Modeling White Pine Oregon on the SVRy

I’ve been REALLY wanting to just ‘run some trains’ and just can’t find locations I can fit in a 7’ section on my O scale layout. I handlay all my track so want to get it in right and not make too many changes.

I have started the first 2 sections; the standard gauge Natoma Street Industrial District (San Francisco, CA, freelanced of where my dad worked when I was a kid) and section 2, originally called ‘Narrow Gauge Mountain Town, (I tried to fit Whitney and Curry, Oregon, couldn’t do either in 7 feet) I think I can fit part of the town of Bates (Batesville) Oregon there with the separate standard gauge line to the rest of the layout 8” below.

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The other end is imagined as a logging camp, a cutting area and a small standard and narrow gauge town modeled after Malcolm Furlow’s San Juan Central. I hope to convert these into ‘vignettes’ if local railroad operations but I want to run some trains, the Carpet Central is just not enough!

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So I have come up with a plan to incorporate these sections into a loop of track in our 12x16’ barn. Only one section will fit with the roll up door closed but that is fine, the other can be stored under the layout when operating in inclement weather. Still working on a legible drawing to share.

This is an idea for a 4x6 foot corner. I like to model something that resembles a photo and what looks close is this photo of the Baker White Pine Lumber Company mill at White Pine, Oregon from about 1900-1920. Not exactly, of course, but close.


Does anyone have a more detailed layout of the Sumpter Valley Railway trackage at White Pine? I won’t be able to model more than a siding and a mill on the backdrop but I want to make it look like a true vignette of logging 100 years ago!


Russell Courtenay
Idaho, USA