Quartermaster Depot Railroad Display

The Railroad Display at the historic Yuma Quartermaster Depot, now known as the Colorado River State Historic Park, has been operating since December 10, 2012.

From 1864 to 1883, the U.S. Army used the depot to supply military posts across the Southwest. Goods came up the Colorado River by steamboat and left by mule-drawn wagon train. The arrival of the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1877 made the depot unnecessary, and the Army closed it a few years later.

This page documents our work on an operating model railroad based on Yuma, Arizona, around 1912, the year Arizona became the 48th state. The layout began as our project for Arizona’s Centennial in 2012, and we continue to add details and maintain it as an ongoing community project. It is open to the public as part of the museum and when visitors push the button, the train runs automatically for a preprogrammed time.

To learn more about the Quartermaster Depot and its history:

Colorado River State Historic Park

Construction Photos