Located since 1979 in the Travel Town Museum at Griffith Park. In Los Angeles, California. |
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Welcome to the Los Angeles N-Scale Association, operators of East Valley Lines Model Railroad located since 1979 in the Travel Town Museum at Griffith Park. We operate one of the largest N-Scale layouts in the world. This is just a brief trip on the East Valley Lines' trackage. As you observe closely, there are lots of details to enjoy. This is truly a labor of love, involving countless hours, money and the talents of the many N-Scale modelers dedicated to the memory of great railroads.
Covering approximately 2000 square feet, the finely crafted scenes depict the rich variety of California's landscape, from the deserts to the mountains and forests, from farms and orchards to the sea. Though the layout itself is mostly representative of present day California, the trains themselves recall railroading from the First World War to the present, from Mexico to Alaska. Favorite railroads of the members include Canadian Pacific, CSX Great Northern, Milwaukee Road, Monon, New York Central, Nickel Plate, Northern Pacific, Pennsylvania, Rio Grande, Rock Island, Santa Fe, Southern Pacific, Union Pacific, Wabash, and Western Pacific. The visitor is just as liable to see a gleaming California Zephyr, a long train of grimy hopper cars, a hotshot container train, or a stately yellow Union Pacific Streamliner. The 1000 Loop and the 2000 Loop began construction in 1979 and were completed within two years. The 3000/4000 Loops were completed in 1985. The wharf area was constructed in 1986.
1000 Loop
Union Pacific
The Union Pacific Lines travel through the small town at the front viewing window of the layout. From there it travels back into the mountains and tunnel under the logging camp and around as it drops down to the level of the new Taylor Yard previously known a EVL and Grover Yards. At this location the 1000 Loop acts as the interface for freight interchange between the Wharf and the rest of EVL. As the 1000 Loop trackage continues, it goes into a tunnel leading to start of its climb into the highest mountain area on the layout. It climbs up over the reservoir and then swings around the front of the mountain and crosses over itself and starts the descent back to town. At this point it passes behind the Coal Mine area. As it enters the town in can take two routes, the freight route or the passenger route.
2000 Loop
Southern Pacific
As it travels, the Southern Pacific Lines cross two bridges over the far end of the town where it starts its descent down to the double crossover, the interchange between the 1000 and 2000 Loops. At that point it starts a climb going over a long concrete support bridge into a two girder bridge and then past a yard going into a long tunnel that swings the trackage around, and descends down until it passes under itself. Now the rails start the climb back past the town and into the tunnel that leads it to the famous Tehachapi Loop. The route then swings behind the Santa Susana Pass and across the bridge that spans the river and the cliff. This bridge was constructed of more than 200 individual pieces of wood, was distorted by vandals, and rebuilt again. After crossing the bridge, the trackage goes into a tunnel and reappears by the Coal Mining area with its own yard for loading and storing hopper cars. This takes the 2000 Loop back into a tunnel where it reappears briefly before entering the final tunnel that brings it back to the two bridges that cross over the end of the town.
3000 Loop and 4000 Loop
Santa Fe Pacific Electric
The Santa Fe started construction in 1985 and is paralleled over most of its length by the Pacific Electric. As you travel along these lines, you pass the Roseville Yard, which is located at the southeast part of the layout. The yard was purchased from the Southern Pacific Railroad for one dollar. It was built as an exhibit in a court trial involving the explosion of an ammunition train, and the club obtained it after the trial was over. Moving on around the 3000/4000 Loop you pass by the entrance to Union Station. This passenger station area depicts the real Union Station in Los Angeles, and was built from original blue prints. From here you proceed back under and behind the last remaining areas of construction. The route takes you along the vast hand painted backdrop of mountains and valleys. After passing into a tunnel, you reappear at the front of the layout, along a rural area, farms and orange groves, fruit packing, reefer car icing and finally the Coach Storage Yard that handles Union Station. At the end of Roseville Yard the trackage swings you around the end of the Wharf area over a high concrete post supported bridge, then down a grade under the end of the wharf to a lower level. You then travel a short distance in the open, over a bridge into a tunnel and back out in front of the viewing window where you started. |
