The major industrial area is St Amour, W.Va., which approximates St. Albans, in the Kanawha valley near Charleston. The major service facility is Yaeger Yard in Segway, Va. (basically Covington/Clifton Forge, Va. on the C&O), and is a division point between the foothills to the east and the mountains to the west. Road freights behind steam usually change engines at Segway, as each division has its own specific engine types and assignments. The ruling grade westbound is 3-1/8 %, so road trains physically require helpers out of Segway - Mallets front and rear. That was the #1 goal I had in mind when I laid out my parameters for a railroad, while daydreaming in college. And with DCC, helpers can operate with a second crew, just like life. Only a few trains rate helpers though, since it's pretty dramatic.
The original layout was started in 1993 in a previous house, which included the major sections at each end, and the loops. The east end of the yard, and the towns in the middle, are the "new" portions (2000). The classic story is that I convinced my wife to look at this house before I realized that the R/E agent's description of "full basement" meant "full height basement." By the time I discovered that the extra couple thousand square feet of house to the east was actually on a slab, it was too late - she was sold on it. So I folded my design into two basement rooms after downsizing the boiler 4:1, and am probably glad for it. The main rooms total approximately 15x30, or 450SF, with the staging and dispatcher's office located in the laundry room next door.
- If it's ugly, it's a placeholder;
- If it looks incomplete, that's 'cuz it's not done yet; and
- If it's thoroughly implausible, remember it's all just a backdrop to operations!
The DCC system is NCE. My old friend Darren Williamson gets credit for the DCC design and selection, conversion of dozens of locomotives to Tsunami sound, and 20 years of lobbying to get me to accept the digital fate.
The main goal on the SNR is to provide an interesting gameboard where good friends can enjoy the fun of prototype (-ish) operations with the group. In this realm, modelbuilding and scenery are not ends in themselves, but the support for that goal.
Been working my way through the entire blog. I can't believe no one has commented! You've created an empire that's generated personal satisfaction, friendships, humor and a neat experience for your crew. Well done.
ReplyDeleteWell a quality comment such as this one is worth waiting for. 🙂 Also I do hear back quite a lot via email, esp. when a post gets broadcast. Thanks much - very glad you're enjoying it!
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