Next in our overview of the model railway scene we have created for the Ohio Creek Extension (OCE) of C&S Railway, we stop off in Kebler Pass to take a closer look at one of the railway’s hubs of operation. Similar to some of the other portions of the OCE, Kebler Pass was once known for its mining community, and we wanted to accurately depict the buildings and terrain of this small mountain town. In this video, we introduce some of the essential features of Kebler Pass and the model railway that runs through it. Come along, won’t you?
Making Kebler Pass: Mining Hub of the C&S Model Railway
When first arriving in Kebler Pass by means of model railway, visitors will notice the era-appropriate figures and landmarks that bring this little mining town to life. In order to make the model railway community as realistic as possible, we made sure to include the buildings that actually stood here back in the 1940s.
As an example, Kebler Pass was once home to one of Colorado Fuel and Iron (CFI)’s largest mining shafts, Marion Mine #7. To completely scratch build this model railway structure, which we affixed to the mountainside, we used recycled materials and corrugated metal for the rooftop and weathered the exterior with chalk powders.
Travelling farther down the model railway and into town, you’ll discover a number of era-appropriate buildings and figures as we imagined they would look based on historical research. Structures such as Kebler Pass Mercantile, a Miner’s Union Hall and a C&S Freight Station stand near the railway in all their scratch-built, inch-high glory, as well as historically accurate coke ovens that look just like the ones that once stood in Webster, CO. With touches like these and others, the model railway that runs through Kebler Pass is something to behold!
