# Fairplex RR Explained & Explored Pt.1



## Gary Woolard (Jan 2, 2008)

SWMTP put together the following report and asked me to post it. Enjoy.


"At SWGRS, I was talking with Dan Hoag of Eaglewings about the Eaglewings Open House to benefit the Make a Wish Foundation. Dan was thrilled with the number of visitors that were introduced to the hobby of Garden Railroading during the Open House. He felt that everyone in the hobby should open their railroads, even if only to a few people, to help inspire more participants in Large Scale.


I decided to go through our photo archives and pull together this thread on a garden railroad we've visited often and that is dedicated to spreading the joys of model railroading. The Fairplex Garden Railroad has already appeared in some of the June Show & MLS Picnic threads in the Large Scale Events forum, so this thread is intended to supplement the great pictures that have already been posted.


The Fairplex Garden Railroad is...


a) the granddaddy of them all because it started in 1924 (as a static display at the third Los Angeles County Fair) and became a running railroad soon after using handmade track and equipment (true 1/2" scale) such as the engine below.














b) a volunteer-maintained exhibit at the LA County Fair, the largest county fair in the country, promoting garden railroading to crowds of eager observers. The railroad has been in its current location since 1935. In 2010, the LA County Fair will be Wednesday through Sunday, Sept. 4 through Oct. 3. The layout is also open one day a month and for other special events like SWGRS.












When "G" scale track was installed on the railroad in 1997, some of the original track was maintained as a vehicle roadbed since trucks and cars are such an important part of the Southern California life style.












The railroad has a mission to educate fair-goers and railroad visitors about railroading and the history of Los Angeles County and the state of California.












Areas include logging and mining hills, agriculture and equine pursuits, oil drilling, manufacturing, water courses with recreation and hydroelectric power, deserts, and suburban living.


San Luis Rey Mission (founded in 1798 in Oceanside, CA) starts the history lesson with Spanish exploration.












The next wave brought Gold Rush miners and the Western Migration (supported by Chinese laborers from across the Pacific.)
































Note the A, B, and C loads in the trains. During the fair, kids (and kids-at-heart) are invited to operate the trains in Western Town with buttons on the outside of the fence.












They can also try their hand at hydraulic mining in those distant, brown hills to the right of the sign.












Around the layout, there are horse ranches, truck farms, dairies, vineyards and other tributes to California agriculture. (And there is always something being built somewhere.)












During the fair, a turntable pops in to service the engine house and suburban houses appear on the pads visible in the upper left corner. In the shot below, the "lake" in the upper right corner has been drained for maintenance.












Here we glance down at the multiple sidings and mainlines available, making it possible to run multiple long, eye-catching trains to entertain all observers.












A long stretch along the fence opposite the control room is devoted to a cityscape featuring 50's suburbia and Pomona-area landmarks like the hotel below and the Pomona Theatre, seen in other threads from the June shows.












Note the original track as road below. There is room to park cars and still run vehicles down the street.












Buildings include Van de Kamp's restaurant in its distinctive windmill building and other regional icons.












Even the shops in the strip mall have detailed window displays.












Sometimes the strangest bedfellows end up next door. Here a Scout Jamboree sets up in the grove of trees just above the scrap yard.













The water course low point collects the outflow from a hydroelectric plant underneath an Eaglewings bridge.












During the summer, various campers enjoy the California outdoors.











To be Continued: See "_Fairplex RR Explained & Explored *Pt.2*_"


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Great pictures and history of the Fairplex layout! Thanks for posting.


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Awesome. Thanks, Carla for creating that visual history lesson on the railroad. So often we miss the "small stuff" when we're running trains. Your images freeze them to be enjoyed.


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## CCSII (Jan 3, 2008)

Cool as we used to say, or kewl as they say now days.


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