Here's the first segment of my planned C&O layout, based in the New River Gorge. This segment, when a temporary return loop is set up at the right side, offers fairly prototypical operations of Prince, WV, including the double-tracked mainline coming out of Stretcher's Neck tunnel, and proceeding toward the right edge of the module to what will eventually be the Quinnimont module. There's also possibilities for adding a staging yard behind Prince, on the hidden trackage. The staging yard could be accessible underneath, and/or viewed by mirrors angled above the layout, looking over the mountains and down onto the top of the trains. The Piney Creek Branch would probably be the second module I'd build, since I enjoy branchline roads. If you head up the Piney Creek Branch, there's a bridge across the New River, and then a small siding, and a mine branch off to the right, which follows the New. Off to the left, the trackage would proceed up alongside Piney Creek, toward Beckley and Raleigh, WV. The layout shown is approximately 8 feet long, and 4-5 feet deep. I may decide to stretch it to 10 feet long when I get around to building it. Curved turnouts are used for the crossover near NI Cabin, otherwise #6 or 8 turnouts will be used. Any suggestions for revisions? Any comments?
I find it difficult to comment when a layout is based on prototypical track arrangements and running. It is difficult to know how "true" to the prototype, the person wants to be. For example, usually but not always, the inside of the returning loop can be used for an industry or yard. On a smaller layout, it seems like a lot of territory to give up to remain true to the prototype track arrangements, but then I like switching etc. However, having said that, I may not use the inside of a reversing loop, instead using it for a town location in my own layout. At present, your layout appears to be more in the direction of emphasis on scenery and prototype and not operations. This may be what you are after, but I raise it as an issue for you to ponder.
HO Scale? Are you planning to handlay turnouts? I ask becuase I find commercial curved turnouts hard to work with. Other than that - soulds like a good plan. It's great to find prototype scenes that fit nicely into model form.
I'm sorry, I meant to indicate that I plan to build it in N scale. I had in mind to use the BK curved turnouts, and then ME or Atlas C55 for the rest. As far as "wasting space" it will not be wasted. There will be scenery going up to about eye level or a bit higher in the space behind the track. Behind that scenery, I will probably incorporate some type of staging yard. I would like to have it realistic enough that if someone saw it that was reasonably familiar with the area, they would immediately recognize the locale. I feel that any sort of yard or industry inside that loop would seriously hamper the realism, because there's not much at Prince, other than the junction of the C&O main with the C&O Piney Creek Branch. Just to the right of this plan would be Quinnimont, which had a yard, another depot, as well as a small engine service facility, and a wye leading up the Laurel Creek branch to more mines. This wye and its surrounding trackage would increase operations dramatically, but yes, as it stands it's basically a showcase for running trains thru on the mainline. I haven't yet come up with a plan for Quinnimont that suits me. However, I may add the Piney Creek Branch before that, to add mine shifter ops to the rest of what's here. [ 21 January 2002: Message edited by: RidgeRunner ]
Not being familiar with the prototype this may be irrelevant, but it seems like there should be a third leg on the branch track to complete the wye. Based on my observations out here on the west coast the railroads would put in a wye wherever they could fit one to make operations smoother.
The branch I've included in this plan wasn't a wye. The wye I mentioned is off the right edge of this plan, and I've not yet designed that module. The locale of the railroad in this area almost prohibited wyes, except in a few areas, such as Quinnimont and Meadow Creek, both of which will eventually be modeled.
