This fictitious layout represents a distance of some 20 miles where the line starts to climb from the plains in the east into the Rockies. In order to gain sufficient height to negotiate the steep passes, the line has to spiral to follow the contours more easily and is built to the American standard of HOn3, that is 3.5mm to the foot (HO) running on a track of 10.5mm gauge. This represents a track size gauge of 3ft which is classed as narrow gauge, (n3).

The layout is not constructed on a traditional flat manner as this would have been too heavy. Instead, it was build using plywood on edge in a grid pattern and shaped to give the rough contours for the scenery. The track-bed was then cut into the scene and the gaps willed with polystyrene and covered with plaster-type materials.

Roe pass depicts a small American town developed by prospectors during the 'Gold Rush'. The model is based on a region as it would possibly have been during the 1940s. Mining has now moved away from the town into the hills. The principal source of revenue for the town comes from logging and this requires logs to be regularly moved by the railroad. These are often hauled by the unusual Shay type of locomotive which was developed mainly for this type of traffic.