added: January 29, 2014  /  updated: February 2, 2014 and March 26, 2014 (May 2015)

HO Scale Desert Layout Project  -  11/22

City of Percyville - Part 2

Long time ago, I put several buildings along main street to create the City of Percyville (the name is in memory of my "layout cat" Percy). I was never really satisfied with the arrangement and therefore, did not continue. But in December 2013 things completely changed because I had a "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity to buy 4 buildings of Pelle Soeeborg's layout "Daneville". These buildings are exact replicas of the real structures in the town of Mojave, CA. Take a look - click here . The whole process of rearranging the "old" structures, one was cut in half and another one was turned 90 °, can be seen on page 10. Three of Pelle's outstanding buildings (ARCO, Denny's, KFC) found a new home in the City of Percyville.

In the meantime, the City of Percyville is completely finished. All road markings incl. handicapped parkings, road signs, bushes and Joshua Trees are done. Now, I am very pleased with the result.

We start our journey from left to right, in other words from the East side to the West side. The first building is our latest addition: HIGH DESERT COUNTRY CAFE above the road bridges, down along main street are: Super 8 Motel of Percyville, ARCO Gas Station, Denny's Restaurant, Kentucky Fright Chicken, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Cadillac of Percyville, FOOSE Design / West Coast Customs, McDonald's and Werner Enterprises Percyville Terminal.

Photos 1076 - 1263, starting 1/29/14 and ending 3/26/14
additional photos (Werner Enterprises) 1492 - 1514 on 5/10/15
(just click on the 4-digit number for bigger size photos)

Part A) 1/29/14 - The City of Percyville is finished and people are welcome to stay at Super 8 Motel, eat in one of the 6 restaurants, buy a Cadillac, go to the top car designers or do business with Werner Enterprises.
Abbreviations used on this page: WE = Werner Enterprises, HDCC = High Desert Country Café, WCC = West Coast Customs
Overview w/HIGH DESERT COUNTRYCAFE (HDCC) above bridges - 1076	East side of Percyville - 1077
both road bridges are curved - 1079	RR-Xing access for MoW of UP - 1080
retaining wall is protecting the road below the HDCC - 1081	landscaping was not easy because everything is curved - 1082
there are customers going to the HDCC restaurant - 1083	and here is a slightly different view as above - 1084
HDCC as seen from the rear side - 1085	the Walmart truck is delivering goods to the next shop - 1086
Werner Ent. Truck is coming from the Percyville Terminal - 1087	there are 3 different levels of roads and tracks - 1088
there are Joshua Trees in the Mojave Desert - 1089	Auto Carrier with a load of Dodge Chargers - 1090
I am aware - too many photos from diff. angles - 1091	Joshua Trees can be seen well - 1092
and another view of the bridges - 1093	the Auto Carrier is a brass model from Lonestar Models - 1094
Dodge Chargers are made by Ricko - 1095	UP is the main railroad on my layout - 1096
double track main line is passing HDCC - 1097	Athearn Genesis EMD DDA40X and SD70M - 1098
road in front needs street markings - 1099	and crossing needs RR-Xing signs - 1100
good to know, HDCC is open 24 hrs - 1101	the fence is made by Faller item # 180413 - 1102
HDCC restaurant has always railfans watching trains - 1103	a 1961 Lincoln Continental and a modern Lexus SUV - 1104

Here are photos of the real buildings (ARCO, Denny's, KFC) as located in Mojave, CA click here These 3 buildings on my layout were built by Pelle Soeeborg.

