railroad.
Rick Marty


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Rick, 

Great photos on a beautiful layout! Narrow gauge fits right in! Hopefully Jonathan talked Paul into going to the "dark side". He. He. 

Paul sent me an e-mail on Friday morning saying you had been there AND that he had to move just the one signal about a 1/2 inch. Not bad considering the size of his railroad.


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

Some great pictures! Looks you all had a good and sunny day running trains. 
Beautiful layout indeed!


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

Rick,
Great having you and your 1/20. I'm just glad there was clearance for you to squeak through the bridges. Your pictures are great,you have a great eye and a total different perspective than what I shoot. Exactly what I was hoping for. Please post somemore.


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Very nice...


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## livesteam53 (Jan 4, 2008)

Real nice layout and this is all about having fun and learning from others in the hobby.

Thanks for posting such great pictures.


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

Rick,
You have a great eye for photos. Can you post a few more?


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## jfrank (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks for the pics Rick. I didn't get to see Pauls Railroad. Sorry I missed it.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Beautiful pics, and a very nice looking layout!


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## R.W. Marty (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Paul, and everyone.
Glad you liked the pictures, I do have a few more but the best ones were probably already posted.
The rest of these are just the old steam engine and train but they do show a little more detail of Paul's 
great garden railroad. 

Paul to bad your layout wasn't on the tours it would have been a big crowd pleaser.

Here are a few more pictures without editorial comment. 















































































































Thanks for taking a look.
Rick


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Rick, 

Your NG stuff gives Paul's beautiful layout a whole new character! Thank you for the new photos! Like I said before, maybe we can turn him to the "narrow side" yet. There's always hope for him, ya know. In the next to last photo in this group, I can see Jonathan and Paul in the backgtound, "discussing the merits" of going to NG. Ha. Ha. Ha.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Wow, that is a nice layout and great pictures. Who does the stock cars?


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

Gsry, 
There is no hope for me. You can run your 1/20 anytime you want as long as it fits through my bridges and tunnels. Heck,I even have Thomas, James, Percy and Polar Express.


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Paul, 

I'm trying my darnest to get up there. If Rick made it through, I know I can. The trouble is when I DO get there, I may never leave. THX again. 

You are a great Grandpa to let Thomas, James, Percy and Polar Express run!


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Wow some neat pics of a great RR.Thanks for posting. Later RJD


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## R.W. Marty (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi all,
Glad you like the pictures, I sure had fun taking them. 

Jerry,
I did, hee hee. Actually they are AccuCraft cars that I scuffed a little paint on then used Vinyl Lettering from Del T. here on the web site. 
The Loco water slide decals are from Stan C. also of this site.

Later
Rick


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

Rick,
Thanks for posting the extra pictures.


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