Last year, while contemplating my much larger Raton Pass layout, I decided to embark on this smaller project. I wanted something portable and polished to showcase at train shows and meetups—a way to highlight Z scale and my collection of ATSF equipment. I named the layout "Raton Past" as a play on words. What you see here is just the upper deck. In order to pack in as much fun as possible, phase 2 will consist of a lower deck for switching. The track plan for phase 2 is finished and all of the track will be hand laid. I’ve finished all of the turnouts and cut all of the ties, all that remains is to get started on construction! I essentially wanted the most I could get out of the space, and have all of the operations I could possible have.
About phase 1:
The layout measures 36” by 20” with 9” radius curves and depicts Raton Pass in the 1950s. The benchwork features an open grid with plywood and brass roadbed, and the bridges are supported by a brass channel core, ensuring the track work is rock solid. The scenery base is crafted from plaster cloth with hand-carved Hydrocal rocks. Standing nearly 50” tall, the layout rests on smooth caster wheels, with removable legs for easy transport.
The tunnel portals were cast from Hydrocal molds that I made using scale drawings of the originals. The standout bridge is a scaled-down, single-track version of the Canyon Diablo bridge in Arizona, creatively relocated a few hundred miles east. A bit of modeler’s license at play. The layout needed a hero structure, and I’ve always liked the Canyon Diablo bridge.
I aimed to depict four distinct scenes, using the scenery as a partial view block to break up the round-and-round effect. I think I’ve achieved that quite well.
The barn at Wootton Ranch is scratch-built, board by board, while the remaining structures are from commercial kits.
The layout features various lighting and sound elements. A diffuser in the shadow box provides lighting for morning, afternoon, and night scenes. At night, a campfire flickers near the tracks as two rail fans look on. The most captivating effect is the thunderstorm, complete with lightning and thunder. I’ll make a video of these features soon. Anyone familiar with Raton knows that afternoon thunderstorms are a frequent occurrence.
Sound effects include ambient noises of birds and insects, creating an immersive atmosphere. Far-off train sounds in the background add a sense of distance. If anyone is interested, all of the passenger trains are accurate (except for the occasional set of ALCOs pulling the Super…). The mikado is contains a lot of scratch building in order to model to ATSF practice, the rest of the equipment is off the shelf.
Building this little layout has been a real pleasure, and I have plans for further additions as I start sketching out the room-sized layout to come. However, in the meantime I’ll be on to phase 2. As I said above, phase two will be built below this portion of the layout, and it will depict Morely Mine as it appeared around 1950. This will offer the best opportunity for switching. The track work of phase 1 and 2 will not be connected, they’re two stand-alone scenes, the upper deck for continuous running and the lower deck for switching.
Some videos:
https://youtu.be/nqs4J6p-KnM?si=3IK1Ri1bWo0E0QZ9
https://youtu.be/Tgh-lkZDyCs?si=EGsbU9ry6Oy73iB5
https://youtu.be/vGyqAqW6-NA?si=PD5XGWuCRl6CkY7w
https://youtu.be/Ue9GyWiEGAA?si=f1E19QlQM7NCI-78
https://youtu.be/FgRDpot8H3k?si=V9n0Y5yi6XwTxzck