Mick Moignard's HOn3 Rio Grande (720p)

Mick Moignard's Denver & Rio Grande Western recalls the 3-foot narrow gauge lines in south-western Colorado in and around 1951. 1951 was the last year the San Juan Express ran from Alamosa to Durango over Cumbres pass, and the last year that the connecting Rio Grande Southern line operated. Still entirely steam operated, D&RGW 3-foot gauge served the mining areas of south west Colorado and handled agricultural produce, as well as handling local oil and coal traffic. While the layout is of no specific prototype area, it captures the scenery and architecture of the area.

It's HO Scale, and runs on exact gauge 10.5mm track, called HOn3. It's DCC operated, all locomotives and some rolling stock items being fitted with sound. The locos themselves are all tender engines and apart from one 4-6-0, they're all 8-coupled. The larger 2-8-2 locomotive are outside framed - these may be 3-foot gauge, but they are big and beefy locomotives, working at high altitude - up to 10000 feet - and on grades up to 4% (1 in 25). Occupying a converted single garage, it's a two-level storage yard to town setup with a branch line continuous run. It has long and steep grades - which make the locomotives bark - wood trestles and a long steel bridge across the room dooway. As is often the case, it's unfinished. The town area has not yet been sceniced. But it's fun and relaxing just to watch the trains go by, or to spend and hour or so with the gentle cadences of properly fettled steam locomotives shuffling cars around the yard making up the next train.