# Mojave Desert-Looking for ideas



## concretepumper (Jan 2, 2011)

Has anybody here Modeled their layout after the Mojave Desert in California? I am seriously thinking of moving the layout to the garage to have more space. Like 20x15 footprint. As per Seans advice I am wiling to rip apart the existing layout and use as much as possible. I suppose I should have a track plan instead of just trying to fit as much track on the board as I can. Like I did on this current layout. No plan. It doesn't make sense anymore. 

I know nothing about the track designing programs nor do I feel like learning it right now. I am a builder that need's to build or break something almost daily or I will go completely nuts! :lol_hitting: I am wanting to do benchwork type building on tables that could be moved if necessary. I am thinking BIG and want something that will take a year or two at least.


So basically I am looking for maybe some track plans that would fit my area and be Modeled after the Barstow or Victorville area of the Mojave desert. I suppose any plan could be landscaped to be the Mojave. Anybody familiar with the MCLB base in Barstow? Rails running through the whole place. It is a Marine Vehicles rebuilding base. I used to go there a lot to pour concrete. They had a really cool switcher I saw running there often. Might make a cool yard on the side of my layout if the Mainline was Victorville to Barstow, or maybe a section of the Cajon Pass would be sweet to try and model. 

Another cool thing out there was a Quarry that made Ballast and had a Conveyor belt a few miles long to bring it near the railway to load. Kinda cool. I wasn't even into trains at the time and I was always amazed to watch all the different operations. Now where I live there is no trains coming through town. :thumbsdown:

I am wanting to use mostly Flex track and wide turns so I can run anything big. Also I would like to build a real helix at one end or both maybe. 1'x4' framing and no OSB top this time.  I have learned a lot from you guys here building my first layout and thank all of you!  :thumbsup: 

We will be having a garage sale in a few weeks to make room and round up a few bucks to begin construction. And if I can sell some of these dang HotWheels I could really get busy! Thousands! I don't know what I was thinking! Me> :smilie_auslachen: < Wife and kids!

Thanks in advance for any advice, tips, trackplans, laughs, etc..


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

Look up all the info you can find on Dave Barrow's Cat Mountain and Santa Fe... http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/showthread.php?t=78976 http://www.flickr.com/photos/smopho/sets/72157601332277091/


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## swiggy (Jan 25, 2010)

that layout looks amazing!! I think it will give me ideas as well

good luck cp and please keep us updated:thumbsup:

my layout is based on western colorado and eastern utah. pines on the mesas, and yuccas on the ground as well as pinion pines everywhere. i would guess some pinions are hundreds of years old and small, but very stout. 

keep postin'


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