I have 2 questions, 1) Does La Mesa Model Railroad Club models the 1930s-50s, and 2) Does La Mesa Model Railroad Club runs steam locomotives, passenger and freight trains from other railroads in addition to SP and Santa Fe.
Questions probably best answered by contacting the club,
Well, I’ve never been there, but from what I read in MR (and what I remember of the article), they do run 30s-50s stuff, but also 70s and modern. Of course, this would mean that in addition to SP and ATSF there would be UP and BNSF. I suspect that power also “visits” from other railroads, but that is uncertain. Again, this is based on an article that I read some time ago and likely is partially or completely incorrect.
Their website says they model the 1950s but have also added modern operations of the UP and BNSF. I was there 3 years ago, and the model railroad museum has another HO layout, plus N scale, and both scale O gauge and 3 rail O gauge, and a small G scale garden loop. With all those layouts, I don’t remember if the Tehachapi layout had steam.
When I was there for the article we published in the September 2024 issue of MR, I ran steam on multiple occasions. The club is large - with more than 100 members - so interests vary. The layout models the early 1950s, so the structures are what you would have seen in the area at that time, but there are operating weekends that feature trains from the early '50s up to the modern day.
What you’ll see on a given day will depend on which club members are present and running trains. If it’s an operations weekend, you’ll see more action.