Part B) From the East end of Percyville we start travelling Westward and take a closer look at the Super 8 Motel
Eestside - here, main street is passing main lines - 1106	looking West down main street - 1107
Super 8 Motel Kit is made by Summit USA - 1108	I did some customizing with the base - 1109
yes, Percyville got a Super 8 Motel for travellers - 1110	main parking is at the rear of the Motel - 1111
there are 2 parkings for handicapped and 2 for check in customers - 1112	1113
main street is coming down - 1114	the Motel has extra space for motor homes and tour buses - 1115
next to the Motel is a ARCO Gas Station w/am-pm shop - 1116	Kit by Summit USA, built by Pelle Soeeborg - 1117
the real ARCO Gas Station is located in Mojave, CA - 1118	the road between ARCO & Denny's is exactly the same as in Mojave - 1119
across the ARCO is a parking lot - 1120	this Denny's is an exact replica of the one in Mojave, CA - 1121
between the businesses and the parkings is a service road - 1122	main street is along the double track main lines - 1123
I had breakfast and dinner in the real Denny's during my trips . . - 1124	. . while staying in Mojave, CA and doing some railfanning - 1125
there are additional parkings across Denny's - 1126	beautiful work - custom made by Pelle Soeeborg - 1127
I made big signs along main street - 1128	looking West - 1129
Denny's and KFC are next to each other like in Mojave, CA - 1130	this KFC is an exact replica like the one in Mojave, CA - 1131
I added markings of handicapped parking and arrows - 1132	excellent work of Pelle Soeeborg - 1133
there are also parkings across KFC - 1134	proud to have the 3 buildings made by Pelle Soeeborg - 1135
Pizza Hut made by Modellbahn-Atelier-Berlin - 1136	I am aware, there is no Pizza Hut located in Mojave, CA - 1137
there are 2 handicapped parkings next to the entrance - 1138	- 1139
business men are talking together - 1140	- 1141
- 1142	- 1143
looking to the East - 1144	looking to the West - 1145
entrance for drive thru next to the Cadillac dealer - 1146	Taco Bell kit made by Summit USA - 1147
- 1148	- 1149
- 1150	Drive Thru entrance is marked on the service road - 1151
- 1152	Cadillac of Percyville has even a Cadillac Sixteen - 1153
the basic building is a kit from Faller (Car Center) - 1154	but I used only part of it and modified the roof - 1155
- 1156	inside are new Escalades and Sixteens - 1157
- 1158	Foose/WCC building was shortend to fit tight space - 1159
Only on my layout in the City of Percyville, two famous car designers found their home under one roof. We sure respect their copyrights, see below.
concrete floor sheets (Beton Platten) made by Busch - 1160	- 1161
Foose Design Logo copyright by Chip Foose (first class car designer) Huntington Beach, CA - Website: http://www.chipfoose.com West Coast Customs Logo copyright by WCC (Ryan Friedlinghaus), Corona, CA - Website: http://www.westcoastcustoms.com
2 car designers under one roof - 1162	this building is a kit made by Promotex - 1163
looking toward East - 1164	looking toward West - 1165
- 1166	WE has its own diesel loco - 1167
famous McDonald's Arc w/Drive Thru - 1168	MacDo has full interior - 1169
Why yellow gravel along main street and parking lots? It all started when McDonald's came to Percyville. They wanted their corporate identity with the yellow MacDo Arcs of the building. Therefore, they asked the City if yellow gravel could be used between main street and their drive thru. As it was looking attractive around the desert soil and the gray street, the City of Percyville decided to add the yellow gravel along main street and the parking lots for better visibility.
- 1170	- 1171
- 1172	the whole City of Percyville is 6 m (18 feet) long - 1173
width from wall to front is 60 cm (23 1/2 inch) - 1174	looking East from the Westend - 1175

C) We finally reached the Westend of Percyville. Here is the Werner Enterprises Percyville, CA Terminal located.
Why is there a Werner Enterprises Terminal on this layout? Very simple, my first name is "Werner" and so, Werner Enterprises Trucking Co. is the best match for me !! Werner Enterprises was founded by Clarence L. Werner back in 1956. With 7'200 Trucks (Tractors), 25'000 Trailers and 14'000 employees, WE is one of the five largest truck carriers in the U.S. WE is using the railroads for TOFC service, which can be seen over Cajon Pass as well. Direct link to Werner Enterprises: click here
There is a WE Terminal in Fontana, CA which I was able to visit with Melinda in June 2010 and again in June 2011. Here are photos of both visits and WE Trailers on rails and WE Trucks on the road: http://www.trainmaster.ch/XC-20.htm No question, it was a must for me to build a WE Terminal in 1:87 (HO) scale on my layout.
in the Mojave Desert are Joshua Trees - 1176	this Great West Models kit was modified - 1177
- 1178	- 1179
- 1180	WE Truck/Trailer made by Tonkin for WE - 1181
WE trailers made by Athearn and Bowser - 1182	- 1183
the WE sign was created similar to the Fontana, CA Terminal - 1184	- 1185
- 1186	Werner Van made by Pitsch Allneider - 1187
WE Office building made by Pitsch Allneider - 1188	also WE got a handicapped parking - 1189
Werner Tractors made by Pitsch Allneider - 1190	the WE office is a modified "Strip Mall" back drop kit from Summit - 1191
- 1192	- 1193
the left building was kitbashed in "L-Shape" - 1194	- 1195
- 1196	- 1197
WE Truck/Trailer made by Tonkin for real WE - 1198	Werner Pickup and Van made by Pitsch Allneider - 1199
both warehouses are kits from Great West Models - 1200	- 1201
- 1202	- 1203
- 1204	- 1205
main line, main street and WE spur - 1206	- 1207
- 1208	- 1209
double track main requires signals (made by BLMA) - 1210	Joshua Trees and Signal Bridge - 1211
private RR-Xing for Joe's house - 1212	across WE Terminal and main line is Joe's house - 1213
there are Joshua Trees around Joe's house - 1214	- 1215

