Click here to jump to Segment 7.

This page describes the Grand Tour route that starts/ends in Las Vegas, Nevada. Las Vegas is a very popular destination, so almost every airline has good pricing on flights there. However, while in Nevada, stay away from the gambling tables; you will need your money for all the goodies to be had at the convention!

There are several routes between Las Vegas and Santa Clara. Each is described below. Maps are provided below to help you visualize the routes that are described. The routes are described from the point of view of going between Las Vegas and Santa Clara; if your preference is to go from Santa Clara to Las Vegas, you will need to mentally reverse the routes once you understand how they work.

It will help to have dynamic map on your screen as you read through this page; you will be able to find the points and routes described and then understand them. With an active google map, you can move to areas of interest in zoom in to see detail, even switch to aerial views of the terrain. To open a page or tab with a dynamic map, click maps.google.com.

There is an active map for all the attractions (layouts, museums, national parks, etc.) on the various Grand Tour routes.

To access the dynamic map, use the Search Maps box at the top of the google maps window to search for "2010osnat"; on the result page, the left hand column can be scrolled vertically - click on the blue Grand Tour link in the bottom line of text for the "A" orange balloon. This will bring up the master Grand Tour map which has the open layouts as well as many points of interest on it. Once you have that map in your browser window, refer to it as you read this page.

If you aren't familiar with google maps, take a few minutes to learn how to manipulate the map. All you need to know is that the vertical bar with plus at the top and minus at the bottom is used for zooming in and out, and that holding a mouse button down while dragging the mouse will move your viewpoint.

For those of you who are familiar with this page, the static maps below will remain. However, for their map views the Seattle and Los Angeles Grand Tour pages will rely upon the dynamic map that accessed per the above instructions.

Here is an overview map of the western U.S.A. showing some of the many family and railroad attractions that can be enjoyed during a trip to this area. The "blue balloons" (hereafter called a BB) indicate points of interest that are described below with accompanying more detailed maps. Note that there are many more attractions than have been selected for the maps that follow.

Let us know if the image doesn't appear.

Let us know if the image doesn't appear.

Click here to open a separate window containing this map.

Note, for technical reasons static maps such as those on this page are difficult to maintain, so the map images on this page may not include all the locations that have been identified for the Grand Tour; the dynamic map view noted above will show all Grand Tour attractions.

You will see Las Vegas in the bottom center of the map. The Grand Tour starts there.

Each route of the tour comprises several trip segments, each of which is described below. Following the description of the segments, different groups of segments are combined into different routes from Las Vegas to Santa Clara. Each route is fully described, and information regarding the attractions for each route is provided both in verbal form in the route description and in a table which allows you to easily compare the various routes in order to make your selections.

The segments below are numbered from 1 up, but they do not necessarily connect in sequence. See Putting It All Together below.

Many of the BBs in the California map mark locations that are not on the Grand Tour and thus are not described below. They are described on the Family Attractions page (link is in the Navigation bar).

Segment 1: Out and Back To/From Las Vegas

Here is a map of the general area.

Let us know if the map doesn't appear.

Click here to open a separate window containing this map.

While you are in Las Vegas, before doing anything else you might want to first take a trip to the Nevada State Railroad Museum, Boulder City. This is very close to Las Vegas; however if you plan to make a loop trip through Utah and Arizona returning via Hoover Dam, wait until after crossing Hoover Dam to visit this museum as you will pass by it on your way back to Las Vegas - see below.

The segment 1 trip takes you to St. George, Utah where you can see by advance arrangement, Jim Harper's magnificent Proto:48 layout. St. George is about two hours drive from Las Vegas. St. George puts you within shouting distance of several magnificent attractions. Zion National Park (first BB to the right of St. George) is about an hour's drive from St. George.

