Western Pacific Division
Western Pacific Division
Western Pacific Division
The Western Pacific Division is the third division of the Alpine & Western Pacific Railroad, a vital connector linking the Alpine Yard beneath the house to the soaring ascent of the Tahoe Junction Division in the back yard. Although it is currently the smallest of the three, that distinction is only temporary: the Board of Directors has approved a sweeping, multi-billion-dollar expansion that will transform this division into the largest, most technically advanced segment on the entire railroad.
At the heart of this future expansion will be a state-of-the-art underground train bunker—a bi-level engineering marvel carved directly into the hillside.
Once complete, this division will be a major operational hub, rivaling the real-world classification yards that inspired it.
Tunnels 2, 3, and 4
Horseshoe Canyon
a sweeping curve framed by natural stone, pine trees, and the echo of steel wheels against the canyon walls.
The Journey Begins: Through the House and Into the Canyon
Trains depart the Alpine Yard beneath the house, gliding past support columns and conduit before slipping out through the north roll-up storm door. From there, the Western Pacific Division immediately plunges into rugged country: Horseshoe Canyon, a sweeping curve framed by natural stone, pine trees, and the echo of steel wheels against the canyon walls.
From this dramatic entry, trains enter Tunnels 2, 3, and 4, a rapid-fire sequence of bore openings cut into the hillside. The alignment mimics the feel of traveling through the Sierra foothills—tight, twisting, and climbing steadily toward open country.
Tunnel 4
The Spirit of Tom Hubbard
Maintenance Station, Hubbard Tool, and the Spirit of Tom Hubbard
Emerging from Tunnel 4, the line widens into the big circle, a broad loop that passes the maintenance depot and the entrance to Tunnel 5. Here, passengers and operators alike catch their first sight of Hubbard Tool, a bustling workshop alive, flickering welding lights, and the hum of machinery.
This building carries a deeply personal story. It is named for Tom Hubbard, a dear friend who helped build the family’s first railroad—the Sierra & Kettle Valley Railroad. Tom was fond of saying he wished he could ride inside the trains and see the world from the tracks themselves. When he passed away, his wife made that wish come true by placing his ashes inside one of our locomotives. Today, Tom rides every mile of the Alpine & Western Pacific Railway.
A few years later, his neighbor and our good friend Pat McGuire passed away—and now the two of them share the rails together, forever traveling the divisions they helped inspire.
Oldest
station
Daphine’s Mercantile
A stylish stop where locals acquire the newest fashions from Europe
The Oldest Station, Daphine’s Mercantile, and the Equestrian Center
This small but charming town also features the first building ever acquired for the railroad—a little station platform from the Queen Mary Train Show in the late 1990s. That modest platform helped inspire the creation of the modern railroad you see today.
Nearby stands Daphine’s Mercantile, named after William and Harris’ mother. It’s a stylish stop where locals acquire the newest fashions from Europe. Its colorful signage and window displays bring a touch of cosmopolitan charm to this frontier-style division.
Tucked into the aspen grove behind the station lies a hidden treasure: a world-class equestrian center, complete with a grand barn crafted by Will MacLean. The scene evokes the feel of a high-mountain ranch where horses are trained for international competitions.
Harry’s
Distillery
Harry’s Distillery
an old, rustic, bootleg still
The Oldest Station, Daphine’s Mercantile, and the Equestrian Center
Before reaching Tunnel 6, the railroad passes Harry’s Distillery, a weathered, rustic bootleg still inspired by Uncle Harry, the self-appointed bartender at decades of MacLean family gatherings at the MacLean Lodge on Incline Lake. Harry’s quick wit and legendary storytelling made him a favorite at every celebration. Alongside Aunt Mary, he also operated the family’s unforgettable “Antique Store” from their garage, a beloved destination fondly remembered by generations of family and friends. The distillery is a lighthearted tribute to their personalities, humor, and the many memories they created. As the train approaches Tunnel 6, look up the hillside to spot Harry and Mary’s Victorian home overlooking the tracks—a fitting reminder that, on this railroad, every scene tells a family story.
Three
Bridges
Gorge
Three Bridges Gorge
one of the most photographed scenes on the division.
Three Bridges Gorge and the Long Descent Toward the Basin
The journey continues into Tunnel 7, where the line bends toward the crest of Three Bridges Gorge— one of the most photographed scenes on the division. Here the tracks leap across three separate bridges stacked in a dramatic sequence, with cascading waterfalls spilling down the canyon below. The transitions between rock tunnel, trestle, and gorge create one of the most dynamic mountain railroading experiences on the entire division.
Tunnel 8 emerges directly onto the third bridge, suspended over the gorge, before the train dives again into the darkness of Tunnel 9—the longest tunnel on the Western Pacific Division.
Visitors are especially encouraged to ride this entire route soon. It will soon be abandoned and replaced as part of the massive, historic rebuild and expansion of the division—a once-in-a-generation modernization effort.
Approach To Tahoe Junction Division
Virginia Range
shimmering miles away in the eastern light.
Vista Ridge and the Approach to Tahoe Junction
Exiting Tunnel 9, trains burst onto Vista Ridge, a long-elevated shelf overlooking sweeping views of the Truckee Meadows and the distant Virginia Range, shimmering miles away in the eastern light. Few spots on the railroad offer such a panoramic view of the surrounding landscape.
The Western Pacific Division officially ends where the single-track alignment splits into double track—the symbolic gateway to the high-altitude engineering wonders of the Tahoe Junction Division.