- 1216	upper - 1217  /  lower - 1218

D) On May 2015, I made a new photo shooting of the Werner Enterprises Percyville Terminal from the air.
Overview of the WE Terminal. A WE Truck is entering the site. There are several WE Trailers on Flat Cars. - 1492
on the left side are the WE shops - 1493	at the bottom is the WE Terminal Office - 1494
the combined bridge 1 (road/track) is connecting the Percyville Extension with the Werner Enterprises Terminal - 1429
these are WE Reefer Trailers - 1495	Reefer and Standard WE Trailers on Flat Cars (TOFC)  - 1496
WE is active on rails and on the road - 1497	a blue Werner Trailer is passing the old house - 1498
the Percyville Terminal is always busy - 1499	a WE Truck is coming home for unloading - 1500
it is common to see WE Trailers travelling by train - 1501	yes, there is a McDonald's in the background - 1502
this truck is entering the WE Terminal - 1503	this model was made for the real WE by Tonking - 1504
some older WE tractors are on site - 1505	here is a different view from the other side - 1506
WE is having full track access with a spur - 1507	here are the offices of the WE Terminal - 1508
Joe's old house is just across the tracks and the WE Terminal - 1509	Allied is also a trucking company - 1510
the other day, I was able to catch the sun just seconds before sundown and the WE Terminal looks really different in the low evening light.
people are still busy in front of the WE Terminal - 1511	a truck driver is making a tractor ready - 1512
I like the atmosphere - 1513	this is the final photo of May 2015 - 1514

E) After all the detailed photos of the different structures, we make another round of Percyville from left to right. Percyville lenght from left to right = 6 m (18 feet), width = 60 cm (23 1/2 inch)

left side of Percyville = East end with road bridges, HDCC (above) and Super 8 Motel - 1224

Super 8 Motel of Percyville and ARCO Gas Station with am-pm store - 1225

Super 8 Motel, ARCO Gas Station and Denny's Restaurant - 1226

ARCO, Denny's and KFC - 1227

Denny's and KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) w/Drive Thru - 1228

Pizza-Hut Restaurant and Taco Bell Restautrant w/Drive Thru -- 1229

Taco Bell, Cadillac of Percyville and Foose Design/West Coast Customs - 1230

Cadillac and Foose/WCC with Werner Enterprises connector - 1231

McDonald's (who invented the yellow gravel) and Werner Enterprises Percyville Terminal - 1232

F) On this last photo shooting of Percyville, we take a different overview from above
Above is the High Desert Country Cafe and we look down Percyville's main street - 1233
Super 8 Motel is the first building, . . - 1234	. . followed by ARCO Gas Station and Denny's - 1235
after Denny's comes KFC and Pizza-Hut - 1236	after Pizza-Hut comes Taco Bell - 1237
after Taco Bell comes Cadillac of Percyville - 1238	after Cadillac comes Foose Design/West Coast Customs - 1239
WE connector and McDonald's - 1240	looking East from WE - 1241
looking East from the middle to the end - 1242	looking East with both car businesses - 1243

Bonus Photos

Werner Enterprises in low evening sunlight (yes, it is real sunlight)
It is middle of March 2014 and the sunset is taking place in couple of minutes - 1263
Werner Diesel Loco and Truck pass the WE Terminal - 1245	Low shadow of the signal bridge is falling over the WE Loco - 1246
1249	1250
The signal bridge is still in bright sunlight - 1247	A different angle - 1248
1251	1252
In front is Joe's old house - 1253	1254
WE Percyville Terminal - 1255	Tractors in front of the office building - 1256
WE Terminal office straight ahead - 1257	Long shadow of the fence is almost touching the tractors - 1258
Foose Design and WCC with Joshua Trees in front - 1259	The cars of Foose and WCC - 1260
Also McDonald's is getting some low sunlight - 1261	Lots of customers are eating their BigMac - 1262
Much more photos (200 +) of our latest Extension can be seen on page 12 "Percyville - 3" - click here

Technical Data of my Layout: Size: 4,5 x 6,5 m (13,5 x 19,5 feet), Era: Modern, Location: Southern California in the Mojave Desert (Cajon Pass), Layout Style: unconventional, in house along the walls, 2 swing up bridges, 1 lift out bridge, double track, min. radius 104 cm (41 inch), max. grade 1,5 %, Track: Atlas flextrack code 100, Turnouts: Peco code 100, Power: conventional DC with electrical feeders every 2 m, Mainline: 32 m (96 feet), Height: 93 cm (36,5 inch)

Overview of the layout (each square is 0,5 m)

Werner Enterprises HO Diorama built for the 14th Convention - click here

Did you see the Werner Ent. Truck Fleet ? - click here

Back to layout main page - click here