cthippo, Do you belong to the HO clube in Bellingham? My son and I have always meant to get down to see it, but I always forget. We are dedicated attendees of the Lynden Model Railroad show. Unfortunately, the last one on the Sunday was the first day of bombing in Afganistan so the show was pretty quiet when we were there. Also remember, there are some good model railroad stores in Vancouver and New Westminister. Your $63 American dollars buys $100 Canadian, so when you see a higher price in Canada, with conversion, it might actually be cheaper than in the states.... Happy modelling
Right on brother! Because you mentioned the scene as being 3-4 feet deep I assumed HO. You are exploiting the biggest advantage N has over the larger scales - scenery to train ratio. Do you have topo maps of the area? With these you can get exact elevations that should help you get the terrain to match up perfectly Here's the area on Topozone - looks like you are nailing it mate! Prince WV Topo Zone Map
rsn48. Were you talking about Lynden, Wa.? That is where my wife is from. Nice little dutch comminity. If you are, this is the first I heard about model railroad shows there. [ 22 January 2002: Message edited by: Telegrapher ]
I did check TopoZone, as well as maps in "Riding that New River Train" by Eugene L. Huddleston. However, neither of these accurately show the track layout, so I was largely going by a few photos. I'm likely going to get a WV Atlas & Gazetteer, which is basically a book of topo maps of the entire state. They will hopefully be larger scale than what's on TopoZone, thus likely revealing individual tracks in Prince, as well as the yard and wye just a mile or so up the line at Quinnimont.
The very same Lynden where the dutch food is great, the houses immaculate kept, and more churches per square mile than anywhere else in the USA. If your wife grew up there, then she is a real church goer(in British Columbia we have the destinction of the least church attendance of anywhere in North America)! One of my favourite towns in Northern Washington. My understanding is that there were train shows, then for whatever reason the show stopped for many years. Then the shows re-appeared (you can't keep a good model railroader down) around 5 years ago. Our attendance began around that time. The first show we attended was small, with a few layouts, but in the past couple of years it has grown larger. There are layouts from Victoria (BC), Tacoma, Boeing plant, Bellingham club, and elsewhere that I can't remember. If you know Lynden, you can guess it is held at the Fair grounds. I bet your wife misses Lynden, can't say's I'd blame her. How can a town go wrong when the only main road into it cuts through the cemetary....lol!
Heres another little known fact about Lynden. If you mow your lawn on sunday you will be ticketed for disturbing the peace! They actually passed a law up there that makes it illegal to make noise on sunday as it might disturb the church services Beyond that, I am a memeber of the Bellingham Society of Model Engineers, though I haven't been active recently. With a business to run and a layout of my own to work on I haven'tfound the time to go in for the meetings. If you want to see the ayout they're open for weekly meetings on thursdays from 7-11 PM, everyone welcome. You can check our website at www.bsme.org and get a hold of the operating memebers through there. We'ed love to see you!
I always thought if you laughed in Lynden on Sunday you got a ticket... lol. Sunday is the one day I tell my friends - "don't go to Lynden" - unless it is the train show or fair. My son and I will definitely make it a point to visit the Bellingham layout. Maybe if there are any other trainboard members close and want to visit, you can make it a trainboard exclusive showing. Probably have to post this elsewhere to get other members of TB interested.
You should probably be looking for the printed USGS 7.5 minute maps of the area(s) Topozone (and others) scaned these maps and what you see on the web site is a low res scan. They will sell you a high res scan or you can buy the actuall maps. These maps show most track arangements and normally how many tracks. yards are usually obvious but specific track arangemnts are not. Wyes can usually be identified. USGS 7.5 minute maps are 1:24,000 scale The Atlas Gazzetter is 1:150,000 scale USGS 1x2 degree maps are 1:250,000 scale You could also check with big universities in WV for "Sandborn Fire Insurance" maps. (The usefullness of thses maps is debatable - I have personally never set eyes on one so I have stayed out of the debate - just letting you know they exist.)
Alrighty, 'preciate it... any links to places that sell the maps online? Does TopoZone sell them? or is there someplace else that sells them online cheaper?
Jon, are you going to model the art-deco terminal at Prince? I'd like to see that. You'll need to find an N scale Berkshire so you can run the 765 by once a year on the New River Train.
USGS web site has a dealer directory. Some are online but I don't have any experience with a particular online seller so I can't recommend one. USGS Mapping Find Retailer Page
Of course I'll model the art-deco terminal. I'd like to have some of all the C&O's power they used in the 1940's and 1950's... including Mountain types, Kanawhas, Pacifics, Hudsons, Mallets, and the Allegheneys too!
