--- title: "Welcome to Widow Creek Railroad" canonical_url: "https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/" published: "2022-12-01T21:56:58+00:00" modified: "2026-10-15T19:45:59+00:00" author: "Chris" featured_image: "https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/wcrr-fet.jpg" --- # Welcome to Widow Creek Railroad ## Article # Welcome to Widow Creek Railroad ### SMALLER. SMARTER. INTERACTIVE. Building a railroad that listens, responds, and engages the operator. **Last Updated:** *October 15, 2026 2:45 pm (CDT)* Widow Creek Railroad is currently centered on Creekside Timber & Milling, a 7 foot by 1 foot N scale switching railroad inspired by the Denver & Rio Grande and the rugged high country around Marshall Pass, Colorado. **The compact footprint gives me more room in less physical space for meaningful switching operations while still preserving the challenge of the puzzle, and provides a practical platform for building, testing, and expanding the ideas behind Widow Creek.** Creekside is designed around switching, interaction, and operation rather than simply watching trains run. It is small enough to build now, flexible enough to expand, and large enough to create meaningful railroad problems for the person holding the throttle. At the heart of that work are RAILS, the Railroad Awareness, Intelligence & Logistics System, and IRROD, the Interactive Railroad Operations Dispatcher. Detection, identification, sound, lighting, switching, sensors, communications, and other electronics are being developed as modular systems that can work across different layouts, scales, and operating environments. [![](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/chris-wcr.jpg)](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/chris-sgaraglino/) [Chris Sgaraglino](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/chris-sgaraglino/) - [](https://www.facebook.com/ChrisSgaraglino) - [](https://www.youtube.com/@chrissgaraglino) - [](https://www.instagram.com/chrissgaraglino/) That is an important part of the Widow Creek philosophy. RAILS and IRROD are not tied to N scale, Creekside, or any one railroad. What is being developed on Creekside today can later move to the larger HO shelf railroad or another layout entirely. Widow Creek is about building smarter, more interactive railroad experiences in the space available now, using modern tools, electronics, software, modular construction, and practical experimentation. The railroad may be compact, but what happens on it won’t be. [Read about Narrowing the Focus](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/narrowing-the-focus/) [Embedded media](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/RAILS-When-the-Railroad-Starts-Paying-Attention-v4.mp3) *Click to Listen* # On the Workbench **Last Updated:** *October 15, 2026 2:45 pm (CDT)* ## Creekside Timber & Milling #### 84″ x 13″ T-Track Switching Module (N Scale) [![](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/creekside-timer-drawing.jpg)](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/creekside-timer-drawing.jpg) ![](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/creekside-timber.png) Creekside Timber & Milling brings a mountain sawmill, short freight cars and an eight car switching puzzle together in a five foot T-Trak module, with plenty of room to grow. [Read More](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/creekside-timber-milling/) ### Current Blog Posts [![When the Railroad Starts Paying Attention](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/image-400x250.jpg)](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/when-the-railroad-starts-paying-attention/) ## [When the Railroad Starts Paying Attention](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/when-the-railroad-starts-paying-attention/) Oct 7, 2026 n audio podcast exploring RAILS, the Railroad Awareness, Intelligence & Logistics System, and how a series of working model railroad electronics projects evolved into a modular system designed to make the railroad more aware, interactive and engaging while keeping the human operator in control. [![Rock Island in Colorado?](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/RMRocket-fet-400x250.jpg)](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/rock-island-in-colorado/) ## [Rock Island in Colorado?](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/rock-island-in-colorado/) Oct 2, 2026 What started as a simple question about Rock Island history led me deep into Colorado railroading, from the Rocky Mountain Rocket and Colorado Springs to Denver’s North Yard and the floods of 1965. Along the way, I discovered a very real connection between Rock Island and the Denver & Rio Grande Western, and some unexpected inspiration for Creekside Timber & Milling. [![Creekside Timber & Milling Track Plan Comes to Life](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/trackwork-fet-400x250.jpg)](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/creekside-timber-milling-track-plan-comes-to-life/) ## [Creekside Timber & Milling Track Plan Comes to Life](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/creekside-timber-milling-track-plan-comes-to-life/) Sep 29, 2026 Seven feet of Creekside Timber & Milling