Winter Projects: Monarch & Sand Railroad

Even with our moderate central California coastal climate, the winter season seems to be that time of year when garden railroads are scheduled for routine maintenance, or major renovations. Let’s see what is happening on the Monarch & Sand Railroad in Arroyo Grande.

Our M&SRR locomotives are fairly large and our consists are long. The USA Trains SD70MACs are about 27″ each, and the intermodal well car and roadrailer consist they pull is over 20′. Our previous layout configuration had only one option for running that train, let alone having it on the layout at the same time as our other consists, another of which is just under 20′ long. (A California Zephyr, led by 2 USA Trains F7s pulling 5 aluminum-sided passenger cars.) Those consists and most of the cars couldn’t negotiate our R3 turnouts without derailing, and in fact we had no siding long enough to hold them.

This off season I have been trying to change that. The most important improvement was to obtain four R5 turnouts (LGB 18000) from our society back stock–which also gives Lucinda and me the added pleasure of incorporating parts of Walt and Julie Wadja’s historic garden railroad into our own. I added moreĀ  top blocks to our foundation to give the turnouts a firm base and also to lengthen as much as our yard allows the sidings available for the trains. To date, I have installed and rewired the switches, though I will not be able to test all my layout changes until this period of rain has passed.

Large locomotives pulling long consists will pass easily through M&SRR sidings with the installation of LGB R5 turnouts throughout the line (Will Kastner, image).

A popular feature of our M&SRR has been the High Flyer track, where eggliners run along the fence. People have especially like watching these little novelties climb and descend through the neighbor’s invading Morning Glories. No more, I’m afraid. The eggliner motors are small and to get the machines to the top of the inclines, the track power had to be set very high. This has put a damaging strain on the motors and on the auto-reverse controller. (Jumper wires to this 130′ long track are not an option right now.) Regrettably, we have had to level the High Flyer track.

The M&SRR High Flyers now operate on a level track to improve reliable operation (Will Kaster, image)
A casual conversation over lunch lead to the solution as how to power this gift from Will’s son, Kevin (Will Kastner, image)

My son Kevin is always on the scout, and he found these beauties. It’s easy enough to get them to flash together, but how to get them to flash alternately? Mel “Big Brain” Wammack had an elegant solution: Since they use low voltage DC current irl, just use a model railroad flashing unit. Right! The perfect answer is a Circuitron FL-2HD. Now, Mel, how do I mount them on the fence?

CCCGRS members are encouraged to send updates regarding your projects to email: contact@cccgrs.org.