Seth Neumann

Union Pacific Oakland Subdivision, HO

The layout is set in the East Bay in 1999. The railroad represents the former Western Pacific 1st and San Jose Subdivisions, which had become the UP Niles, Oakland and Milpitas Subdivisions in the era modeled. The railroad is a secondary main and a branchline which supports an Auto plant (NUMMI), a large gravel operation and a number of smaller industries.

The layout is built in a 450 sqft purpose built room. Construction is single level. Dispatching is by TCS (using CATS) which replicates a Digicon console. Signal control is by CMRInet, including cpNodes made by Seth's company, Model Railroad Control Systems. All signals are repeated as color lite signals on repeaters above the layout. There is a complete writeup of the layout in Volume 52 of the Layout Design Journal, publication of the Layout Design SIG and a cover story in RMC January 2018 and a cover in NMRA Magazine July 2021.

The layout is about 95% sceniced.

A unique feature of the layout is that there is no yardmaster, only a Clerk. This is because the prototype Milpitas Yard has no permanent switcher. The clerk is responsible for managing yard and the neighboring NUMMI complex by writing switchlists to instruct the crews where to place cars. All crews do their own work when passing through the yard.

A typical session runs about 4.5 hours and uses 8 operators. Jobs include: Dispatcher, Clerk, NUMMI Job (2 crew, 2 shifts), UP LRV54 Local, BNSF trackage rights local, and the Mission Bay local which inlcudes a utility job called "The Critter Wrangler".

NCE DCC with wireless throttles, all mainline engines have sound decoders, FRS Radios, 2:1 fast clock, switchlists. Uncoupling 100% manual using pics.

Schedule Notes: Plan to leave the hotel at 9:15 AM, Seth runs from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. He is about 12 miles from San Jose International Airport and 30 miles from SFO, for your Sunday getaway.

Here is a nice video layout tour from TSG Multimedia...

Here's a video briefing that should help you get oriented before operations, so we can spend a little less time talking and more time running

You can download the Employee Timetable here

You can download the Aspect Chart here

You can download the rules and train briefs here

Modified 4/17/2024