Belden Falls Railway
Larry & Loretta Green
Sunday, May 22, 2011

Click here to see a slide show of  the Open House
Slideshow courtesy of Don Howard

The Belden Falls Branch Railway is based upon an a long-gone actual railroad of that name that ran from a marble quarry in Middlebury to the finishing plant on the Belden Falls of the Otter Creek.

Started in 2006, the line is designed for live steam operation, so is elevated above ground for most of its length. Track is Llagas Creek code 250 aluminum with #6 switches and narrow  gauge ties for 1:20.3 scale. It is not powered, and the mainline consists of two tracks 175 feet long, with sidings, a raised steaming area, and a turntable. The deck is formed from aluminum with raised edges, which allows ballast and native moss, miniature ferns, and rock landscaping. A spur runs into the cellar to a five track staging yard, long enough to store complete trains, ready for  operation without hand-carrying.

Current motive power consists of three  gas-fired live steamers, each customized from commercial builders, with another engine being designed and built in the BF shops. Rolling stock consists of both passenger and freight cars customized to suit the quarry railroad theme.