Tulsa Interlocker in N Scale

[friscobob]

Last week I recieved three back copies of N Scale Railroading from N Scale Supply, and one of them (May-June 2003) caught my eye right away. On the cover is an N scale rendition of the Tulsa (OK) Interlocker, where at one time trains from Frisco, MKT, Santa Fe and Midland Valley crossed.

Actually, it's an Ntrak module belonging to the Northeast Oklahoma N Scalers (NEONS). I've seen it live in Ft. Smith, AR some time back, and even now I'm impressed at the quality of work, as well as the N scale diesels representing each railroad.

Today, the only roads at thie spot are South Kansas & Oklahoma (on the former Santa Fe line from Ottowa, KS), BNSF (former Frisco), and UP (former Katy branch from the mainline north of Muskogee). MV merged into T&P, and later MP, and the line from Osage, OK north to Wichita, KS was taken up. Only part of the MV line is still in use, operated on by the Tulsa-Sapulpa Union from Tulsa to Jenks. Katy was flooded over west of Sand Springs when Lake Keystone was built in 1959.

Anyway, I am way impressed with the modelwork, and recommend this to any MP, Katy, Frisco or Santa Fe fan.

[r_i_straw]

Yeah, I saw it in Fort Worth at the WGH show at the beginning of the year and again last weekend at the OKC train show. Ran my ATSF Ranger train over it several times as I made the red line loop on DCC. Cool module.

[txronharris]

Man, that's impressive. If you were to take out the Ntrak factor, would there be one mainline or two (or would it look the same)? That would make a very cool scene on a home layout. Do either of you guys (or anyone else) know which tracks belong to which railroad?

[friscobob]

Originally Posted by txronharris

Man, that's impressive. If you were to take out the Ntrak factor, would there be one mainline or two (or would it look the same)? That would make a very cool scene on a home layout. Do either of you guys (or anyone else) know which tracks belong to which railroad?

IIRC, there are three tracks on the Frisco/BNSF main at this location.

As for who has what, the 3 main tracks are Frisco's Cherokee Subdivision from Tulsa to Monett, MO. The MKT runs from upper left to lower right in the photo; the Santa Fe goes from upper right to lower left; and the Midland Valley is about right down the middle, from back to front. (up & down).