As some of you know by looking at the post of the 170ft branch line that I have the V&O connecting onto the layout from this branch line from up the Ohio area. My biggest draw back is that I don't know what kind of V&O train to run. A freight, intermodal, autoparts, or ??? What do you think?? Scott
Mixed manifest would be my take. A little of everything. Where did you get the decals for the V&O diesels? I've got a few C44's that I'd like to put the blue and white scheme on. Love the layout, too. Thanks, Brian
Scott, The easiest to justify would be a coal train, making it a pool train you could do V&O, AM, and the other APL line in the train as well as a few cars from your railroad, or the new leasor cars Atlas released. That would be easy. The other suggestion I would make would be a manifest train with a variety of goods. I have not read an article on the V&O lately but if I recall paper was a big commodity on the railroad, so have that be a stable of the manifest, maybe have a printing plant on your railroad for the V&O cars to go to? This is what I like about freelance railroads, you can do what you like. Joe
As the V&O was built to be in coal country, certainly at least one train a day each way empties/loads of coal. From there add? Boxcab E50
The articles I have read about your layout (all spectacular by the way) have said you keep up to present day with the layout-- repainting and retiring things when the NS does. The V&O is a freelance but will have to fit in with the present NS layout. I would say some coal transfers would work, but also intermodal while the NS builds its intermodal super-speedway from Norfolk to Columbus, Ohio, seems as though that would tranverse VO country? my best, Jan
Why stop at one. I would recommend a unit coal train and a manifest. It could come off the V&O and then head off to somewhere over NS rails. You could run it with a mix of V&O and NS power. Comes into the layout via staging. Does a crew change at the interchange and then off to your NS layout. Second train could be a manifest with rollingstock that reflects the V&O industries. This train would come out of staging and into the interchange on the branch line. Cut power at the interchange and put on some NS power. The NS train then could head to your main yard on your layout. The V&O could then pick up another train to take back to staging.
The V&O lives on! Googled V&O and found this cool website The Division 3 website includes the V&O & other model RR photos The V&O section includes both "new" and "old" model photos Div3 - 7k When you get there the "home page" goes to the Miami Valley Division 3 website "Layout Image" goes to the index of layout photos. Have fun looking! Happy 2009!
Up in to Ohio ?? Now you're talking my region. I live just east of Columbus & there's a line traveling from there, down southeast to Gallipolis along the Ohio River. This stretch alone would be perfect to model as there is constant coal & mixes passing thru daily. First, I believe PRR had this line, then Conrail & now NS. Each October, I & a bunch of others head down to Corning for deer camp. I hear the trains each day, which run along Rt 13. while back up in the hills. There's tipples along the way here & there .... mostly there, since coal productivity isn't what it use to be. Still, for single track operations along with a few sidings & the numerous business opportunities with all the tiny towns, I feel this would be perfect for what you're looking for.
Thanks guys for the reply to the V&O connection. Here is some pictures of a mixed freight coming off the branch line. The train will head down the branch line onto the main line and head west to Williamson Yard where it will drop and pick up cars and head back up the branch line and into staging.
It is nice to see V&0 trains running still. In this month's issue of a certain publication there is an article on the well known V&O Layout. It was mentioned in that article that Allan McClelland has "retired" the V&O and moved to a retirement community. It is wonderful to see V&O trains still running(so be it on another layout in a different scale). Thank you for sharing your layout with us Scott!
So when are you cutting into the brick wall and start thru the rest of the basement? It's getting so beautiful and can't wait to see it soon.
You have some nice V&O power. Perhaps you could have 10% of the freight cars also lettered in V&O? Some 2 bay hoppers, boxcars, etc from the V&O online industries. From the V&O pictures, perhaps an old coal fired boiler or power plant that gets a mix of V&O or other coal. Another % is metal grade coal headed to the steel mill. The boxcars appear to have a % in the lumber business, either as a paper mill/ware house or a lumber dealer/furniture factory, etc. Another idea would be to host a "shipper special" with some V&O power pulling a business car train. IIRC CSX bought 2 F40's to pull it's passenger trains?
When I lived in Kentucky, Division 7 of the NMRA was selling N scale two bay hoppers lettered for the V&O. The only ones I saw available were a two pack for $40 dollars. Out of my price range at the time, but nicely done. Frank
Started making some modern rollingstock for the V&O. Also painted an AM SD40-2 unit to go with my V&O units. Thanks to Tony Koester for the decals. Scott
The V&O is gone as a physical layout, but clearly lives on. I just got the Yesteryear Models "Appalachian Lines" three pack of center flows. I also have the two V&O hoppers mentioned earlier. There is a "V&O Historical Society" YahooGroup that might be a further source for information.
