A little bit of Colorado narrow gauge in Kansas

[LarryH]

A little bit of Colorado narrow gauge in Kansas
LarryH
December 2025 in New Member Introductions
I’ve been running model trains since my parents gave me a Marx train set in 1953. Several cities and layouts later, My wife and I landed in the Kansas City area where her family resides.

For several years, I was in an HOn3 module club in Denver, Colorado. I had built two module sets containing eight modules when we moved to KC. The modules made the trip. Three other members wanted to divest of their modules about the same time, and I acquired them. Suddenly I had 18 modules and a 16’x24’ train room in a basement dedicated to narrow gauge model railroading. This makes for a layout with great modeling and operating potential. So here we are today. After building more than 90 structures, both kit and scratch built, I’m excited to build my first Sierra West kit.

I’ll also be building an as yet unnamed module for the layout. It’s a 4’ x 11-1/2’ module that is inspired by Dave Meek’s HOn3 Barlow Pass layout. The theme is a mountain helper yard for the Denver & Rio Grande Railway in the late 19th century.

I picked up the Eureka Spring Boiler House mini scene at a train show. With my time in model trains, I have figured out that I cannot leave well enough alone. I’ll be making the boiler house my own and attaching it to another structure to be determined later. This will get me started with SWSM kits. The Railroad Camp, The Loco and Service shops, and the Backwoods Tie Mill will provide the core structures of the new module. There are other structures that are already built or planned. So begins a new chapter in modeling.

Larry
Comments

KKarns
December 2025
Exciting to hear Larry! You have done well to have found SierraWest Scale Models, and with certainty, the range of structure kits will enhance your expansive narrow gauge railroad. Look forward to your progress…Ken

TomMich
December 2025
Welcome Larry. This is a GREAT place to get ideas, learn, and enhance your modeling skills. I am in the Springfield, MO area. that makes us nearly neighbors. Looking forward to seeing your builds.

admin
December 2025
Welcome to the SW Forum, very glad to have your input. Enjoy your new chapter!

LarryH
December 2025
Thanks for the welcoming comments. I’m looking forward to learning from the great modelers here and sharing some of the knowledge that I’ve acquired over the years.

Jim M
December 2025
Larry, welcome to the best modeling site online. There is so much talent here from which to learn. Look forward to seeing some of your work.

Joel
December 2025
Welcome aboard! Great place for modelling.

TravisS
December 2025
Welcome Larry! Look forward to seeing your builds.

[kebmo]

welcome larry. do you have any lay out pics you can share?

[LarryH]

Thanks for the Welcome. There are a few images in the thread for the new addition to the layout titled “La Madera del Norte branch”.

Here are a few images of the layout.

Train Time at Cimarron

Looking up the Creek toward Ophir

Overview of the layout

Ophir

Entering Montrose

Here are a couple of diorama photos. Although they’re not SW I enjoyed building them and the structures will be added to the layout.

Hayden’s Hardware. For this one I added a backdrop using a photo I took in Colorado.

[kebmo]

very nice.
i’m really jealous…

[KKarns]

Beautiful layout Larry! Let’s see some SWSM structures dress things up…

[LarryH]

kebmo and Ken

Thanks for the comments. I have a few SWSM kits that will be used on the layout. I’m building a new section that will showcase SWSM kits and a few scratch build and kit structures.

[TravisS]

Nice looking layout Larry. Looking forward to seeing your new builds.