Gracing the September cover of RAILROAD MODEL CRAFTSAMAN is a museum quality HO scale model Pacific Coast Railway’s Bridge No. 5. The prototype 1881 Howe truss bridge served the railway until it ceased running in 1941. The model was built by Andrew Merriam of San Luis Obispo, CA. An eight-page article on the bridge and the model is featured in the magazine along with historic photos, drawings and model construction photos.
Up to this point I knew Andrew for his excellent HO scale Southern Pacific Coast Line layout, which was featured as one of the model railroads on the Central Coast Railroad Festival layout tours in 2010 and 2011. Unfortunately, his commitments to San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum ( http://slorrm.com/ ) will not allow Andrew to open his layout this year. (There will be a tour of nineteen layouts, however.) Andrew and other dedicated folks are working long hours to get the Museum ready for this year’s festival, including the Museum’s display layout. The 2012 Central Coast Railroad Festival ( http://ccrrf.com ) is October 4 - 8 in San Luis Obispo, CA, and surrounding areas.
If you come to the Festival be sure to visit the Museum, housed in the former Southern Pacific freight house. The Museum is preserving the railroad history of California and the Central Coast by collecting, restoring, displaying and operating historic railroad equipment.
There will be a special open house from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on October 6th. You will see a modular HO layout from the San Luis Obispo Free-Mo group, an On30 layout representing the Yosemite Short Line and an outside garden railroad from the Central California Coast Garden Railroad Society.
Visitors also will be able to see some of the bench work for the permanent Museum layout. The Museum will offer informational, educational and historical videos, live music and equipment displays. Speeder rides will be available and interior and exterior tours will be offered.
And the Pacific Coast Railway’s Bridge No. 5, fresh from the cover of RAILROAD MODEL CRAFTSAMAN, also will be there for your inspection, along with several other future museum display models such as the San Luis Obispo passenger depot.