Attractions indicated by the BBs on the above map are, clock-wise from St. George, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Durango, CO home of the Durango and Silverton railroad, the Four Corners (the only place in the U.S. where four states meet (if you stand on the marker, you will be standing in four states at the same time!), Williams, AZ home of the Grand Canyon Railway which you can ride to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon National park, above that the less crowded North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park, and Hoover Dam. Then you are back in Las Vegas.

If time doesn't permit seeing all the above attractions, it is well worth the trip to the less-crowded North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park which is about 4 hour's drive from St. George. Visiting the North Rim and then driving the 200 miles across the Glen Canyon Dam and through Page to the South Rim then returning to Las Vegas via Hoover Dam is a nice mini-loop trip.

Depending upon how far you get from St. George, this segment could take anywhere from one day (out to St. George and back in the same day) to quite a few days (Durango, possibly farther).

Note that if you range farther east than St. George, there are alternate routes back to Las Vegas, so you can make a loop trip out of this segment. Going through Williams, Arizona will put you at the Grand Canyon Railway which you could ride to the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, and then explore Hoover Dam just before arriving back in Las Vegas. If you take this route, plan to visit the Nevada State Railroad Museum, Boulder City after leaving Hoover Dam instead of before heading out to St. George.

Segment 2: Heading Towards Santa Clara, Northern Route

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Leaving Las Vegas, you will drive north for about four hours to Ely, Nevada (BB directly north of Las Vegas, and Rod Miller's home town!). In Ely you can visit the Nevada Northern Railway. This is an operating railroad that the corporate owner just walked away from, leaving it intact. You can easily spend a day just walking through the buildings, riding a train, exploring the yard, climbing on equipment - you can even rent and learn how to drive an engine, steam or diesel.

The BB southeast of Ely indicates the Great Basin National Park, home of an active (but small) glacier and the spectacular Lehman Caves, among the parks many attractions.

From Ely, you will drive west on U.S. Highway 50, dubbed the Loneliest Road in America, through Fallon to Carson City, NV. This is a 5+ hour drive depending upon your speed and number of stops to explore.

Segment 3: Carson City, NV Area

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In Carson City you can visit the Nevada State Railway Museum. While in Carson City you can visit the nearby rapidly progressing reconstruction (!) of the Virginia and Truckee Railroad. Note: the rebuilt V&T is now running trains, and as of this writing (October 21) is sold out through March of next year, so if you want to ride it, better buy your tickets now!

About 30 miles south of Carson City you can visit by pre-arrangement Jerry Guth's very nice 30 x 60 foot finished O scale layout. The layout models the SP and is designed for way freight operation, and it is fun to operate. The layout is very realistic, with many prototypically correct scratch-built structures. and is nicely finished. For those who are interested in quilting, there is a nice quilting store in Gardenville, the town in
which Jerry lives (his residence is several miles out of town, though) and in Reno; please see the Family Attractions page for information about the stores.

Segment 4: Heading Towards Santa Clara, Northwestern Route

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This route takes you through Beatty, Nevada, Death Valley National Park, then on through Lone Pine and Bishop, home of the Laws Railroad Museum (SP Narrow Gauge), then to Carson City (see Segment 3 above).

Segment 5: Heading Towards Santa Clara, Southwestern Route.

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This route takes you to Tehachapi, California (east of Bakersfield) where you can visit by pre-arrangement Guy Krivanek's O scale traction collection. Nearby is the famed Tehachapi Loop. These are the two BBs at the bottom left corner of the above map.

From Tehachapi you will drive north along the east side of the spectacular Sierra Nevada Range through Lone Pine and Bishop, home of the Laws Railroad Museum (SP Narrow Gauge), to Carson City (see Segment 3 above).

Segment 6: Leaving Carson City, Northern Route

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This route takes you north to Reno, then west. In the famous railroad town of Truckee, California, you can elect to turn north to Portola which is the home of the Western Pacific Railroad Museum. From Portola you can continue via Quincy down the Feather River Canyon past the Keddie Wye through Oroville and Yuba City and on to Sacramento. Or you can choose to return to Truckee and continue west where you will cross the famed Donner Pass and continue on to Sacramento.
While passing through Sacramento you can choose to visit the world-class California State Railroad Museum; note that a tour to this museum is offered by the convention, so you may prefer to visit the museum as part of the tour. From Sacramento continue southwest to Santa Clara.

