This is a basic overview of my layout and is intended to offer the reader an insight to how my layout is to be built. I’m using this as a roadmap to assist with the design and implementation of the construction and operation of my layout. There will be changes as time and space permit.
There are a total of ten destinations along the Silvertongue Southern’s right-of-way. All of these locations are fictional and have no resemblance to any actual location. Four of these have connections with seven other railroads. They are the D&RGW, G&BC, P&DR, KD&VJ, DG&H, D&RC, and the Mescal Lines. The reason for having so many connections with other railroads is two fold. It allows for the ability to run equipment other than that of the home road, and it also generates off layout traffic and revenue. This allows me to have a wide variety of rolling stock on my railroad. This is something that the standard gauge modelers might take for granted. It’s not unheard of to see an Erie boxcar on the Southern Pacific. So a gondola car from the Denver and Rio Chama will feel right at home on the Silvertongue Southern.
THE MAINLINE
MONTE MAR
Monte Mar is a respectable, industrial, coastal city that is inaccessible by standard gauge railroad, due to the steep surrounding mountains. Many people come here by ship, as well as narrow gauge rail. The mountains form a basin around the small deep water bay. The port is capable of handling ships up to 300′ and sees on average of one large ship per week. The port is the main connection to the outside world for products not available along the line and to the connecting railroads. Fishing is a major industry here and the canning companies supply a lot of refrigerator car traffic. There is also a large brewery, a bulk oil storage facility, warehouses, cold storage/ice house, a foundry, and a scrap yard to name a few. There is also a large yard with a turntable, roundhouse, back shop, car shop, and engine service facilities.
SHEBERVILLE
Sheberville is the first stop along the line as you climb eastward out of the Monte Mar basin. The mountains here are very steep and treacherous. Sheberville is a bustling mining town with a bad reputation for mayhem and debauchery. Passengers who stop here are generally of the less than reputable sort. The eastern slope of the Jack Pine Mountains are rich in minerals and there are several mines here exploiting the mountains wealth. These mines are served by rail via a team track. Freight cars are loaded here with bags of concentrate for the trip to the smelter. The team track also serves the community for all sorts of freight, either coming or going.
EL BORRACHO
Our next stop along the line is El Borracho. This is a sleepy flag stop town comprised mostly of a placer miners and a saloon. Not much happens in El Borracho except the occasional bar fight . There’s a passing siding and a team track here, which serves seasonal stock pens.
SILVERTONGUE
Crossing the tall bridge over Hatch Creek, you come to the namesake of the railroad, Silvertongue. Named for the large vein of silver found in Moss Mountain, spilling out of a cave, which resembled an open mouth. The mine was built covering the mouth of the cave and vast quantities of silver were extracted. The mine is now mostly played out but small veins of silver are still being worked. Gold has also been found in Hatch Creek and there are lots of placer miners working their claims. The source for the gold in the creek has not been discovered, but they’re looking for it. Silvertongue is a bustling town and serves as junction point for the railroad. Two of the branch lines originate here; the Spitfire branch, and the Eagle pass branch. Silvertongue has a small yard, a passenger station, and a finish lumber mill. There is also a wye for turning a locomotive. It is the geographical center of the railroad. Trains from all directions arrive here and freight cars are sorted for their final destination. The original engine facility was dismantled to make room for more yard space as rail traffic increased. The railroad purchased a new gas-mechanical locomotive (much to the chagrin of the railroad employees) to handle all of the switching in the yard. A new engine house was built with a shop for small repairs.
CHATTERSTON
Around the bend from Silvertongue sits the small city of Chatterston. Although Silvertongue came first, Chatterston actually grew faster, due to the local geography. Chatterston lies in a large valley which made construction of the city much easier than Silvertongue. This is home to many businesses served by rail. The largest industry here by far is the H.E. & H.U. Delter Smelter Works. The smelter handles processed ore of many types, including gold, silver, mercury, lead, sulphur, bauxite, and unobtanium. Processed ore comes from many mines including those not served by the Silvertongue Southern Railway. Once smelted and refined, the bullion is sent by rail in armored cars to Monte Mar, to be sent out by ship to the depository in San Francisco. Chatterston is also the home of businesses representing my friends in the model railroad community. Examples include McLeans Mining Supply, Petrarca’s Sausage Emporium, and Mackey’s Pub. Some of the other industries here include a distillery, a meat packing plant, a stock yard, a furniture manufacturer, and an icehouse. Chatterston is considered the end of the mainline and has a functioning balloon track surrounding the city. The junction point for two other branch lines are here as well. There is a small stub end yard to handle storage and sorting of cars for final destinations.
THE HIGHLINE
The highline consists of two branch lines; the Spitfire branch, and the Eagle Pass branch. The highline climbs out of Silvertongue at a steady 2% grade heading up Moss Mountain where it splits. One direction heads north west and then due east to the high desert town of Spitfire, and the other heads due north to the logging town of Eagle Pass.
SPITFIRE
Spitfire was named for the volcanic hot springs here. This is high desert with lots of scrub and sage. Tourists and travelers alike, come here for the therapeutic hot springs and as a pass through to points along the Mescal Lines, and the Purgatory and Devil River Railroad. There are some industries here. Most notably the Spitfire Mineral Springs Bath Houses, and the Spitfire Salt Mine which specialize in a reddish colored rock salt. There is also the Spitfire Oil Company, which has a couple of wells in the nearby area.
Eagle Pass
Eagle Pass is a very small town with a connection to the King Delta & Valley Junction Railroad. Rough cut timber is brought here via the KD&VJ and sent down the mountain to the finishing mill at Silvertongue. Eagle Pass has a two stall engine house and a turntable for a yard switcher as well as helper service locomotive, to assist on grade to Silvertounge. There is an icing house here which harvests ice from the nearby lake and ships it to all points of the railroad. A small two track yard handles all interchange between the Silvertongue Southern and the KD&VJ.
EASTERN BRANCH
To access the eastern branch, a lift-out bridge is installed across the hallway and trackage heads east splitting at Furlow Flats. Heading due north is the desert town of Dead Mule which is the end of the line. Running south through the tunnel you arrive in Vail Junction.
FURLOW FLATS
Furlow Flats is probably the smallest place on the line. A covered platform with a flag is the only accommodation should there be any passengers. There’s a team track and short spur for the Unobtanium mine which sees almost no use at all. The hope was that the Allen Olson Mine would produce some high grade ore but the totals from this are minuscule. One small boxcar a month is all this mine is producing currently, but hopes are high that someday soon they will hit it big. Railroad officials have procured more land in the event the mine strikes it big.
DEAD MULE
The once thriving community of Dead Mule is now almost a ghost town. The borax mine that was here has played out and it’s few remaining residents are scratching a modest living mining whatever minerals they can find here. One in particular has been able to mine bauxite and has enough to fill two gondola cars a week. There is also a stock pen here for the seasonal cattle drive.
VAIL JUNCTION
Vail Junction is due east and is the terminus of the Silvertongue Southern’s eastern branch. There is a lot of activity here since this is a connection point for three other railroads; the Devils Gultch & Helengon, the Durango & Rio Chama, and the Denver and Rio Grande Western. The primary function of this town is as an interchange. Several trains a day arrive and depart from here. There are no rail served industries to speak of, with the exception of the team track. There is a large through yard, turntable, and engine house. Locomotives that arrive here require water and fuel, which the Silvertongue Southern is more than happy to charge the other railroads for this service. They maintain coal, oil, and cordwood for fuel. There is also a sand house and water tanks. Vail Junction also has a back shop for locomotives that require small repairs.