Golden Gate Express
by Joe Thompson

Golden Gate Express, San Francisco, California

2009
2010
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Golden Gate Express - 2009

New Orleans streetcar 952 rolls across the Golden Gate Bridge. The Ferry Building is in the foreground. January, 2009.

We went to the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park for the first time in years. The plants were in great shape. In the special exhibit room at the west end was the Golden Gate Express Railway, a garden scale layout designed by Cal professor Chip Sullivan. Various historic San Francisco structures, including the Golden Gate Bridge and the Ferry Building, were made from recycled materials by Figureplant (http://www.figureplant.com/). On the upper level, New Orleans street car 952 ran back and forth from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Chinatown gate. On the two lower loops, there were two Amtrack trains and lots of tunnels.

A video combines several scenes of the operation. January, 2009. (Adobe Flash is required. Some browsers will require two clicks to start the video.)

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Golden Gate Express - 2010

Families view representations of the Transamerica Pyramid, Ghirardelli Square, and the Golden Gate Bridge. A freight train speeds by in the foreground. January, 2010.

We went to to the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park. In the special exhibit room at the west end was the Golden Gate Express Railway, a garden scale layout designed by by members of the Bay Area Garden Railway Society. The famous San Francisco structures were made from recycled materials.

Autos ran across the Golden Gate Bridge.

Powell/Hyde cable car 3 runs down the Hyde Street Hill between Lombard Street and a row of Victorian houses. Coit Tower looms above. January, 2010.

A cable car ran down the Hyde Street hill. Unfortunately, it climbed the hill backwards. I couldn't bring myself to take a picture of that.

Powell/Hyde cable car 3 waits at the end of the line after a downhill run. January, 2010.

Powell/Hyde cable car 3 lays over at the end of its run. The freight train speeds by on a trestle in the background. January, 2010.

The freight train emerges from a tunnel behind the Castro Theatre, which is showing Milk. Firehouse 37 stands on the hill in the background. January, 2010.

A freight train ran around the layout. I think one track was not in use that day.

The Chinatown gate, made from Mah Jong tiles and circuit boards, looms over Powell/Hyde cable car 3. The Conservatory of Flowers and the Palace of Fine Arts dome are visible in the background. January, 2010.

Structures included the Ghirardelli factory, made from chocolate-colored light switch and plug cover plates, the Chinatown gate made from Mah Jong tiles, the Castro Theatre, and Pac Bell Park. The Ferry Building clock came from a kitchen timer.

The Ferry Building stands in front of the base of the Transamerica Pyramid and some buildings I couldn't identify. Note the forks, the Scrabble(r) tiles and the kitchen timer dial used as the face of the Ferry Building clock. January, 2010.

New in 2010 were a soundtrack, including organ music for the Castro, bells for the cable cars, Chinese music for Chinatown, and crowd noises and Renel Brooks-Moon's announcements. We didn't get to see it, but the fog was supposed to come in twice a day.

In a separate area, two trains ran for the benefit of younger children: Thomas the Tank Engine ran light on a loop track and this train, pulled by a rabbit, ran back and forth. January, 2010.

The Conservatory's ticket booth was closed because some tried to break in during the week and damaged it.

A video combines several scenes of the operation. January, 2010. (Adobe Flash is required. Some browsers will require two clicks to start the video.)

San Francisco Station 37 is located at 22nd and Wisconsin Streets. This is a good model. January, 2010.

Another view of Station 37. January, 2010.