Welcome to the Official
Platte Valley and Western Railroad Club
Homepage

What is the Platte Valley and Western Railroad Club? The answers lie below. There is a summary about each topic on this page, but for a more in-depth discussion, click on any of the subjects (which are links).

The Organization

• The Platte Valley Model Railroad Club was organized as a Colorado corporation in October 1983 by a group of model railroaders who had been operating together informally since 1981. While the club has a well detailed constitution and by-laws, we prefer to retain a fairly informal atmosphere. The club is currently composed of 21 members.

• The Platte Valley Model Railroad Club is among the first to utilize the Rail Command Control system. It is a third generation control system and allows extremely flexible train operation. Up to 1024 locomotives can be on the same track at the same time and each be uniquely controlled. In addition to the command control system giving us more realistic train operation, we have purchased a computer which is used to prepare train orders and switch lists for the engineer of each train. It tells the train crew where to pickup and setout the cars in their train. The computer takes care of assigning cars to the industries with freight ot ship. All of this adds to the realism of prototypical train operation. The computer also maintains the records of the rolling stock on the layout. The computer does not run trains. Currently, we are having our operating sessions on one Friday each month. The exact date is determined by the Superitendent on a month-to-month basis (see the Calendar, link below).

• By mandate of our charter, we are committed to way-freight switching and prototype operation. We are developing time table schedules to be run in accordance with a "fast clock", which runs at a speed of approximately one simulated minute every 7.5 seconds. Operating sessions are already a reality with as many as twenty trains scheduled in a (real) two hour period.

• The Platte Valley Model Railroad Club is an HO Scale Club which feature heavy mainline operations, a standard gauge branch line and an extensive narrow gauge (HOn3) feeder railroad. The three systems comprise well over 1000 feet of track, five major yards and several additional switching areas. Nominally, the railroad is set in the transistional era -- late 1940's to mid 1950's -- but club members interests are varied to the point that you might see turn of the century steam or the latest EMD diesels running at the same time.

• The club meets every Friday evening at 7:30pm in the basement of the Denver Union Station (click for directions). The club is funded entirely by member dues, iniation fees and various fund raising projects. We also welcome donations. Anyone with an interest in model railroading is invited to observe and inquire about membership.

Grand Junction / Platte Yard
Platte Valley Calendar
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since Platte Valley went online on July 16, 1999

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