Willamette City Belt Line (WCBL) is a FICTIONAL model railroad (HO), loosely inspired by the Harbor Belt Line & LA Junction railroads.
Originally it was conceived as a railroad serving a fictional West Coast metropolis located somewhere between San Francisco and Seattle. This concept was scaled back over time. It morphed into "Willamette City", in the spirit of Smallville, Metropolis, and Gotham City. "Willamette City" is Not-Salem. I mostly model what I have seen or what could be plausible. At one time, the Willamette Valley had more canneries than southern California (according to a locally published book by a university professor). Watching street running and switching the cannery on Front Street has had a strong influence on the layout.
LOCATION: Salem and surrounding area, in the Willamette Valley of Oregon.
TIME FRAME: Originally "modern era", 1980 - present. Now, the time frame is 1996, a period of railroad transition in the US and technological change worldwide.
For context, the WCBL operates in an era just before major economic and technology disruptors emerged, including:
With regard to the railroads:
Heritage road cars often operate on WCBL. Nothing to me says "railroad" more than seeing an SP boxcar. Besides SP, heritage cars include BN, some GN Big Sky Blue (a favorite), Milwaukee Road, SP/Cotton Belt, some ATSF. And a number of IPD shortline boxcars regardless of whether they still exist. I have been seeking a few more cars to reflect East coast origin.
INTERCHANGES:
WCBL interchanges with UP, BNSF, and Portland & Western RR (GWI owned). It also interchanges with other model railroads via internet connection thru MRICF and IO Groups "virtual_ops1" (formerly a Yahoo Group) .
SCHEMATIC & OPERATIONS:
WCBL is the cross bar in a capital "H". Union Pacific is the right vertical element and Portland & Western is the left vertical.
Most trains are one locomotive, 8 cars maximum, plus caboose required by modelers license due to street running. Power is generally provided by either PNWR or UP RR. Passing sidings will hold 4-6 cars.
Due to the modest layout size, industries car needs are selectively compressed, with the maximum capacity at 3 cars. Fortunately, there are several prototype industries in Salem which receive 4 or less cars: Cascade Warehouse on Front Street, Truitt Brothers, Ventura Foods, and Oregon Cherry Growers.
INDUSTRIAL TRAFFIC:
WCBL focus mostly represents industries in Salem, with a few from other places in the Valley.
USER NOTE & DISCLAIMER:
All industries "served" by Willamette City Belt Line are fictional representations of commerce in a simulation of transportation and economics. They are not the actual companies, corporations, or business enterprises. Listings of shippers & receivers are intended to increase awareness of Oregon's economic opportunities, and of the relationship between transportation and industry. For actual business inquiries, please contact the real companies via their websites.
WCBL ONLINE INDUSTRIES:
(Note: these are fictional representations only, not to be confused with the actual companies; some are entirely fictional entities)
WCBL OFFLINE INDUSTRIES:
Minto Industrial Park -
Other offline industries -
MRICF users may notice the list of industries "served" by WCBL include many not located in Salem, Oregon. These " X-Off " industries were added in order to provide additional suppliers or customers for WCBL industries in Willamette City/ Salem, Oregon. Occasionally they may ship to other MRICF group members, if it appears a purchase order will not soon be filled by others. These Waybills are "virtual" only, and do not actually traverse the WCBL physical layout.