Updated: October 23, 2015 and November 19, 2015 (Movie: Dec. 15, 2015, Jan. 29, 2016 and Feb. 12, 2016)

HO Scale Desert Layout Project  -  15/22 See 100 photos of the finished layout by WM (plus 26 bonus pictures by Kim Nipkow)

incl. Cajon Pass (Mormon Rocks - Hill 582 - WSI), City of Percyville (similar to Mojave, CA) Werner Enterprises Terminal

Entering the City of Percyville and looking down main street - 1885

I started with my layout in late December 2007 and it is finally finshed in late September 2015. Well, I will add some detailing, weathering of the roads, road signs and street railings along main street in Percyville. Thank you for your interest in my Mojave Desert Layout - Werner Meer (11/19/15)

2/12/16: Trains are rolling:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqyLRyKma2A&feature=em-upload_owner

1/29/16: Cab Ride 1:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Soaz-cNiU1o&feature=em-upload_owner 1/29/16: Cab Ride 2:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUdxXdO3b1g&feature=em-upload_owner

12/15/15: Test movie 1 of my layout:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBp4X3lnvRc&feature=em-upload_owner Test movie 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDCZzK6MhyQ&feature=em-upload_owner Test Movie 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDSBNYdyK3A&feature=em-upload_owner all movies made by Martin Raemy

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 layout (each square is 0,5 m)

Photos 1885 - 1988, starting 10/06/15 and ending 10/06/15  (just click on the 4-digit number for bigger size photos)

The City of Percyville
We start our tour at the left side, where the tracks are coming from Office 2. Take a short look at the Mormon Rocks inside Office 2 and continue outside main street of Percyville, pass Werner Enterprises Terminal, Percyville Extension, Tunnels East Portals, inside Office 2 Tunnel area West Portals, West Summit Island, Hill 582, Mormon Rocks, Flyover and along the shelf.
we are standing in the passage and are looking inside office 2 - 1886	we are looking North with the City of Percyville - 1887
the auto carrier on the bridge is having a load . . - 1888	. . of brand new Dodge Chargers - 1893
The Mormon Rocks are inside Office 2 - 1894	1895
The UP Diesels are on the Flyover - 1899	1900
These 3 Joshua Trees were made by Felix Rüedi - 1896	UP DDA40X made by Athearn Genesis - 1897
On top is the "High Desert Country Cafe" - 1889	1898
There is a Super 8 Motel at left (made by Summit USA) - 1890	next comes an ARCO Gas Station - 1891
1901	1902
1903	1904
ARCO, Denny's and KFC are from Pelle Soeeborg - 1905	who did ever expect that these 3 buildings found a new home? - 1906
Taco Bell made by Summit USA - 1907	Pizza Hut is made by Modellbahn-Atelier Berlin - 1908
The City of Percyville with main street and different restaurants, motel, Cadillac dealership, Foose Design and West Coast Customs - 1892
only on my layout: Foose Design and . . - 1909	. . . West Coast Customs are under one roof - 1910
my Cadillac Dealership is custom built - 1911	basic kit is from Faller (Car Center) but modified - 1917
Cadillac of Percyville - 1913	Werner Enterprises has a spur to the main line - 1914
a McDonald's is between the spur and main street - 1915	Werner Enterprises has his own diesel loco - 1916
looks alike: Werner loco and reefer trailer - 1917	1918
1919	these Joshua Trees were made by Mason Clark (USA) - 1920
1921	1922
looking down main street - 1923	1924
1925	"Joes Place" is just across Werner Enterprises - 1926
Joshua Tress were made by Mason Clark (USA) - 1927	blooming Yuccas made by JTT - 1928
Welcome to Werner Enterprises Percyville Terminal
Werner Enterprises has rail and road access - 1929	I used "Great West Models" kits to build these 2 structures - 1930
there is an old house "Joes Place" across the WE Terminal - 1931	Headquarters is from Summit USA, built by Pitsch Allneider - 1932
looking the other way around - 1937	several tractors and the van were made by Pitsch Allneider - 1938

The Percyville Extension
Cadillac Escalade stretch limo - 1933	The Car Dealership was made by Pelle Soeeborg - 1934
the car dealer has a red Cadillac Sixteen - 1935	Bugatti Veyron and Lamborghini Aventator - 1936
the Percyville Extension is small but very attractive for cars and food - 1939
we continue on main street heading North - 1940	the tracks will go over a swing-up bridge to the left - 1941
1942	1943
Tunnel East Portals are inside Office 1. A Santa Fe train is rolling over the swing-up bridge toward the tunnels - 1944
double tracks (left) are going downhill and the others uphill - 1945	these Joshua trees are made by Kim Nipkow - 1946

The Westside of the Tunnels show Cajon Pass
we are inside office 2 on the West side of the tunnels - 1947
heavy action on all main lines and Route 66 as well - 1948	funny number of this photo as I was born in this year - 1949
the BNSF service road goes along the upper main tracks - 1950	West Summit Island is a small platform (original by Jerry Shinar) - 1951
the width of the layout is just 80 cm - 1952	even on a small space you can build a nice scene - 1953

