Planned Operations

The Klamath River Line is primarily designed for one operator but provides for possible operating sessions for up to several people.

Planned Trains
Willow Creek Yard switcher – as needed
Happy Camp Peddler – serving local industries up to twice a day service
Yreka West – Yreka/Willow Creek/Eureka – twice a day service
Eureka East – Eureka/Willow Creek/Yreka – twice a day service
Siskiyou Hauler – Dedicated service on a “as needed” basis
Bigfoot Express – Mainline “drone” ran during individual op sessions
Yreka Pax Turn – Possible future passenger service

10 car length for local trains, 12-15 car for through trains and the Bigfoot Express at 18-20 cars

Loco power is Atlas Silver Series GP 40’s, an Atlas Gold SD35 and MP 15 DC’s. 50’ box cars, 50’ bulkhead flats, and 60’ woodchip cars dominate the fleet roster. Rolling stock consists of Atlas, Accurail, Athearn, Details West, Walthers and LBF/E&C/Herbert’s.


Proposed one operator session
Bigfoot Express – drone train with mainline right way

Yreka West - Yreka (staging)to Willow Creek. Takes the siding in Willow Creek and drops off cars for the Willow Creek yard. Picks up any cars for Eureka. Heads through Happy Camp and continues to Eureka( staging).

Willow Creek switcher sorts the new cars into the yard. Makes up the Happy Camp Peddler from the new and existing cars in the yard. The Willow Creek switcher is also responsible for switching Siskiyou Forest Products as needed.

The Happy Camp Peddler- Heads out east from the Willow Creek Yard to Happy Camp. Conducts switching operations in Happy Camp. Stages cars on the Happy Camp siding for the return to Willow Creek Yard. Obtains cars on Happy Camp siding and returns to Willow Creek Yard via the western route.

Willow Creek switcher breaks down the returning peddler into the yard. Stages cars for the Eureka East.

Siskiyou Hauler (as needed) from Yreka (staging) to the Willow Creek siding. Switches Siskiyou Forest Products. Double ended loco uses the main at the Willow Creek siding as a run around. Picks up cars on Willow Creek siding and returns to Yreka staging through Happy Camp.

The Eureka East from Eureka (staging) to Willow Creek and takes the Willow Creek siding. Spots cars for the Willow Creek Yard and picks up cars for headed for Yreka. Heads to Yreka (staging) through Happy Camp.

Willow Creek switcher sorts new cars into yard. Stages outbound cars as needed. The Willow Creek switcher is also responsible for switching Siskiyou Forest products as needed.End of day.

Estimated session run time 1 hour.

How the “Basement” section and staging works –
Lets follow a train to illustrate how the elevations work on this plan The Yreka West (hauler) pulls out of the Yreka staging at an elevation of 0” in the area of the duck under and enters onto the main line – I call this the Basement Section since it is not visible trackage and is under the main part of the layout. It starts a 3% grade up and becomes “visible” as it emerges from the tunnel into Happy Camp at +4”. It passes through Happy Camp and continues past the Klamath River at +4”. The train takes the Willow Creek siding at +4”. After operations in Willow Creek, the YW continues on the main into the tunnel where it starts a 3% grade down and below Happy Camp. It will continue down to the area of the duck under and is at +0" again where it enters the Eureka Staging.