Vol. 15: The Yosemite Valley
The Yosemite Valley of Jack Burgess is as close as you can get to having a time machine that will transport you back to August of 1939. Jack is a stickler for historical accuracy not only as it relates to railroad equipment, but to life in general. Everything on this multi-level HO layout–the signs, the structures, the people and the automobiles–is stamped with authenticity.
With this detailed knowledge, his structures and rolling stock are scratchbuilt to exact dimensions. The YV duplicates the passenger, logging and mining operations that made the railroad possible. The California Golden Hills are Jack’s specialty and he’ll show you how he gets the right look for his scenery. The Yosemite Valley is a Great Model Railroad because of Jack’s unswerving devotion to accuracy and high modeling standards.
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8:37Touring Jack Burgess’s Yosemite Valley Railway
Few railroads in the United States traverse as many unique landscapes as California’s Yosemite Valley Railway. Passing through the arid climate of San Fernandino River Valley, lush and sprawling farm country outside Merced and reaching the gateway to Yosemite National Park, the YV was once home to some of the most important rail communities to…
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11:58Behind 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…
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1:54Jack Burgess on Prototyping Yosemite Valley Railway
For some modelers, the joy of the hobby lies in creating something in your mind that’s never existed on another railroad. For others, ultimate satisfaction comes from duplicating a once grandiose railroad in small scale. The buildings, the trackage, the landscape and scenery — all of it captured perfectly. Such was the goal of master…
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3:09Why Jack Burgess Chose Yosemite Valley Railway
Most of the time, when modelers choose to duplicate a prototype, they do so because of an undying fascination with that particular railroad. Maybe they fell in love with the sights and sounds of a railroad as a child, or they admire what it represents. In the case of master prototyper Jack Burgess, Yosemite Valley…
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3:14Jack Burgess on Building a Layout with High Standards
Every modeler has their own preferences for building a layout, especially when it comes to building alone or with friends. Some use their railroad as an expression of their own unique creativity and standards, and so they build by themselves. Others prefer to be a part of a team and turn modeling into a group…
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3:46Using Applied History to Duplicate a Prototype Railroad
When it comes to prototyping a model railroad layout, nothing is more essential to the success of a duplication than thorough research. It should come as no surprise that some of the world’s best prototypers are also lifelong railfans and highly dedicated researchers. Such is the case for master modeler Jack Burgess, builder of Yosemite…
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6:41Master Modeler Jack Burgess: Artist or Technician?
Jack Burgess is a civil engineer by profession and a railroader by hobby. Some would say the two go hand in hand, as so much of what Jack has created on his scale model of Yosemite Valley Railway is a product of the skills he’s developed in his career. Whether it be his perfectionist dedication…
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9:22Jack Burgess on Scratch-Building Scenery Components
Master modeler Jack Burgess is renowned across the world for his remarkably realistic scale duplication of Yosemite Valley Railway. Thanks to its historical accuracy and scratchbuilt scenery components, Jack’s layout of the California railroad at its heyday in August, 1939 has been featured in model railroad publications countless times since its inception. To get a…
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9:16Jack Burgess on Scratch-Building Model Railroad Structures
If you’re looking for ways to make your model railroad layout appear more realistic and historically accurate, there are few better methods than scratch-building model railroad structures and the elements of your scenery. When you scratch build as opposed to using out-of-the-box kits purchased at a hobby shop, you get to control how each component…
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