Virginia Southwestern - 5
6
6: Looking down on mid level horizontal corner
framework. Gussets are used to attach the parts
together instead of attempting to bevel cut the angled
pieces. This type of construction is very similar to steel
framing in buildings. The outside corner framework
has1x3 wood attached. Sub-roadbed and risers are
mounted to the framework using this wood piece.
With the new plan I wanted to model both the L&N and
Southern using a point to point layout. The L&N will be the pri-
mary line having several interchange points with the Southern.
While working on different design ideas I found that a single
level layout did not give the extra mainline, or operations I
wanted to improve on the original layout.
After trying a combination of partial two-level designs, with
and without a helix, the lack of staging and little additional
mainline were always a problem. After about 2 years of draw-
ing, I settled on a three-level design with two helices, a branch
line for the Southern, a short spur for the L&N, and north/
south staging yards for each railroad.
7
7: The mid level outside corner framework. Protective
plastic is being placed over the ends of the aluminum
channels in heavy traffic areas. Unlike wood, the metal
members can severely damage your body if you catch
one of the corners.
The final design incorporates several specific prototype scenes
and arrangements. Beginning on the upper deck at the town of
Edison, VA the N&W/Clinchfield crossing at St. Paul VA. is rep-
resented. Moving south, a Southern/N&W over/under crossing
at Ramsey VA. is depicted. At the town of Hawthorne a neat
coal operation, Cumberland Collieries, is modeled. The East
Norton area with the Southern branch and Norton Yard com-
plete the upper deck.
After traveling down the helix the railroads emerge at
Blackwood, VA on the middle deck. Here the track plan
closely follows the prototype side-by-side track arrangement
at Appalachia, VA. Major town industries will be Chesapeake
Polymers, Virginia Wholesale, and Moody Plastics.
MRH-Sep 2013
