For many years I have hopped for a space for a model railroad. Early last year, I finally was able to purchase a house with a basement and room big enough to have one. I am excited to now have a space.

The room is a spare room in the back of the finished basement. It too is finished, and was a room for one of the children of the family that lived here before us. The room measures just over 13′ X 9′. It has a full sized closet, and one window. The door is located in the corner of the room next to the closet, so it is out of the way. Below is a little diagram that shows the room’s dimensions.

Right now the room has a metal desk near the closet on the far wall from the door. This is my modeling desk. I wanted a metal desk so I could use magnets to align guides when building models and storage. It also has a number of drawers for storage. On top of the desk, there is an old mail sorter for storing tools and parts.

The closet is being used to store my Model Railroader collection, kits, and other modeling supplies. My portfolios from my college years, and other odds and ends are also located in the closet.  Eventually I would like to also use the space for staging for the railroad.

I am currently in planing stages for the railroad that will take up residence here. It will be based off the Peavine line that runs from Williams, AZ to Phoenix, AZ in the early 1950s. This way I can run some steam, while running early generation diesel locomotives. It will vary from history in that the mines that where served by the line will be better off than they really where during that time period. More about this at a later date.

I am also in the process of building a test module, or diorama. The idea behind this diorama is to be an obstical course for all rolling stock and engines before they are allowed on the layout. It is also giving me a chance to get my ‘feet wet’ while I am planning my railroad. It will be completed to the point where it will have full scenery. More information on its progress is forth comming.

I hope that this is the start of something great. I can’t wait to see what happens along this journey.