Behind the Scenes of Yosemite Valley Railway

For master modeler Jack Burgess, Yosemite Valley Railway was a nearly three-decade-long exploration into California’s diverse terrain via scale model tracks. This spectacular layout is a prime example of multi-level construction gone terrifically right. Come along as Allen Keller explores behind the scenes of Jack’s dynamic landscapes and towns of 1939 California.

In this tour of standard operations on the YV, we follow local Engine 25 as it makes its way westward from station at El Portal — the gateway of Yosemite National Park — to the staging yard at Merced. You’ll get to see a standard day in the life of California’s miners, harvesters and farmers when Engine 25 stops off to make its pickups, drops and transfers. Don’t miss this remarkable layout from one of the finest modelers in the hobby!