LAYO0UT TOURS FOR 2025
By Mike Murphy
We are currently planning the layout tours for this year, which will take place Saturday, September 20th.
We have seven (7) layouts for you to visit this year, that is one or two more than usual. They are all located relatively close to each other. The space available in this Newsletter will determine how many descriptions of the seven make it in this Newsletter. Please keep a copy of these for use on the day of the tours. If they don’t all make it this time, we will list them on the website and have a few copies available at the meetings. Please support the individuals who do this, as it’s a lot of work to prepare for an open house like this. Please abide by their poster hours.
FARR WEST 84404
MILES CHESTER, 1215 W. 1200 N.-- 801-391-9912 -- Hours 10 am to 4 pm
Miles's layout is 14 x 24, with approximately 250 feet of mainline track. It is also HO scale.
The circa is 1940 – 1965 and is 100% finished. Miles will have trains running.
DRIVING Directions to his house: Exit 340 off I-15 90 east to 1200 West. Turn North to 1200 North. Look for the gray house on the corner. Cameras are allowed, all children are welcome, and NO outside food or drinks are allowed.
RIVERDALE 84405
MIKE MURPHY 752 W. 4375 S. -- 801-540-1927 -- Hours 10:00 am TO 4:30 pm
Mike models a free-lanced UP line that runs between Omaha and Ogden. The layout room is 19 x 13 ft. It is a double-decked layout designed with NO supports for the upper deck. There are 227 feet of mainline track plus 99 feet of track in the helix, which is located in an adjacent room. The helix has a 1.7% grade of single track and is 61 inches long oval shaped. There is a six-track, double-ended yard. Scenery is 54% complete. The town of North Lake is nearing completion with a city park and the unique feature of the Lakes Dam. Motive power is all diesel, mostly freight, and now and then, a passenger train goes through town. Look for the Hobo's having dinner, the welder welding, and the water flowing out of the Dam. Take a peek down the 300ft mine entrance opening. Mike and the FNG have been working on his layout for about 15 years. An NCE DCC system controls the layout. More stunning backdrop painting by Rob Spangler. The layout is located in the basement; six steps are involved to see the layout. No food or drinks carried in please, and children must be with a guardian. Photos and questions are allowed and welcomed.
DRIVING DIRECTIONS:
Most everyone knows where Riverdale Road is, so it's not hard. If you are coming from the Ogden area, as soon as you go over the Riverdale overpass, be in the right lane, as you will want to turn RIGHT at the stop light, 700 W, and the Sinclair Station on the corner. Go to the Round-A-bout and take the second exit out onto 4400 South headed West. Go about ¾ of a block, and you will see 775 W on your Right. Turn Right there, **go to the STOP sign, and turn Right again. Go about ¾ of a block, and you will notice the houses and the street changes. After those changes, I will be the third house on your left, with big rocks next to the sidewalk. Coming from the West on Riverdale Rd. Go past Carl's Jr, Applebee's, and Chili’s, and now be in the left lane because at the next corner, 900 W., you will turn left. Go to the stop sign, 4400 S, and turn right. Go east about 1.5 blocks, and you will see only 775 W. on your left side. Turn Left there and now follow everything from the ** above.
Look for the "HOSTLER EVENT" sign in the front and follow the arrows to the back entrance.
ROY 84067
JOSH REYNOLDS 2322 W. 4600 S. – 801-455-6298 --– Hours 10 am to 4 pm
The Bear Trax Local is a meticulously detailed 1' X 10' freelance switching layout set in the rugged, small-town backdrop of Bear Trax, Montana. Loosely inspired by an industrial spur set in the 1970s, this layout offers an immersive experience in local freight operations. Serving five diverse industries—a grain elevator, fuel distributor, builders supply, refrigerated warehouse, and a propane distributor—it provides ample switching opportunities and operational interest. Now 95% complete, The Bear Trax Local boasts exceptional detailing, bringing the era and setting to life with authenticity and charm.
The layout is DIGITRAX DCC controlled.
