Charles Etheredge’s Texas & New Orleans

This is a great layout in the making! Charles models the Texas and New Orleans (Southern Pacific) in the late 1940’s. The line runs from Llano to Marble Falls to the Austin yard, and then to Elgin, Giddings, Brenham and Hempstead. It features multiple connections with the Katy, Missouri Pacific, and Santa Fe, staging yards representing Houston and Dallas, and a beautiful bridge over the Brazos River.

Charles has done extensive research into the track plan, industries, and practices for the time period. Those of you familiar with this line know that it carries a lot of rock and gravel. You might not know that it was also home to the largest stockyard in the region; at its peak five trains per day left Llano.

There is plenty of steam – much of it brass, including the SP Mikado 786 (of Austin Steam Train fame), which actually operated on this line back then – along with a few early Alco diesels.

Most of the track work is complete, but most of the scenery is not. The layout is on the ground floor, but there are a couple steps up and down.


Charles custom-designed a very stable risible duck-under. Note the pin at the top, keeping it from closing.


Unique ground throws by Bitter Creek Models. Made from metal, these are a little more durable than the more popular Caboose Hobbies ground throws. They also have a long travel to provide a little bit of extra pressure.


Here you can see Charles' neat wiring featuing suitcase connectors. What you can't see is just as important as what you can!