San Antonio, Fredericksburg & Northern Ry., spur

Hey Y'all,

Thanks to Jim and his Zelma Branch, he created a bug in me. So I decided to use the area upstairs which is the family area at the top of the stairs to do a branch of the SA&AP. The road was known as the San Antonio, Fredericksburg & Northern Ry. It was operational between 1913-1917, when it was bought outright by the Fredericksburg Northern under receivership, which eventually went to the SA&AP, but was abandoned and ripped up. I am going to put the S.A.F&N under the SABRR acquisition of the SA&AP, with the Frisco.

Keeping with Jim's theme, I did a small dog leg layout that represents Station 24, Mile 23.9, 4700 feet of siding. Now as you can already tell, 4700 feet of siding isn't going to fit into a 15x13 area, especially when it has to be doglegged, so some licensing has to be taken. I've attached the schematic drawing for the S.A.F&N 1913-1915. As you can see, I had to redo the Wye for space purposes. I tried to do it the way the original set up was, but the Wye would have been 6 feet deep and close to 6 feet wide. That would have left no room for anything north of the Wye, and everything south of the Wye was cut off into the wall.

Industries in Fredericksburg, TX, in 1913-1915 include multiple grocery stores and warehouses, beer vault and distillery, lumber yard, S.A.F&N coal storage, section house, S.A.F&N Depot for both freight and passenger, oil storage, seed warehouse, grain warehouse, cotton platforms, storage tanks, oil warehouse, and a water tank. There is a lot of rich potential in this little spur line.

All motive power will be 4-4-0's, 2-6-0's and 4-6-0's. Nothing larger. The S.A.F&N didn't have anything larger than that, and the SA&AP didn't put anything larger either on that spur once it was owned by them.

Please comment on the layout. One thing I am thinking of is moving the spur south of the Wye, to the other side. Again, that would be a license, since I'm working such limited space.

All switches are No 5's. The Wye's are No. 4's. Minimum radius is 18" but used infrequently. Most curves are 22"-26" radii.

Please let me know what you think.

Thanks to Jim James for being such an inspiration!

Manny

 

I may revise the layout to use No. 4's. It'll be a little more realistic than No. 5's and I may be able to "stretch" it out a little bit more.

 

I will be ordering the bench work from Sievers shortly. The Wye is No. 5's all the way around. The curves are 18" radii. I am presently ordering the materials to build the switches and regular track from Fast Tracks. Each tie will be individually spiked. The S.A.F&N did not use tie plates, and dirt for ballast. I will be repeating that. I've been collecting as many photographs of the line as possible. I have already had engine decals made up for the line using actual photographs, so even the font will be exact. You will start seeing pictures and the storyline here shortly. I know I talk a lot, but time for talk has come to meet action. I've also been in contact with American Model Builders regarding their CB&Q Station kit no. 157. It is very similar to the station/freight depot in Fredricksburg. I've asked them to help me possibly modify the station so it will be correct for my line. Fredricksburg is about 45 minutes from where I live so I am going to go take photos and survey the town as much of the old right of way still exists as the line, under the Fredericksburg & Northern, shut down in 1942. All in all, I am excited about doing this little project. It will be totally expandable for down the line.

 

American Model Builders has really stepped up to help me in reconstructing the old S.A.F&N Depot. They have been helping me along with ideas and suggestions. The depot does not fit into the same criteria as the 157 CB&Q Station, so I have to scratch build it. AMB was kind enough to show me to a supplier and help with sources for doors, windows, chimney's, and freight doors. I also had a wonderful 2+ hour conversation with the curator of the Pioneer Museum up in Fredericksburg. He was very interested in my project and has offered me the time to come up to the museum and they will help me thumb through their periodical pictures to help in accuracy. There are folks in Fredericksburg who are still alive when the line existed so I may be able to get information from them as well.

As you can tell by my Code 55 question, I am seriously gathering what is necessary to do the rails. Jim has been so kind to work trade for his secret "dirt" and it will look right. I wish I had the room to do the entire line south to the Fredericksburg Junction in Cain, TX, where it met with the SA&AP. There were two huge trestles at MP 8.2 and 8.9 along with the Fredericksburg Tunnel; the very first of its kind in the state of Texas. If I knocked the wall out between the family room and the spare bedroom I could do it, but I don't own the house yet. If I do buy, the wall is coming down!

Locomotive decals for S.A.F&N 101, a Rodgers 4-6-0 are being made. The S.A.F&N used SA&AP rolling stock except for its business car which I will replicate. An old Mantua Brass Coach fits the bill exactly. Precision Scale has all the parts to help make it a dead ringer.

Table construction is slated to start in less than 30 days. I can't wait. As long as Jim and the Zalma keep inspiring me, and y'all help keep me focused, this will be a great little road. Everything must be scratch built. Can Jim handle all my questions? I dunno know....