As of September 1, 2003:
Trackwork Complete! Golden Spike Driven!
Welcome to the home of the Red Rock Rail!
The Red Rock Rail Transportation Company is a freelanced HO-scale Class 1 railroad set in the Western United States, ca. 1993. The Red Rock Rail serves local industries, and is an important bridge route between Stockton, California; Phoeniz, Arizona and Pueblo, Colorado.
The pike is a double-deck point-to-point layout with a mainline run of approximately 190 feet. A double-track, 3-1/2 turn helix connects the upper deck to the lower deck. Staging yards at each end represent the Red Rock Rail's connections to the outside world.
The flagship industry on the Red Rock Rail is the Golden-Milled Products corn processing plant at Sibley. This plant refines dent corn from Minnesota into starch, syrup and corn oil for the food industry, as well as producing corn gluten feed and steepwater used as animal feed. Approximately 80 percent of the output of the GMP plant is used by other online industries, such as the Sta-Puft marshmallow plant, the AgriFuels ethanol plant and the Ralston-Purina animal feed plant.
Work on the layout commenced in August, 2000. September 1, 2003 marked the Golden Spike ceremony, with all of the tracklaying completed. Wiring and other electrical work, as well as scenery work, is ongoing. Plans for the fall and winter of 2003-2004 include train schedule and industry switching time testing, followed by commencement of regular operating sessions.
The Red Rock Rail is more than a model railroad, it's a model transportation system. The layout is operated with an NCE-brand Digital Command Control (DCC) system, and will eventually include full signaling and computer-based centralized traffic control (until then, the railroad will be operated using Track Warrant Control). Traffic is generated and cars are moved according to switchlists produced using Ship It! software. The full complement of personnel for a formal operating session includes a Dispatcher, a Yardmaster, and 3 to 6 pool train crews.
If you have any questions or comments, please email us at rrr@big-deahl.com.