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Rob Sarberenyi | profile | all galleries >> HO scale models >> SF Bay Area HO scale layouts >> Rich Melconian's Santa Fe layout tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Rich Melconian's Santa Fe layout

My good friend Rich Melconian lives in Belmont, a hilly community located on San Francisco's Peninsula, several miles south of San Francisco's International Airport. Rich has worked as a jet engine lead mechanic with United Airlines for 33-years. He models Santa Fe in HO scale, though he's been known to host examples of BNSF, or worse, "The Wedge" (BNSF's new ultra lame logo) on his layout. Another friend, Dave Ramsey, refers to BNSF as "The Evil", coining the phrase after they stole his beloved Santa Fe, which Dave also happens to model. Santa Fe had the better and well established brand name, which BNSF should have retained instead, but I digress....

Rich's house sits atop a hill facing northeast, with gorgeous sweeping views of many Peninsula cities, from San Francisco almost to San Jose, the Bay itself, along with communities located along the East Bay hills. Nearly all homes in California lack basements, however Rich's house features a nifty cellar/basement space, perfect for a model railroad layout! Rich excavated additional space beneath the house to gain added room for the layout seen in the images below.

On occasional Friday or Saturday nights we have mini run sessions, though we enjoy ample time shooting the bull and joking around. Photos were taken only with available lighting, my Nikon mounted on a tripod. Rich's layout loosely represents Summit on Cajon Pass; the Tehachapi Loop; the yard at Streator, IL; and "Barstow" with its yard tower. The layout is essentially designed for running trains more than anything else, although he does have a few industries for switching and will make a few modifications as time permits.

Rich hasn't yet gone to DCC, but that's probably coming in the not too distant future.

UPDATE 9/7/09: Added new pics #40 thru #60 from a recent session
Santa Fe train negotiates Tehachapi Loop. If you look closely, you'll spot the mid-train helper units. Note the California Highway Patrol cruiser just missed the earthquake fault line! Actually it's part of the lift-out hatch to access the Loop should a train derail.

Santa Fe train negotiates Tehachapi Loop. If you look closely, you'll spot the mid-train helper units. Note the California Highway Patrol cruiser just missed the earthquake fault line! Actually it's part of the lift-out hatch to access the Loop should a train derail.

 Passing the grain silo in a corner of the layout

Passing the grain silo in a corner of the layout

 Backing up we see a small part of the yard as a Santa Fe intermodal train prepares to leave

Backing up we see a small part of the yard as a Santa Fe intermodal train prepares to leave

 backing up a little more we give the scene something of an N scale perspective (grin)

backing up a little more we give the scene something of an "N scale" perspective (grin)
Santa Fe Super Fleet units in aluminum & red colors

Santa Fe "Super Fleet" units in aluminum & red colors

 helper set waits to assist a train

helper set waits to assist a train

 ... still waiting ...

... still waiting ...

 Clyde King's in-progress Alco RSD-5s. These will eventually become Southern Pacific units. See my other gallery for more detailed images.

Clyde King's in-progress Alco RSD-5s. These will eventually become Southern Pacific units. See my other gallery for more detailed images.
Intermodal train passing over the yard leads below

Intermodal train passing over the yard leads below

 Clyde King (sitting), Rich Melconian (standing behind hill), and Bob Galli (partially out of photo to the right). Train enters a short tunnel.

Clyde King (sitting), Rich Melconian (standing behind hill), and Bob Galli (partially out of photo to the right). Train enters a short tunnel.

 Dr. Leo Pesce (holding a Coca-Cola and wearing a Ferrari 'prancing horse' cap purchased at the company store in Italy); Clyde King (still sitting); and Rich Melconian (layout owner/operator)

Dr. Leo Pesce (holding a Coca-Cola and wearing a Ferrari 'prancing horse' cap purchased at the company store in Italy); Clyde King (still sitting); and Rich Melconian (layout owner/operator)

 Dr. Leo and his Southern Pacific GE C44-9W and AC4400CW locos

Dr. Leo and his Southern Pacific GE C44-9W and AC4400CW locos
Clyde (still sitting); Rich with Bob Galli discuss what's wrong with Bob's Key Imports Southern Pacific HO scale Mt-4 class 4-8-2 steam loco

Clyde (still sitting); Rich with Bob Galli discuss what's wrong with Bob's Key Imports Southern Pacific HO scale Mt-4 class 4-8-2 steam loco

 Amazing how the crane hasn't fallen-off without any blocking on the flat car. Rich better get 'round to that.