Hill 582 is a Railfans' Paradise. Don Toles is the "Hillkeeper" and taking care of the Hill. But there are other gentlemen involved: Gary Gray, Marc Fournier, Jerry Shinar and some others as well.
my scale version of Hill 582 is parallel to the tracks - 1954	but in real life, it is actually square to the tracks - 1955
in other words, we have to live with compromises . . - 1956	. . because of space limitations in the model world - 1957
1958	1959
the Swiss flag was a must, because when I visit the real . . - 1960	. . Hill 582, my friends are rising a Swiss flag for me - 1961
heavy action just below Hill 582 - 1962	a look behind Hill 582 shows the BNSF service road - 1963
This road is Cajon Blvd. (old Route 66) - 1964	when you build a layout, you have to accept compromises - 1965
Red Ford Pickup Truck belongs to Don Toles - 1966	Silver Ford Pickup Truck belongs to Gary Gray - 1967
from Route 66, Highway 138 is passing the Mormon Rocks - 1968	in real, the Mormon Rocks are not as close to Hill 582 as here - 1969

The Mormon Rocks were created out of Styrofoam as per this photo which I took some years ago.
Highway 138 is going under the upper tracks - 1970	1971
1972	1973
1974	1975
1976	there is a UP MoW office - 1977
this is the Flyover - 1978	both levels are visible - 1979
1980	1981
1982	1983

After the Flyover the layout is going along the wall on a shelf. Below is a 6-track staging yard.
Werner Enterprises train coming uphill - 1984	Werner is active on the road and on the rails - 1985
1986
the width is just 40 cm - 1987
The doors of the staging yard are open. The entrance for the 6 tracks are below the flyover - 1988

 I started with my layout in late December 2007 and it is finally finshed in late September 2015.
Well, I will add some detailing, weathering of the roads, road signs and street railings along main street in Percyville.
Thank you for your interest in my Mojave Desert Layout - Werner Meer (11/19/15)

Below are 26 Bonus Photos by Kim Nipkow

On October 6, 2015, Kim Nipkow made a photo shooting of my layout for a report in Model Railroader Magazine.
Overview of Percyville - KN-25
the City of Percyville with main street - KN-04	like in real life, the signs are huge - KN-05
there is a service road for the different businesses - KN-06	the same Denny's exists in Mojave, CA - KN-12
ARCO Gas Station was made by Pelle Soeeborg - KN-09	Denns'y and KFC built by Pelle as well - KN-11
a double stack train is passing the Werner Enterprises . .  - KN-17	. . Percyville Terminal - KN-19
at left is main street of Percyville - KN-13	Werner Enterprises is always busy - KN-18
view of Denny's and Best Deal Auto - KN-10	yes, Joshua Trees are common in the Mojave Desert - KN-14
busy Percyville Extension - KN-26
Tunnels outside (East Portals) - KN-16	AT&SF Warbonnet GP60M entering Tunnel 1 - KN-03
Tunnels inside Office 2 (West Portals) - KN-01	Hill 582 with real background (photoshop help) - KN-02
my version of Hill 582 is parallel to the tracks, not square as on real Cajon Pass - KN-21
the latest railings have been added as well - KN-23	Hill 582 as seen from the South East side - KN-24
The Mormon Rocks are in the corner - KN-08	Highway 138 is passing the famous rocks - KN-07
	The builder with his 8 years project looks satisfied with the result of his Mojave Desert style layout. Typical Cajon Pass icons are included like the Mormon Rocks, Hill 582 and West Summit island. Another important part is the Percyville Terminal of Werner Enterprises. Several Werner vehicles were custom made by Pitsch Allneider and the Werner Diesel Loco was painted by Ferdinand Rat. The City of Percyville has smilarities with the City of Mojave, CA. There are 3 buildings made by Pelle Soeeborg, These (ARCO Gas Station, Denny's and KFC) reflect acurate replicas of those in Mojave along main street. At the Percyville extenstion is another building made by Pelle: Best Deal Auto.
Glad, my layout is finally finished - KN-20	X
Werner Enterprises Diesel Loco is pulling Werner Trailers on Flat Cars - KN-22
The hidden staging yard is below the main tracks along the shelf - KN-15
All 26 photos copyright by Kim Nipkow

Page 22 - New 11/17/16:  Part 6 - The latest model from Scale Trains in action - click here  Page 22

Page 21 - New 10/30/16:  Part 5 - Trains are rolling - Union Pacific and Santa Fe trains in action - click here  Page 21

Page 20 - New 5/29/16:  Part 4 - Werner Enterprises got 53' Containers for Werner Global Logistics - click here  Page 20

Page 19 - New 3/30/16:  Part 3 - The Layout is getting alive with lots of Details - click here  Page 19

Page 18 - New 2/26/16:  Part 2 - West Tunnels, WSI, Hill 582, Mormon Rocks, Flyover - click here  Page 18

Page 17 - New 2/20/16:  Part 1 - Percyville incl. Extension, Werner Enterprises, East Tunnels - click here  Page 17

Page 16 - New 12/27/15:  Take a Tour on the Percyville Terminal of Werner Enterprises - click here  Page 16

Page 14 - New 9/29/15:  Landscaping Cajon Pass - Hill 582 - finished - click here  Page 14

Page 13 - New 7/27/15: Landscaping Cajon Pass - finished but w/o Hill 582 - click here  Page 13

Page 12 - New 5/10/15: The City of Percyville (3) - Extension is finished - click here

Page 11 - New 3/26/14: The City of Percyville (2) - (with main street) is finished - click here

Back to main layout page - click here