BN Boise Division

TonyHammes Jan 12, 2022

  1. TonyHammes

    TonyHammes TrainBoard Member

    1,359
    213
    34
    Just an update on my current layout. It is proto-freelanced based on the "what if" NP/BN had gone south into Boise in competition with the UP. Based loosely on the Camas Prairie with several prototypical scenes on the layout. Allows me to run the trains I like through the terrain I like. Built in an El Paso basement (aka garage) and back room. Approximately 19 x 19 in garage with a 12 x 10 back room. Took over second half of garage recently which added ability to model a couple of other scenes. I've added photos of some of the prototypical and near prototypical scenes. I was able to model East Lewiston yard at about 70% scale along with the lift bridge. This will have a lower deck based on the 2nd Sub from Spaulding to Grangeville but I will not start construction until I have trains running on the upper deck.
     

    Attached Files:

  2. BNSF FAN

    BNSF FAN TrainBoard Supporter

    9,900
    29,196
    148
    That looks great so far Tony! The bridge and water scenes are fantastic! (y)(y)(y)
     
    tonkphilip likes this.
  3. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

    22,015
    27,414
    253
    Impressive bridge! Love the little pile trestles, too. Was the Camas Prairie the one running joint BN/UP thru Lapwai Canyon over the incredible trestles and that big loop? Are you intending to model any of that?
     
    tonkphilip, badlandnp and BNSF FAN like this.
  4. rray

    rray Staff Member

    8,277
    9,277
    133
    This is all a fascinating What If Tony.

    So, I live in the Treasure Valley (Boise Area), and for the railroad to go south from Grangeville, it would have to follow highway 95 south through the mountains for 75-80 miles to New Meadows Idaho. In New Meadows there was a railroad called the Pacific & Idaho Northern Railroad which ran to Weiser Idaho, where the Union Pacific's Oregon Short Line (OSL) is.

    The P & IN’s intentions were to eventually reach Grangeville, Lewiston, and over to Missoula along what is now Highway 12, giving the State of Idaho a north-south railroad. The Depot at New Meadows was intended to serve as the hub for the railway line. The plans were never fulfilled and the New Meadows Depot became the end of the line. The P & IN was sold to UP in 1936 and ran timber and livestock till 1979.

    The Idaho & Pacific Northern Railway. The I & PN ran from Payette ID, to Emmett, Horseshoe Bend, up to Cascade ID, and McCall ID. So Payette is a few miles from Weiser, and McCall is a few miles from New Meadows. These parallel railroads could easily have connected to each other. This railroad also became part of the UP's Oregon Short Line family. There were 3 Boise Cascade sawmills operating along this line in the 1980's.

    I used to watch UP GP38-2's pull lumber and woodchips between Cascade ID, Horshoebend ID, and Emmett ID mills. I was also a fan of UP and NP, the Camas Prairie, and I had an N Scale railroad in the 80's with a fantasy loop that I wanted to connect from New Meadows to Grangeville. That way I could justify having NP and UP north south operations in my favorite modeling environment, the high mountain valleys of Idaho.
     
    DeaconKC, Kurt Moose, Sumner and 3 others like this.
  5. TonyHammes

    TonyHammes TrainBoard Member

    1,359
    213
    34
    My lower deck will actually be the 2nd sub to Grangeville and then south to Boise staging via White Bird creek watershed and the Salmon River. (That will be the fictional portion). Upper deck comes out of staging, crosses the UP bridge at Dayton, goes by Central Ferry and then into Lewiston.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  6. TonyHammes

    TonyHammes TrainBoard Member

    1,359
    213
    34
    My lower deck will actually be the 2nd sub to Grangeville and then south to Boise staging via White Bird creek watershed and the Salmon River. (That will be the fictional portion). Upper deck comes out of staging, crosses the UP bridge at Dayton, goes by Central Ferry and then into Lewiston.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
    tonkphilip and BNSF FAN like this.
  7. TonyHammes

    TonyHammes TrainBoard Member

    1,359
    213
    34
    Yes CSP went thru Lapwai Canyon. That, Cottonwood, Fenn, Grangeville and Lawyers creek viaduct will eventually be on the bottom level.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
    HemiAdda2d, tonkphilip and BNSF FAN like this.
  8. Allen H

    Allen H TrainBoard Supporter

    1,509
    2,454
    55
    The scenery is looking awesome Tony!
    I love the causeway.
     
    tonkphilip, BNSF FAN and 7dmack like this.
  9. TonyHammes

    TonyHammes TrainBoard Member

    1,359
    213
    34
    Thought I'd post a track plan of the upper deck so people can see where photos are associated with. The layout was originally designed and built in stall 1 and the back room. My wife last year gifted me the other stall of the garage so I have a peninsula in there. One side is Central Ferry and the other is the UP bridge near Dayton, WA.
     

    Attached Files:

  10. John Raid

    John Raid TrainBoard Member

    64
    315
    23
    I absolutely love your Clearwater Bridge Tony. Very nicely done. I'm looking forward to more.
     
    khilding and tonkphilip like this.
  11. TonyHammes

    TonyHammes TrainBoard Member

    1,359
    213
    34
    Starting to make progress. UP Snake River bridge spans complete, and piers are glued to the Snake River. Next step is terraforming the east and west banks and then pouring water. Once that is done I will re-insert module into layout and put the bridge and track on. Added a photo to show what the towboat, barges and 33' Chris Craft Coho will look like once in place. IMG_1729.jpg IMG_1731.jpg
     
  12. DeaconKC

    DeaconKC TrainBoard Member

    1,203
    3,893
    44
    Absolutely beautiful work! You are showing off N scale's greatest strength in having scenery that dwarfs our trains.
     
    tonkphilip, BigJake, BNSF FAN and 3 others like this.
  13. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

    22,015
    27,414
    253
    What a beast of a bridge!
     
  14. WolfWorks

    WolfWorks TrainBoard Member

    240
    208
    26
    that is turning out awesome. My hats off to you
     
    tonkphilip, BNSF FAN and badlandnp like this.
  15. mtntrainman

    mtntrainman TrainBoard Supporter

    9,982
    10,821
    143
    Good use of a pool table...;):whistle:

    Oh...loving the bridge Tony...(y)(y)
     
  16. TonyHammes

    TonyHammes TrainBoard Member

    1,359
    213
    34
    Just an update on the Boise Division. I have almost finished the track work on the lower level. Goal is by March to have all tracked laid and then use April and May to finish wiring the main. Goal is to run first train from staging to staging. I am shooting for the first operating session in September.

     
    BoxcabE50, Pie39, John Raid and 7 others like this.

Share This Page