is finally taking shape on the workbench. The track isn’t mounted yet, but the complete plan, including the modified Inglenook switching puzzle, fits and the individual modules are beginning to look like one railroad. Page 1 of 131[2](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/page/2/?ilgm_ai_markdown_source=61888%3A1792119353%3A3059081d-7c71-4740-97fe-2ae7ffe5d976%3A76a450a48e852935ef7251a73b8bdd8ad7638328657f71ed09d800c65cffda87&et_blog)[3](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/page/3/?ilgm_ai_markdown_source=61888%3A1792119353%3A3059081d-7c71-4740-97fe-2ae7ffe5d976%3A76a450a48e852935ef7251a73b8bdd8ad7638328657f71ed09d800c65cffda87&et_blog)[4](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/page/4/?ilgm_ai_markdown_source=61888%3A1792119353%3A3059081d-7c71-4740-97fe-2ae7ffe5d976%3A76a450a48e852935ef7251a73b8bdd8ad7638328657f71ed09d800c65cffda87&et_blog)[5](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/page/5/?ilgm_ai_markdown_source=61888%3A1792119353%3A3059081d-7c71-4740-97fe-2ae7ffe5d976%3A76a450a48e852935ef7251a73b8bdd8ad7638328657f71ed09d800c65cffda87&et_blog)...[10](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/page/10/?ilgm_ai_markdown_source=61888%3A1792119353%3A3059081d-7c71-4740-97fe-2ae7ffe5d976%3A76a450a48e852935ef7251a73b8bdd8ad7638328657f71ed09d800c65cffda87&et_blog)...[»](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/page/2/?ilgm_ai_markdown_source=61888%3A1792119353%3A3059081d-7c71-4740-97fe-2ae7ffe5d976%3A76a450a48e852935ef7251a73b8bdd8ad7638328657f71ed09d800c65cffda87&et_blog)[Last »](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/page/13/?ilgm_ai_markdown_source=61888%3A1792119353%3A3059081d-7c71-4740-97fe-2ae7ffe5d976%3A76a450a48e852935ef7251a73b8bdd8ad7638328657f71ed09d800c65cffda87&et_blog) #### General Documents Map D&RGW Map Track Charts D&RGW Track Charts Marshall Pass History of Marshal Pass Grade Charts Marshall Pass Grade Chart CO Lumber Mill CO Lumber Mill Scenic Line Ops Scenic Line Operations Early Mining Early Mining ### Photos from the D&RGW [![](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Rio-Grande-No.-64-Signal-Department-color-400x400_c.jpg)](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/envira/cars-trucks-and-mow/) Cars, Trucks, and MOW 3 Photos [![](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/8c9ec0f3b13a8340bcb5e973f80adf85-400x400_c.jpg)](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/envira/steam-on-the-rails/) Steam on the Rails 6 Photos [![](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Untitled-11-2-400x400_c.jpg)](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/envira/drgw-sd40t-2-5377/) D&RGW SD40T-2 \#5377 2 Photos [![](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Untitled-6-2-400x400_c.jpg)](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/envira/drgw-rolling-stock/) D&RGW Rolling Stock 10 Photos [![](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Untitled-2-1-400x400_c.jpg)](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/envira/drgw-gp40-2-3129/) D&RGW GP40-2 \#3129 17 Photos ### The Dispatcher **Tell us your thoughts, and ideas, or just say "Hi."** # 14 Comments 1. David Metal MMR on Sep 12, 2026 at 1:29 pm If you would like to share your Arduino ideas I am very active with the system I lost my layout due to down sizing but I am still writing code to finish some of the projects I have developed [Reply](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/?replytocom=616#respond) 2. Joseph on Aug 22, 2026 at 9:15 am I was wondering when you were going to get back into the Arduino projects. It seems like most model railroaders have abandoned the idea, but I’m excited to see where you go with these. [Reply](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/?replytocom=603#respond) - Chris on Aug 25, 2026 at 10:49 am Joseph, that was actually a big part of the reason for scaling everything down. The switching layout gives me a much better place to develop and test the Arduino projects without trying to build an entire railroad around them. I’ve got several of the older projects coming back to the workbench, along with some new ideas I’ve wanted to experiment with for a long time. I think this smaller layout is going to let me do a lot more with the electronics than I ever did with the larger railroad. [Reply](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/?replytocom=606#respond) 3. Sonora on Jun 16, 2024 at 8:41 am I have not considered a modular for a more permanent layout. I love the idea, and my husband and I are rethinking our plans for our basement. Where did you get the corner clamps? [Reply](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/?replytocom=13#respond) - Michael Diaz on Feb 17, 2024 at 1:39 pm I’m in a rental and also chose the modular benchwork. It’s much easier to relocate when we buy. [Reply](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/?replytocom=15#respond) - Chris on May 27, 2024 at 6:25 am They are on Amazon ( [https://amzn.to/3mvKcJg](https://amzn.to/3mvKcJg) ) and are $28 for a pair or $55 for all 4. I have built many different tables and modules, and these clamps are the best way to get a true corner, especially when working