Afton Canyon N Scale

Afton Canyon N Scale Welcome to my N Scale layout covering the magnificent Afton Canyon, in Southern California.
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Alllllrighty, so... N Possible Couplers.I’ve done a few coupler installs now, and no doubt, they look 100% better. Becau...
03/30/2026

Alllllrighty, so... N Possible Couplers.

I’ve done a few coupler installs now, and no doubt, they look 100% better. Because they’re so small and there’s very little vertical clearance, they’re a little trickier when it comes to dialing in the exact coupler height on every piece of rolling stock. I’m sure having more coupler options down the road will help with that.

For now, I’ll be converting all of my motive power, plus a few cars on one side for the connection point. Neat product!

I finished weathering a 55-car coal train and… it was a lot of work.It felt like Andy in The Shawshank Redemption, quiet...
02/02/2026

I finished weathering a 55-car coal train and… it was a lot of work.

It felt like Andy in The Shawshank Redemption, quietly chipping away at that wall one tiny bit at a time until one day you look up and it’s just… done.

That was me this past month, except instead of a tunnel it was 55 cars. I’m pumped with how they turned out, but I’m also comfortable saying: I’m not doing that again!

Here’s what every single car got:

- Dullcote to kill the shine
- Rust wheel faces
- Interior paint plus coal-wear grime
- Lettering chips with an X-Acto to mimic age
- Faded Union Pacific shield and stripes so they don’t look factory-fresh
- Tagging on a bunch of cars
- Overall fade, then layered road grime
- Conspicuity stripes/stickers to finish the modern details
- Powders to blend everything and add depth

Took a long while, but seeing the full consist together makes it worth it.

Before and after.
01/11/2026

Before and after.

Another three units leave the workbench and head to the railroad.
01/02/2026

Another three units leave the workbench and head to the railroad.

Fresh out of the shop, UP 1111 'Powered By Our People', pulls a short officer special on its first trip through Afton Ca...
01/01/2026

Fresh out of the shop, UP 1111 'Powered By Our People', pulls a short officer special on its first trip through Afton Canyon. Happy New Year everyone!

I'll call this one... "Damn kids!" Vandals love Union Pacific GP units, and this one is no exception. This model is ba...
11/03/2025

I'll call this one... "Damn kids!"

Vandals love Union Pacific GP units, and this one is no exception. This model is based on the recent Atlas GP60 release. This unit was a lot of fun and it's about 99% done at this point. Details and modifications include:

- Remove all molded grab irons
- Drill out molded fans; replace with etched metal
- Remove and re-place AC Unit
- Add trainline air hoses
- Add MU hoses
- Add MT couplers
- Add cab sunshades
- Add rear view mirrors
- Add lift rings
- Add cut levers (front still missing - I ran out!)
- Add 3D printed snow plow
- Add windshield wipers
- Add PTC Antenna (not 100% correct, but close)
- Paint-to-match all added parts
- Paint black interior window gaskets
- Paint black arm rests
- Paint cab interior black
- Re-number from 2069 to 1062
- Decal and hand-write graffiti
- Mask and dull coat
- Weather to match
- This unit came with Loksound pre-installed

It’s been a minute since I finished a locomotive at the workbench, but I’m excited to add this Union Pacific SD70M to th...
10/22/2025

It’s been a minute since I finished a locomotive at the workbench, but I’m excited to add this Union Pacific SD70M to the roster. I replaced all the molded-on grab irons and fans (except the dynamic brake grill) with metal parts, added sunshades, mirrors, a PTC antenna, wipers, a 3D-printed plow, MU hoses, and trainline air hoses. Then came the paint: rusted wheels, red fuel tank details, black window gaskets, and a full repaint of the gray to capture that faded prototype look before weathering the whole unit. Unlike the early 4000-series, this angled-nose unit’s paint held up surprisingly well. Another one complete and it feels good to be back at the bench.

The new Athearn Acid Tank Cars are out... And they're pretty sweet!
07/20/2025

The new Athearn Acid Tank Cars are out... And they're pretty sweet!

It's been a while since I've posted; life and business have kept me busy.Here are some new models that just arrived from...
01/29/2025

It's been a while since I've posted; life and business have kept me busy.

Here are some new models that just arrived from Otter Valley Railroad. The cars have loads of detail and roll great. Great job, guys!

This one stands out... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
10/01/2024

This one stands out... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

This past week, I weathered an HO Scale Athearn AC4400CW using only acrylics. I've been weathering with oils for years b...
09/16/2024

This past week, I weathered an HO Scale Athearn AC4400CW using only acrylics. I've been weathering with oils for years but have slowly switched to acrylics because they dry so much faster. I was able to finish the entire locomotive in just one day, and I'm never going back! (Photos taken on Tim Dickinson's 1976 BN layout.)

A few of the latest Micro-Trains Line Company cars have hit the layout. Per usual, these weathered cars are amazing rig...
09/11/2024

A few of the latest Micro-Trains Line Company cars have hit the layout. Per usual, these weathered cars are amazing right out of the box. The only thing I did on the flat car was weather the sides and deck a bit more. For the hopper cars, I body-mounted the couplers and added 36" metal wheels and painted the faces a rust color.

Address

Afton Road
Baker, CA

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