DRIVING DIRECTIONS: From 1900 West in Roy head west on 4800 South past Roy High School. Turn North on 2400 West, At 4600 South head east. Look for the tan and brown brick house at the bottom of the cull de sac. Look for the RED "HOSTLER EVENT" sign in the yard'
CLINTON 84015
LARRY SOLIEN 2437 W, 2650 N. -- 218-280-6487 ---- Hours 10 am to 4 pm
Larry's layout is 16 x23, and the HO scale is set in a modern era. He has 125ft of mainline and will have trains running. It is 100% finished. There are steps involved in seeing the layout. Cameras are allowed, children be over 12, and outside food and drinks are allowed
DRIVING Directions to Larry's: From 1900 in Roy, take 6000 S and go west to 3850 W ( there is a sign at the corner of Southfork Meadows). Turn left onto 3850 W and go to the stop sign; look left. The house is on the corner with a flag pole in front.
CLINTON 84015
JAMES GRONWALD 1378 W. 1425 N. --- 801-458-3115 --- Hours 10 am to 4:30 pm
James models the D&RGW coal hauling in the Soldier Summit area in the 1950-60's era. The room is a basement room 14 x 20 feet with a dog leg of 13 x 19 feet. He has around 300 feet of double mainline track. This part of the layout is about 80% done, and James has done some outstanding hand-carved mountain work, which you must see. The backdrop scenery paintings by Rob Spangler are spectacular. In May 2013, James started constructing the second phase of his layout, which will be the SLC area of his layout. This phase is the new SLC area with a lot of industrial sidings. This area is about the same size as his first phase. James has also added a lot of scenery and buildings to the town of Green River, which did not exist in previous tours of the layout. Control is Digitrax DCC. Steps to the basement are involved.
DRIVING DIRECTIONS: From 1900 W. through Sunset(might be 2000 W. in Sunset), turn west on 1300 N., go to 1435 W., and turn right. After that, take the second right, and James is the 3rd house on the left. Look for the red & white "HOSTLER EVENT" sign in the yard.
EAST CENTRAL LAYTON 84041
JOHN GRIFFIN, 1942 N. 150 W. ------ 801- 725--0360 ---- Hours 10 am TO 4 pm
John’s layout is another HO 16 x 8 1/2 feet in an “L” shape with about 54 feet of mainline track. His circa is, loosely, the late 40s through the 60s and is a good example of what you can do in a small space. It is an island style layout so you can get around the entire thing. John has a rendition of a portion of the Napa Valley Vineyards. The layout is complete and is about as freelanced as you can get. You do get both the west coast and the east coast though. After looking at the Napa vineyards you can check out the West Virginia and Western Maryland coal mines (Napa was where his wife was from and where they met and West Virginia is John’s home state). He will have trains running.
Cameras are allowed, Children with parents are allowed, and outside food or drinks are not allowed. The layout is DIGITRAX DCC and WiFi controlled.
DRIVING DIRECTIONS: From the intersection of Hill Field Rd. and Antelope Dr., go east on Antelope. 150 W. will be the third right-hand turn you can make, and his house is the 5th house on your left. Look for the RED “HOSTLER EVENT” sign in the yard.
EAST LAYTON 84040
BILL HUGHES 2675 E. 2700 N. ----- 801-589-5644 -------- Hours 10 am TO 4 pm
Bill models a free-lanced UP line that runs along the South side of the Uintah Mountains from Denver via Craig to Park City, then Ogden. The layout room is 18 x 18 ft. It is double-decked with an eight-track, double-ended staging yard, and a 2.5-turn helix. Scenery is 60% complete. The City of Rock Ridge is now complete with a new Depot. (A must-see residential area) A new farm scene on the lower level is being installed and should be finished by the time of the tour. Bill has new lower deck lighting. Motive power is all diesel, mostly freight, and now and then, the City of Ogden passenger train goes through town. Bill has been working on his layout for about 16 years. An NCE DCC system controls the layout—more stunning backdrop painting by Rob Spangler. Steps are involved to see the layout.
DRIVING DIRECTIONS: From the North or South at the new intersection of Hwy. 89 and Antelope Dr., turn West on Antelope, then immediately turn Right again onto Frontage Road. Go about two-tenths of a mile, turn Left on Sunset, go two blocks, and turn Right(north) on 2700 East, go two blocks to 2700 North, and turn left, and Bill's house will be on your right side. The house is dark green Cape Cod style with a steep driveway.
Look for the "HOSTLER EVENT" sign in the front yard.