Amazing how the crane hasn't fallen-off without any blocking on the flat car. Rich better get 'round to that.

 View of the yard and Yard Tower (scaled down from Barstow)

View of the yard and Yard Tower (scaled down from Barstow)

 Waiting in the siding

Waiting in the siding
View of the far end of the room. There's no helix; trains circulate on an interesting folded over arrangement allowing for a decent run, climbing grades and negotiating Tehachapi Loop.

View of the far end of the room. There's no helix; trains circulate on an interesting folded over arrangement allowing for a decent run, climbing grades and negotiating Tehachapi Loop.

 Partial view of the engine facility... swept clean of any traces of The Evil BNSF

Partial view of the engine facility... swept clean of any traces of "The Evil" BNSF

No signs of The Evil... but wait, what's that McCloud River SD38 doing here?

No signs of "The Evil"... but wait, what's that McCloud River SD38 doing here?

 Another view of the McCloud River SD38. Southern Pacific leased two diesels from the McCloud River in 1980: SD38 #38 and SD38-2 #39. I model SP and will include McCloud #38 in a loco consist from that period.

Another view of the McCloud River SD38.

Southern Pacific leased two diesels from the McCloud River in 1980: SD38 #38 and SD38-2 #39. I model SP and will include McCloud #38 in a loco consist from that period.
Train enters the yard and passes the engine facility

Train enters the yard and passes the engine facility

 engine facility view

engine facility view

 overhead view of Rich's kitbashed Santa Fe GE C30-7 #8134

overhead view of Rich's kitbashed Santa Fe GE C30-7 #8134

 overhead view of Rich's kitbashed Santa Fe SF30C #9527

overhead view of Rich's kitbashed Santa Fe SF30C #9527
view of the industrial switching district

view of the industrial switching district

 tunnel on left leads to bridge crossing the aisle (a duck-under); tunnel next to it leads to the yard; tracks above are Summit and lead to Tehachapi Loop (behind camera to the right)

tunnel on left leads to bridge crossing the aisle (a duck-under); tunnel next to it leads to the yard; tracks above are Summit and lead to Tehachapi Loop (behind camera to the right)

 view of small auxiliary yard

view of small auxiliary yard

 Intermodal train prepares to cross the bridge over the aisle

Intermodal train prepares to cross the bridge over the aisle
another view of the intermodal train with GP60M #151 leading

another view of the intermodal train with GP60M #151 leading

 two intermodal trains meet at the siding

two intermodal trains meet at the siding

 GP60M #151 climbs the grade and heads past the waiting train in the siding. Track on the left heads to the switching district.

GP60M #151 climbs the grade and heads past the waiting train in the siding. Track on the left heads to the switching district.

 #151 reaches Summit. What's on the first container behind the units? Apparently a horse jumped on top! The stunt is based on a photo circulated via email showing a deer having jumped from an overpass onto a box car at BNSF's Helena, MT yard.

#151 reaches Summit. What's on the first container behind the units? Apparently a horse jumped on top! The stunt is based on a photo circulated via email showing a deer having jumped from an overpass onto a box car at BNSF's Helena, MT yard.
... rounding the corner and heading for a tunnel, note the notch in the corner of the wall to clear doublestacks. NOTE: This area has since been altered and the wall corrected.

