Date
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Location
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Layout
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Layout Tours run from 1 - 4 PM
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September 14, 2008
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Vienna, VA
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Western North Carolina (WNC)
Railroad at the Northern Virginia Model Railroad Club
A 22 by 50 HO scale layout that models the
Western part of North Carolina, in the late 1950's. The modeled towns
include Spencer, Statesville, Old Fort, and Swannanoa, all in North
Carolina. The Western North Carolina (WNC) did actually exist but
was absorbed in to the Southern in 1880s. In our minds, the WNC
continued to exist as an independent. This is single track mountainous
railroading with loops and grades that approach 3.5%. The elevation
gain from Spencer to Ashville is over four feet! All visible track is
hand laid, with a very high level of reliability. Scenery is complete
(and has been for some time) and is constantly being upgraded. WNC was
one of the first Digitrax users in the DC area. The largest visible
yard, Spencer NC, is about 35 feet long. There are two major
staging yards. In all, there are some 80 scale miles of track,
with two helixes. All bench work is elevated to allow walk-unders and
stand up maintenance. Full operations are held by the members every
month.
Visit the web page www.nvmr.org for location, directions,
and additional information.
|
| MER
convention October
16-19 |
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No
tour in November |
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December 14, 2008
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Gaithersburg, MD
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My
model of the Monongah Division of the Baltimore & Ohio aims to
capture the backwoods feel of the West Virginia coal country, with a
few operational modifications to suit my taste in operations.
Unlike the more modern coal roads, such as the Norfolk & Western,
the B&O inherited trackwork with limiited capacity for even
moderately heavy steam. Well into the transition era, the B&O
ran Consolidations in this region--a nice prototype for a medium-sized
layout. The town of Buckhannon, with yard and engine facility, is at
the operational center of the layout. Several small coal mines
and local industries in the surrounding towns keep the train crews
busy. Grafton and Charleston exist as staging tracks and a fiddle
yard. Begun in 1991 as a small 4' x 6' layout that slid under a double
bed, the layout has since grown to full size and has successfully moved
from double bed to apartment to townhouse to it present basement
home. I've taken liberties relative to the prototype to suit my
interests, such as installing a turntable in Buckhannon. Trackwork has
been fully operational for a number of years and was recently upgraded
to DCC. Present operations are in the transition era, but I hope
to one day have a full set of steam power. I enjoy tuning up the
mechanisms of old brass steam models for good switching operation and
retrofitting with DCC. Scenery is over 50 % complete, including many
hundreds of trees! We run regular operating sessions, with an emphasis
on switching and local freights. Smooth trackwork and reliable
operation are high priorities.
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January 25, 2009
12PM-6PM
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Damascus, MD
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The Providence and Worcester is a 12' x 16 two level HO gauge layout
based on the New England railroad of that name. The layout is set in
the modern diesel era with a bonded container yard and has over 50
local industries to serve. Far from a "finished" product P&W
management has introduced the "Rail OP" system to manage local freight,
thru traffic, and container trains. It is this system that will be on
"display" in January. The hours of the open house have been
extended so that anyone who would care to operate can get a chance.
Extra computers will be set up to demonstrate the system as it pertains
to the P&W.
Should you not wish to
operate please do not let this stop you dropping in and
visiting.
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