Segment 7: Leaving Carson City, Southern Route

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This is the most scenic route into California. You will travel south to Lee Vining (Mono Lake on the above map) where you will turn west and continue steeply up into the Sierra Nevada mountains into Yosemite National Park. This route takes you across the crest of the Sierra Nevada and its spectacular high country and then down into the amazing Yosemite Valley. Leaving the valley, continue on to Mariposa where three spectacular O layouts, 2 2-rail, one 3-rail high rail (scale equipment, speeds, KD couplers) await you. Bob Jakl's layout has been featured in O Scale Trains and O Gauge Railroading; this layout is just outside of town to the north. Tom Davis' 3-rail high rail layout has been featured in O Gauge Railroading. About 15 miles south of Mariposa you can visit Dave Viale's layout which has been featured in O Gauge Railroading.
Leaving Mariposa, drive southwest to Fresno (just below Clovis on the above map) where you can visit John Houlihan's SP layout. For those of you doing the tour in reverse after the convention, the Central Valley O Scaler's well-done O scale layout is open for the first time on Sunday July 4 after the convention. From Fresno, continue northwest through Madera, Los Banos, and Gilroy to Santa Clara.
The BB to the left of Mariposa shows the warbird museum at Castle Air Force Base.

Putting It All Together

This section combines the above segments into several different trips that get you from Las Vegas to Santa Clara. You may choose make up your own combinations.

Since the route east from Las Vegas loops back to Las Vegas, it isn't included in the following of combinations of route segments that represent the various ways you can approach Santa Clara from Las Vegas. The segment descriptions are not repeated below.

Route 1: Las Vegas to Ely to Carson City to Sacramento with an optional side trip to Portola then to Santa Clara. One O scale layout, two to four railroad museums and two operating railroads. Five days or more depending upon your touring style.

Route 2: Las Vegas to Death Valley to Carson City to Sacramento with an optional side trip to Portola then to Santa Clara. One O scale layout, one to four railroad museums, one operating railroad, and one national park. Three days or more depending upon your touring style.

Route 2a: Instead of Carson City to Sacramento, go Carson City to Yosemite National Park to Mariposa to Fresno to Santa Clara. Five O scale layouts, one 3-rail high rail layout, one railroad museum, one operating railroad, two national parks. Six days or more depending upon your touring style.

Route 3: Las Vegas to Tehachapi to Carson City to Yosemite National Park to Mariposa to Fresno to Santa Clara. Five O scale layouts, one 3-rail high rail layout, one O scale traction museum, two railroad museums, one or two operating railroads. Six days or more depending upon your touring style.

Route 4: Start in Las Vegas and end in Las Vegas. Use one of above trips will to get from Las Vegas to Santa Clara, and then reverse another of the above trips to get back to Las Vegas. The advantage in doing this is that you will see an even bigger variety of western scenery and railroading. You will avoid different location drop off fees for your rental car, and your airfare will be lower because you are flying round trip to and from Las Vegas. The disadvantage is that some of the layouts may not be open after the convention. If you are considering this trip, please contact the layout owners (see the layout visits page) to see if they can accommodate your post-convention schedule.

Summary Of The Trips Described Above

Trip	Segments*	O Scale Layouts*	National Parks*	Museums*	Railroads	Total Layout Square Feet*	Days*
1	2,3,6	1	0	3-4	2		5+
2	4,3,6	1	1	1-4	1		3+
2a	4,3,7	5	2	1	1		6+
3	5,3,7	5	2	3	2		6+

* Does not include Segment 1, Las Vegas out and back, which can add one more layout, more national parks, more railroads, and of course more travel time.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have questions or need suggestions for any of the above trips.

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