... rounding the corner and heading for a tunnel, note the notch in the corner of the wall to clear doublestacks. NOTE: This area has since been altered and the "wall" corrected.

 exiting the tunnel and heading for Tehachapi Loop

exiting the tunnel and heading for Tehachapi Loop

 negotiating The Loop

negotiating "The Loop"

 Clyde King's heavily kitbashed UP AC6000CW #7503 (see my other galleries for more images) with one of Rich's UP SD60Ms

Clyde King's heavily kitbashed UP AC6000CW #7503 (see my other galleries for more images) with one of Rich's UP SD60Ms
well lookee here... a visit from the horsey... Norfolk Southern ;^)

well lookee here... a visit from the horsey... Norfolk Southern ;^)

 hard to shoot and keep in-focus when the trains are moving (gee, thanks guys)

hard to shoot and keep in-focus when the trains are moving (gee, thanks guys)

 View from the front door. Bob Galli and Clyde King sit and chat.

View from the front door. Bob Galli and Clyde King sit and chat.

 From the entrance we look toward the right-hand side. Rich Melconian (closest to camera) and Dr. Leo Pesce chat while watching trains operate.

From the entrance we look toward the right-hand side. Rich Melconian (closest to camera) and Dr. Leo Pesce chat while watching trains operate.
Along the right-hand side wall

Along the right-hand side wall

 Another view of the right side with industries, along with one end of the yard

Another view of the right side with industries, along with one end of the yard

 Athearn Genesis FP45 (lead unit in Yellow Bonnet) leads an Athearn Genesis F45 (in as-delivered book end scheme) while negotiating Tehachapi Loop

Athearn Genesis FP45 (lead unit in Yellow Bonnet) leads an Athearn Genesis F45 (in as-delivered "book end" scheme) while negotiating Tehachapi Loop

 Another view of The Loop taken a little higher

Another view of "The Loop" taken a little higher
Engine facility along with the other end of the yard

Engine facility along with the other end of the yard

 Espee commute train powered by a Fairbanks-Morse H24-66 Train Master (Atlas model) passes the UP Gas Turbine set (new from Athearn)

Espee commute train powered by a Fairbanks-Morse H24-66 Train Master (Atlas model) passes the UP Gas Turbine set (new from Athearn)

 Another view of Rich's new toy, Athearn's UP Gas Turbine with an Atlas EMD SD24 and two Proto 2000 GP30s -- one UP the other CB&Q

Another view of Rich's new toy, Athearn's UP Gas Turbine with an Atlas EMD SD24 and two Proto 2000 GP30s -- one UP the other CB&Q

 Small secondary yard along the left side wall

Small secondary yard along the left side wall
Athearn Genesis FP45 and F45

Athearn Genesis FP45 and F45

 Athearn Genesis F45 in ATSF's as-delivered book end scheme -- Dave Ramsey's favorite scheme for these units

Athearn Genesis F45 in ATSF's as-delivered "book end" scheme -- Dave Ramsey's favorite scheme for these units

 Another view of the opposite side as the F45 enters the yard

Another view of the opposite side as the F45 enters the yard

 Two older kitbased Athearn SD45-2s Rich built years ago along with a GE B30-7

Two older kitbased Athearn SD45-2s Rich built years ago along with a GE B30-7
Athearn's new UP Gas Turbine (Rich's latest toy) crosses the bridge over the aisle

Athearn's new UP Gas Turbine (Rich's latest toy) crosses the bridge over the aisle

 UP Gas Turbine set with the SD24 negotiates the bridge over the far end of the layout

UP Gas Turbine set with the SD24 negotiates the bridge over the far end of the layout

 UP Gas Turbine prepares to negotiate The Loop

UP Gas Turbine prepares to negotiate "The Loop"

 DERAILMENT! Dr. Leo Pesce, whom Dave calls the Demigod of derailments, often creates new and ever more realistic derailments each time he operates. Way to go, Dr. Leo! ;~D

DERAILMENT! Dr. Leo Pesce, whom Dave calls the "Demigod of derailments", often creates new and ever more realistic derailments each time he operates. Way to go, Dr. Leo! ;~D
Great job, Leo!

Great job, Leo!

 Another view of Leo's handiwork

Another view of Leo's handiwork

 Not bad, but Leo's had more extensive derailments on our model railroad club's layout

Not bad, but Leo's had more extensive derailments on our model railroad club's layout

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Tom 01-Mar-2007 22:28
Thank you for the tour. A very nice layout, well thought out and very interesting to view. Please continue to update this gallery as progress is made.
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