Track Laying on the Eagle Point Railroad
15,000 Feet and Counting

Newly Expanded Eagle Point Yard
Yard in Full Use for Card-Order

The Eagle Point Railroad is on 37 acres of some fairly rugged terrain for a riding scale railroad, so some basic ideal standards are not possible. The track has been built to standards from the beginning in 2000, however, those standards had to be adjusted early on, as broad sweeping mainline curves do not fit well in a mountain branchline setting. About 95% of the track is on grade and curved.

There are three types of track; mainline with 2% grade and 60' radius, mountain branchline with 2½% grade and 50' radius, plus over 60 industrial tracks, along with several yards.

All track is for 7½" gauge trains up to 2½" scale. Standard clearance is 24" from centerline, however, there are some obstructions at 18"; keep your knees and elbows in…

Basic Track Building Standards

Track screw pattern holds gauge and keeps ties from folding; same as prototypes. Note that the screw pattern forms an arrow, which is the directions a loosened rail will slide.
All screws have washers.
The above screw pattern allows easy joining of new panels to existing track without the need to cut rail when connecting the two panels, as demonstrated below.
EPRR Turnout Designs for #6, #7, #8, #10

This PowerPoint File contains all the information we use to build turnouts for the railroad.

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 EPRR Turnout Designs

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Track and Roadbed
An ideal track would use a 48" base, a mountain railroad is lucky to get 36". Most of Eagle Point track is 36" ballast shown in dark gray and medium gray profile.
Track and Turnout
Construction Area
Turnout and track jigs
Custom wye turnout on jig		  

Staining 15" ties
Assembling 10' panels in jig
#8 turnout in jig		  
Laying Track

Process has change little since 2001
Set ballast frame, fill, tamp,
add 10' of track
Done 1,500 times so far
Track laid from 30° to 95°
Ballast for last panel at Promontory
Laying in Small Yard

Set frame
Fill with ballast and tamp
Add track, set next frame
Finished 3-track industry
Laying Track on a Steep Slope
Set frame at grade and level
Add retaining wall and tamped dirt
Finished wall and track
Adding New Branch

Just drop in a turnout
Cut out existing track
Lay sub-roadbed for new branch
Completed new junction
Custom Track Laying Fairly Routine


Several custom fits to make it all work.
Installing tight-fit crossing
Wye turnout and curved turnout
starting at frog
Pair of crossing on curved shop
lead built in place when new
yard added

3-way turnout with removable
points to close overhead door
Wye in the valley
Wye over the mountain gorge

End of 88' tunnel
Trestle work past rock out crop
Adding track on an overhang
Arch over Stillhouse creek

Any help on the cut was welcome
Last days of cut after 18-months
Turnout in cut
Continue up or go back down
Routine scenes on railroad
Annual weed control work
Happens a couple times a year
Red means approaching train
Must be snow plow...
Dealing with Extreme Rains

Wye track under water
extreme rain
Area before drains were added
Shows why concrete footers
were used
Clogged drain pipe.
Why ash-pans should be checked

As built
Repairs required after fire
Rebuilt with fire pans