alone. [Reply](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/?replytocom=16#respond) 4. Ed McGinley on Apr 5, 2024 at 2:03 pm probably the best website I have seen on a model railroad [Reply](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/?replytocom=28#respond) - Chris on May 31, 2024 at 10:03 am Thank you! [Reply](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/?replytocom=29#respond) 5. Frank A Keller on Mar 9, 2024 at 3:24 pm Long time since I have seen your name around. Back in your Colorado Springs days. Glad you’re still active. [Reply](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/?replytocom=24#respond) 6. Darrin Forsythe on Jan 14, 2024 at 3:18 am Happy to meet you at Plano train show! Looking forward to you coming by Texarkana in the summer to see the progress on my 8X16 layout. [Reply](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/?replytocom=7#respond) - Chris on Apr 28, 2024 at 10:19 am Always cool meeting new modelers. How’s your layout coming, have you started yet? [Reply](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/?replytocom=12#respond) 7. Michael Diaz on Jan 8, 2024 at 2:29 pm I tried this same Smart Dimmer last year and could not get it to connect with Google Assistant. It works with the Smart Life App only. [Reply](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/?replytocom=14#respond) - Chris on Jan 7, 2024 at 9:47 pm Right now, I am working with SmartLife on trying to figure this out. They advertise that this dimmer is Alexa and Google controllable. Alexa sees the device through the SmartLife Skill but reports “Device Unresponsive.” In my last email this morning, SmartLife stated: > “A Bluetooth mesh gateway is required to connect a Bluetooth mesh device to a third-party smart speaker because the Bluetooth mesh device uses the Bluetooth communications mode and cannot directly communicate with the server. The Bluetooth mesh gateway sends commands from the cloud to the Bluetooth mesh device and reports the Bluetooth mesh device status to the server.” I am still determining what a Bluetooth Gateway is, but I am looking into it. [Reply](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/?replytocom=17#respond) - Chris on Jun 8, 2024 at 8:19 pm Well, the Smart dimmer, while it does work with the App by itself, it does NOT work with the Virtual assistants as advertised. You need a Wireless Bluetooth Gate device to get it to work. The smart dimmer is a Bluetooth-only device, and something else needs to be the “go-between.” I found a Moes Wireless Smart Gateway ( [https://amzn.to/3yvrlAP](https://amzn.to/3yvrlAP) ) on Amazon that did the trick! Luckily the Moes were in the US, and I didn’t have to wait months; unluckily, there were no directions. But it didn’t take me long to figure it out. If you need help, email me. [Reply](https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/?replytocom=19#respond) ### Submit a Comment ## SEO metadata (SSL) - Seo title: Widow Creek Railroad \| Smaller. Smarter. Interactive. - Seo description: Explore Widow Creek Railroad, Creekside Timber & Milling, RAILS and IRROD: compact model railroading built around switching, interaction, technology, and meaningful operation. ## Social metadata (SSL) - Social title: Widow Creek Railroad \| Smaller. Smarter. Interactive. - Social description: Building a railroad that listens, responds, and engages the operator through compact switching, modern electronics, software, sensors, sound, and interactive operation. - Social image: https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/wcrr-fb.jpg ## Published JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/#website", "url": "https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/", "name": "Widow Creek Railroad", "alternateName": "WCRR", "description": "Widow Creek Railroad explores smaller, smarter, and more interactive model railroading through compact layouts, modular construction, realistic railroad operations, electronics, software, and hands-on experimentation. The website documents Creekside Timber \u0026 Milling, a fictional N scale railroad inspired by the Denver \u0026 Rio Grande and Colorado\u0027s Marshall Pass region, along with practical projects involving T-TRAK modules, switching operations, sensors, microcontrollers, 3D printing, and digital fabrication. It is also the development home of RAILS (Railroad Awareness, Intelligence \u0026 Logistics System) and IRROD (Interactive Railroad Operations Dispatcher), technologies designed to enhance model railroad operations while keeping the human operator in control.", "inLanguage": "en-US", "publisher": { "@id": "https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/#organization", "name": "Widow Creek Railroad", "url": "https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/", "alternateName": "WCRR", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/wcrr-2026-logo-v2.png" }, "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/wcrr-fet.jpg" }, "description": "Widow Creek Railroad is a model railroad project focused on building smaller, smarter, interactive railroad experiences through meaningful switching operations, modular construction, electronics, software, sensors, sound, fabrication, and practical experimentation. The current railroad is Creekside Timber \u0026 Milling, a compact N scale switching railroad inspired by the Denver \u0026 Rio Grande and the high country around Marshall Pass, Colorado. Widow Creek Railroad is also the development home of RAILS, the Railroad Awareness, Intelligence \u0026 Logistics System, and IRROD, the Interactive Railroad Operations Dispatcher, modular technologies designed to work across different layouts, scales, and operating environments.", "knowsAbout": [ "Model railroading", "Compact model railroads", "N scale model railroading", "HO scale model railroading", "T-Trak modular railroading", "Model railroad operations", "Switching operations", "Switching layouts and puzzles", "Denver \u0026 Rio Grande", "Marshall Pass", "Creekside Timber \u0026 Milling", "RAILS Railroad Awareness, Intelligence \u0026 Logistics System", "IRROD Interactive Railroad Operations Dispatcher", "Model railroad electronics", "Arduino", "ESP32", "Microcontrollers", "Sensors and controls", "Digital Command Control", "Model railroad sound and lighting", "Modular railroad technology", "3D printing", "Laser cutting and fabrication", "Track planning", "Model railroad scenery" ], "makesOffer": [ { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Model railroad project documentation" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Model railroad reference resources" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Interactive model railroad technology development" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Online model railroad tools" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Educational project documentation" } } ], "keywords": "Widow Creek Railroad, Creekside Timber \u0026 Milling, RAILS, Railroad Awareness, Intelligence \u0026 Logistics System, IRROD, Interactive Railroad Operations Dispatcher, Compact model railroading, N scale, HO scale, T-Trak, Model railroad operations, Switching operations, Switching layouts, Denver \u0026 Rio Grande, Marshall Pass, DCC, Arduino railroad electronics, ESP32 railroad electronics, Model railroad sensors, Model railroad sound, Model railroad lighting, Modular railroad technology, 3D printing, Laser cutting, Track planning, Model railroad scenery", "email": "chris@widowcreekrailroad.com", "sameAs": [ "https://www.facebook.com/chrissgaraglino/", "https://twitter.com/outdoorlifeus", "https://www.instagram.com/chrissgaraglino" ], "foundingDate": "1999", "founder": [ { "@type": "Person", "name": "Chris Sgaraglino" } ], "slogan": "Smaller. Smarter. Interactive.", "areaServed": [ "Worldwide" ], "brand": [ { "@type": "Brand", "name": "Widow Creek" }, { "@type": "Brand", "name": "Widow Creek Railroad" }, { "@type": "Brand", "name": "Creekside Timber \u0026 Milling" }, { "@type": "Brand", "name": "RAILS" }, { "@type": "Brand", "name": "IRROD" } ], "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "addressLocality": "Jacksonville", "addressRegion": "Arkansas", "postalCode": "72076", "addressCountry": "United States" }, "contactPoint": { "@type": "ContactPoint", "email": "chris@widowcreek.com", "contactType": "General inquiries", "areaServed": [ "Worldwide" ], "availableLanguage": [ "English" ] }, "dateModified": "2026-10-08T10:28:25-05:00" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/#webpage", "url": "https://www.widowcreekrailroad.com/", "name": "Welcome to Widow Creek Railroad", "abstract": "Introduce Widow Creek Railroad and its current focus on Creekside Timber \u0026 Milling, while explaining the broader philosophy of building smaller, smarter, interactive model railroads using modern technology, modular systems, and meaningful switching operations.", "audience": { "@type": "Audience", "audienceType": "Model railroaders interested in compact layouts, switching operations, interactive railroad experiences, Arduino and ESP32 electronics, sensors, software, sound, modular construction, 3D printing, laser cutting, RAILS, IRROD, and modern maker-oriented approaches to model railroading." }, "about": [ { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Widow Creek Railroad" }, { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Creekside Timber \u0026 Milling" }, { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Compact N scale switching railroad" }, { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Denver \u0026 Rio Grande inspiration" }, { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Marshall Pass Colorado" }, { "@type": "Thing", "name": "RAILS Railroad Awareness, Intelligence \u0026 Logistics System" }, { "@type": "Thing", "name": "IRROD Interactive Railroad Operations Dispatcher" }, { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Interactive model railroad operations" }, { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Arduino and ESP32 electronics" }, { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Sensors, sound, lighting, switching, and communications" }, { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Modular model railroad technology" }, { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Meaningful switching operations" } ], "description": "Explore Widow Creek Railroad, Creekside Timber \u0026 Milling, RAILS and IRROD: compact model railroading built around switching, interaction, technology, and meaningful operation." } ] } ```