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Hagerstown, MD |
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2009 MER-NMRA Convention |
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Layout Descriptions for Operations Call Board
Barneytown and Scupperville (item #805 - Fri PM):
The Barneytown and Scupperville Railroad (named for long gone family dogs) is a large (1800 sq. ft.) freelance model of a class one railroad set in the northeast and serving a wide range of regional industries. The 500 ft. long double tracked mainline connects with lower level staging on both ends allowing for extensive interchange and bridge traffic. Additional traffic is generated by 4 branch lines and numerous industrial areas serving more than 100 industrial sites in the coal, iron, meat packing, manufacturing and distribution industries (among others).
The era is the 1950's. Motive power is mostly steam, and rolling stock is dominated by the drab colored 40 ft. cars typical of that era.
Designed for prototype freight and passenger operations, the Barneytown and Scupperville features opportunities for multiple operators using walk-around throttles with a dispatcher assigning blocks from a CTC panel. In operation for almost 20 years, the layout has hosted a variety of different crews with varying levels of experience (from novice to "pro"). This Ops Call Board session will focus on branch line and industrial operations.
Ohio Northern (item #803 - Fri EVE):
The Ohio Northern Railroad, set in 1999, is a freelanced shortline using some of the former roadbed of the Akron, Canton, & Youngstown RR in northwestern Ohio. The layout is a point-to-point mainline serving a series of towns each with industrial and/or yard trackage. There are three branch lines serving off-line customers.
Currently the Ohio Northern schedules seven trains for operations. Point-to point mainline operations start at Ada Yard and terminate at St. John's Yard (under construction). Lower level staging tracks beyond each yard represent connections to Columbus and Toledo.
Trains on the branch lines are operated as switching turns originating in the various yards.
1. The branch leaving Ada serves a river port at Williamsport and the Scioto Valley Cement plant.
2. The longest branch leaves the main at Five Forks, climbs to an upper level, serves several towns (each with a variety of industries), and terminates in Wayne, OH.
3. The third branch (not yet constructed) will serve a loads-out/empties-in coal mine.
The layout is set in 1999 and uses modern motive power and rolling stock appropriate for that era. Amtrak maintains a passenger terminal at Allentown.
Pine Valley Timber Co. (item #802 - Sat PM):
Located in the western part of Maryland, the freelanced Pine Valley Timber Co. (PVTCo.) is a logging line, which uses shays and other steam locomotives to haul logs out of the woods to a sawmill. The PVTCo. interchanges with the Western Maryland Ry., and the layout features extensive mainline trackage. The era is circa 1962 - 63 and transition era diesels power WM trains. Rolling stock is typical of the era and region.
The layout is located in a 1000 sq. ft. finished basement that allows for an approximately 240 foot mainline and 160 feet of branch lines. These tracks serve numerous towns and a variety of industries. Manufacturing, steel production, logging, saw milling, and other industries related to wood products are featured.
Barryville Yard is central to operations. The dispatcher at that location dispatches trains in close coordination with the yardmaster. Most trains originate there and connect to Stouffer Yard. Some operate as turns doing industry switching; others act as through trains from Barryville Yard to staging representing the rest of the Western Maryland and connecting railroads. Mainline trains operate in an out and back fashion.
Great Northern Empire (item #801 - Thurs EVE and 807 - Sat AM):
The Great Northern Empire represents Great Northern Railway mainline operations from Spokane, WA to Bonners Ferry, ID. There is also a section of the Spokane, Portland, and Seattle line form Spokane, WA to Pasco, WA.
The layout fills a 35 ft. by 27 ft. basement and features extensive lower level staging - recently rebuilt. The mainline - mostly single track with long passing sidings - is quite lengthy and ranges from 46 in. to 56 in. above the floor.
Spokane is represented by a large classification/division point yard at Hillyard, extensive depot trackage, and several industrial districts serving numerous large customers. Though more rural in feeling, the other towns along the main feature track for meets and industrial switching.
The era is the late 1950's, and trains are powered by the colorful first generation diesels common to the region during that period. In addition to the numerous freights, the railroad schedules express, mail, and passenger trains connecting the Pacific Northwest to the rest of the country.
Western Maryland Railway Blue Ridge Division (item #804 - Fri EVE)
The Western Maryland Railway Blue Ridge Division is set in September 1970 when the Western Maryland was still pretty much its own railroad (before the days of yellow, orange, and vermilion paint schemes). Motive power is all first generation diesels - Alco RS-2s, chopped nose Geeps, and F-units.
The original idea was to model the York Subdivision from Spring Grove to Lincoln Yard and to join that to an existing freelanced layout, but the concept has grown and evolved. Now the layout is partially double-decked and includes pretty much all the York Sub as well as a good bit of the Western Maryland mainline from Williamsport east to Union Bridge. Staging represents the mainline to the west (Cherry Run/Cumberland), the mainline to the east (Baltimore), the joint WM/ Reading Lurgan Line (Harrisburg), plus interchanges with the Pennsy in York and the N & W in Hagerstown. Most of the trackage follows the prototype's route with towns in the right order and industries in the right towns. The York Sub leaves the mainline and proceeds to York on the lower level; the mainline to continues to Baltimore on the upper level.
The operating scheme, developed with the help of Steve King and John King, uses a schedule, train orders and a fast clock. There is yard work at York's Lincoln Yard and at Hagerstown. There are numerous switching jobs including challenging runs to Gladfelter Paper in Spring Grove and the Highfield/Security job. Both take a fair amount of time to complete just like their prototypes. Through freights originate in the various staging areas and bring cars onto the layout. The Call Board session will be structured so that most crews will have opportunities to experience two different jobs.
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