The approach to the western portal of the Moffat Tunnel is also the location of a tough 2% grade stretching from Winter Park through Fraser to Tabernash. Helper were often added to trains headed for this grade, and continued on to Denver to Provide additional dynamic breaking capabilities. These are the swing helper jobs often used on the Moffat line.
Furthermore, Fraser has a short siding which is sometimes used to hold the Ski Train, and the train is usually turned at Tabernash and usually is held there on the siding. Thus, these two locations are important to model in the western slope if one desires to model the Ski Train operations, as well as the grade approaching the western portal and the swing helper operations.
Note that on some heavy trains, swing helpers might come from Bond or Phippsburg on the Craig branch. However, as I am rapidly running out of space for such destinations, so this increases the interest in getting at least to Tabernash, and doing so without stacking these towns on top of each other.
This area is scenery, and the idea of trees fading into the snow and clouds is very attractive, even if I am not sure that it can be fully pulled off. But I would like to try.
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| Track Plan west of Winter Park. |
This area is simple scenery. Lots of trees, and a transition from falling snow to the bright sunshine on the clean snow that often follows these storms. I managed almost 12 feet of mainline between Winter Park and Fraser, not as much as I would like, but it will be longer than all but the longest trains, and since the siding at Fraser is only 4830 feet long, the shortest on the modeled layout, that meets at Fraser will be rare, with only passenger trains likely to be passed in Fraser, this is acceptable. Most long trains will have to travel between Winter Park and Tabernash without stopping.
Cameron Turner
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