RAILforum: amtak n Oakland to truckee

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Posted by ragwort (Member # 392) on :

I am about to try and make up a track for the Oakland - Truckee section of Amtrak, can anybody supply any info on this srection and where I acan get a map of the area.

Thanks
Ragwort

Posted by daniel3197 (Member # 27) on :

Here is my reply that I also posted to the Railfan section tonite:
The first book that comes to mind is
"Donner Pass: Southern Pacific's Sierra Crossing" by John Signor.

This book has a LOT about the history of this very historic mountain crossing.
Here is the Amazon.com URL for this book:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0870950940/o/qid=978758967/sr=8-1/ref=aps_sr_b_1_3/107-3284387-0644549

I also recommend the book "Diesels Over Donner: Mountain Soul of the Southern Pacific" by Richard Steinheimer and Dick
Dorn for an EXCELENT look at the SP Diesel era over Donner.
Here is that URL from Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0870460900/qid%3D978759265/107-3284387-0644549

I would like to see what ideas other people have in this area also:

I am about to try and make up a track for the Oakland - Truckee section of
Amtrak, can anybody supply any info on this srection and where I acan get a map
of the area.

Thanks
Ragwort

Posted by JMH (Member # 331) on :

My suggestion is to go online and find a Southern Pacific Fan Club or other organization. You need to get a railroad map and then go to you local hobby shop for a look at some of the books on the railroad. If you are in the geographic area, there are many clubs and displays you can visit. Golden Gate Model Railroaders, and others. There is also a Sacramento Railroad Museum. It is a great route to model, as the route takes you up the SF Bay, around the Carquenez straights, up through Sacramento, then climbing through places like Blue Canyon, Emigrant Gap and Donner Pass. You will be able to build bridges and Snow Sheds, as well as some great train stations to choose.

Start with the real info and you will have a hundred great ideas.

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Regards
JM Heller