Welcome to Widow Creek
Modeling the Denver & Rio Grande Western
Marshall Pass Route from Salida to Sargents
Last Updated: July 4, 2025 7:07 pm (CDT)
There are a lot of PDF documents on this site: For the best viewing experience, use a Desktop, Laptop, or Tablet.
Widow Creek is being resurrected from its dismal past to a lively operational railroad. In N-Scale, the WCRR will be based loosely on the Denver & Rio Grande Western in the mid 60’s, running the Marshall Pass Route from Salida (Yard) to Sargents (Widow Creek), and I do mean loosely, with Denver and Salt Lake represented in the staging yards. While I am limited on space, I intend to upgrade the pass from narrow gauge (removed in 1955) to standard gauge. In Sargent, a small rural town, will have a passenger stop added, a good representation of a lively lumber operation (Sgaraglino & Son) tucked in the valley, a livestock holding & processing plant, the bustling town of Widow Creek, and a few more local industries will make for a nice small operations railroad.
Gray’s Creek has been upgraded from a Coal & Water stop to a very small mountain camp, with Water & Coal for the occasional steam excursion through the pass. There is a reversing loop for passenger trains and through freight to add the prescription of distance, and housing roughly six different industries that need to be served. I’ll be running mostly RS/GP diesels with 2-4 cars each, a S2/3 switcher in Salida, and a steam locomotive with one or two historic passenger cars, all on a computerized Digital Command Control system. Mainline switches will be remote and dispatched from one small switch panel on the fascia, while the staging yard will be manual throw. Timetable and Train Orders will be used to control traffic. At the same time, Absolute Permissive Block (red & green) signals tell the engineers whether the track ahead is clear or occupied but are not authoritative. Car Cards and Waybills will be used to manage rolling stock movements.
Chris Sgaraglino
(totals from multiple accounts)
The Drawing Board
The Sargents Switcher: 6.5″ x 84″
The Main Deck (Widow Creek): 13″ x 180″
Layout Research
Scope of Work
What to Know
Mar 20, 2023
Benchwork
In Progress
Jan 20, 2025
Logging
Benchwork
Jan 20, 2022
Helix
Prototype
Feb 5, 2025
Helix
Rings
Feb 15, 2025
Curent
Progress
Feb 22, 2025
Current Blog Posts
Backdrop, Deckwork, Lights & Fan
Adding the backdrop, finishing the deck work, adding dimmable lights, and removing the strobe effect from the fan.
Chronology of America’s Freight Railroads
In an era of interstate highways and quick air travel, it is difficult to imagine just how isolated those parts of the United States farthest from the oceans were, even as late as the mid-19th century.
The Benchwork Phase 1
Upgrading from a tabletop to a full room.
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
Cars, Trucks, and MOW
3 Photos
Steam on the Rails
6 Photos
D&RGW SD40T-2 #5377
2 Photos
D&RGW Rolling Stock
10 Photos
D&RGW GP40-2 #3129
17 Photos
The Dispatcher
Tell us your thoughts, and ideas, or just say "Hi."
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.
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:
I am still determining what a Bluetooth Gateway is, but I am looking into it.
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 ) 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.
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.
Always cool meeting new modelers. How’s your layout coming, have you started yet?
Long time since I have seen your name around. Back in your Colorado Springs days. Glad you’re still active.
probably the best website I have seen on a model railroad
Thank you!
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?
I’m in a rental and also chose the modular benchwork. It’s much easier to relocate when we buy.
They are on Amazon ( 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.