ATSF Los Angeles Division, circa 1949

[Cajonpassfan]

Well, there’s time to play, and then there’s time to work...
Back to Blue Cut, one of the more iconic spots on Cajon Pass and the most constrained part of the Pass, where Cajon Creek cut a narrow S shaped passage through metamorphic rock pushed up by seismic forces. It’s the only place on the layout where I’m using homemade molds for rock castings, the rest is hand sculpted sandstone. Blue Cut is where the San Andreas fault crosses the creek and the railroad, and where the Pacific Plate meets the Continental Plate, slipping past one another and creating a seismic rift zone of metamorphic rock of unique blue-gray color geologists call the  Pelona Schist. Hence  the name “Blue Cut”. It’s one of a few places in the US where one can step from one major seismic plate to another, and I can do that on my layout🙀😁!
Back to modeling....lots of plaster work, and of course I don’t have quite enough room to do it justice. Progress pics below, more to come. Being stuck at home in these crazy times does have some advantages...thank god for an awesome hobby!
Otto K.

[Cajonpassfan]

Well, it doesn’t look like much yet because it’s just off white, but I’ve managed to finish plastering about 12 linear feet of scenery from Keenbrook through Blue Cut to Cosy Dell, including a lot of rock castings at Blue Cut. More going on between Keenbrook and Devore, all told, there is about 38 linear feet of mainline that follows Cajon Creek up the Pass.
This is fun...😎
Otto

[johnb]

Snow on Cajon?

[Cajonpassfan]

Well, it’s been known to happen....

[GaryHinshaw]

Fantastic progress!  I love that you were able to include a stretch of Rte 66 there.

[C855B]

> Rte 66

It just dawned on me (like a lightning bolt!) that I never really knew quite where 66 crossed through the pass north of 138. Was I-15 built over it? Cajon Blvd. for me always ended with that cul-de-sac where the tracks split.

[Cajonpassfan]

Thank you Gary. Can’t model Cajon without including Route 66, right?
In addition to this 30” segment through Blue Cut, there will be another 40’ of it around the layout, mostly in the lower reaches where it follows the tracks. Of course, in my era, it’s just a two lane highway.

Mike, a bolt of lightning, eh? Well, yes, in the upper reaches, Route 66 is under the southbound lanes of the I 15, and above Cajon Jct., it’s now a dirt road paralleling the east side of the freeway and the three railroad bridges over the old highway are still there. Attaching a Google Earth screenshot, that shows the upper part of the Pass, and its many historic roads and trails of one knows where to look.

A bit of history, if I may. First there were Indian trails, then in the 1850’s a Mormon “road”, followed by John Brown’s toll road through the narrow Crowder Canyon (take a sharp right and head east just where the tracks split above Cajon Station). Pics below.

That was followed by a first true macadam “highway” in 1916, which bypassed Crowder Canyon and headed east up a steep hill just behind the McDonalds site. Pieces of pavement are still there, but it was barely wide enough for two cars to meet.

In 1932, during the depression, an engineered, modern two-lane highway was built in an all new alignment (the dirt road mentioned above). This was the original Route 66. In about 1953, it was turned into a four-lane, partially divided highway through the entire Pass. This lasted until the late sixties, when the I 15 was built, in parts over Route 66, but mostly at a new grade.

Sorry if I got carried away,  but I find this stuff very interesting.
I’ll include phots shortly.
Otto

[coldriver]

that looks great Otto - the completed scenes are going to be awesome! 

[Cajonpassfan]

I hope so @coldriver, and thank you. I’ve decided to take an idea out of your playbook and clip a couple of benchwork corners, at a much more modest scale....I still need unobstructed view to the lower deck.
Otto

[johnb]

> Rte 66

It just dawned on me (like a lightning bolt!) that I never really knew quite where 66 crossed through the pass north of 138. Was I-15 built over it? Cajon Blvd. for me always ended with that cul-de-sac where the tracks split.

nope, look slightly down hill and you will see the remains

[wazzou]

I hope so @coldriver, and thank you. I’ve decided to take an idea out of your playbook and clip a couple of benchwork corners, at a much more modest scale....I still need unobstructed view to the lower deck.
Otto

Otto, could you bend a piece of veneer inside that corner? 
***assuming your using veneer for fascia.  I like it better than Masonite.
On my last layout, I was able to wet the veneer thoroughly 3-4 times and repeatedly clamp it to the benchwork, closer each time to eventually meet the intended radius using the edge of the benchwork for the clamps.
You can then attach any needed scenery substrate to that curved veneer.

[Cajonpassfan]

Ha, Bryan, that’s an interesting topic, and a subjective one. As to material/color, I don’t use veneer other than for base material, it will all get either painted over or covered with self adhesive textured tan wallpaper I’ve been using, if I don’t  run out....

The question of fascia color comes up often, and I do not like too much contrast on my upper deck because the fascia can be seen across the room and across two peninsulas....that’s the whole design concept, to see it all from Summit. Dark or contrasting fascias would interfere with the overall view.

As to the question of flowing fascia curves or angular cuts, there’s arguments on both sides. Generally, I like the sharp, angular edges that look like someone just sliced off a piece of the earth, (hence the earth colored fascia) in contrast to the flowing trackage. In this location, the original  upper deck rectangular design was intended to formally *frame* the lower deck’s San Bernardino yard. Now I’m scratching my head...and the jury is still out....
Often in design situations like this, I just let it be for a while and stare at it occasionally, and the obvious answer just suddenly appears.
Btw, I did what you’re suggesting in another location, where the lower deck *framing* was not an issue, see pic. Here, I rounded off two 45 degree corners (see white plaster terrain infill) and it does look better.
Let’s give it time...
Thanks for your interest and comments.
Otto K.

[C855B]

... I like the sharp, angular edges that look like someone just sliced off a piece of the earth, ...

OK, Mr. Accurate, when are you going to start painting the fascia representing soil strata? 

[Cajonpassfan]

Lol, not that that hadn’t occurred to me...
But I don’t have Starry Starry Night on my backdrop
Otto

[Cajonpassfan]

Today I took a break from plastering and took advantage of the sunny day to run up to Cajon (it’s in my neighborhood, so it’s okay) to take pics of areas I’m modeling this time of year. In April, it’s much more colorful than most people think, with snow still on the mountains, water in the creeks, and glorious greens of all kinds, with moisture in the soil bringing out colors. That, plus the fact the citrus shipping season was in full swing back then...great inspiration for modeling. Here’s a few pics
And now, back to regularly scheduled programming...
Otto