Ken Dasaro's Santa Fe's Raton Pass

The line over Raton Pass is the original transcontinental main line of the Santa Fe. This was a test for man and machine as they challenged the brutal 3.2% grades.

The layout models the period just after the initial installation of CTC in the early 1950s, but before the local coal mines played out. Diesels are used on the crack passenger trains, but even those trains get steam helpers to climb over the mountain. Freights are mostly still steam powered.

The layout is centered on Trinidad, Colorado and it extends from C&S Crossing, Colorado to Keota, New Mexico. Trinidad is the helper base at the eastern foot of the mountain. It also has important interchanges with the Colorado & Southern (a CB&Q subsidiary), Rio Grande, and Colorado & Wyoming (a Colorado Fuel & Iron subsidiary). There is a small yard at Trinidad to support the interchanges, local industry, and mine runs. There are several coal mines nearby.

Both the the Rio Grande and the Colorado & Southern have trackage rights over Santa Fe rails to interchange with the coal-hauling Colorado & Wyoming. Several Santa Fe mine runs serve the online coal mines.

The main focus of the layout is the stupendous steam show as trains fight gravity up the east slope of the pass and the many helper movements to support the traffic.

There is a 54" nod-under to get into the layout.

Handicap Accessibility: Not Handicapped Accessible