K&T Diesel Era track plan N

Track plan K&T diesel era N scale
  • Size: 10′ x 10′
  • Scale: N
  • Minimum Mainline Radius: 13.5″ (18″ for Southern)
  • Minimum Aisle Width: N/A
  • Designed by Dan Bourque

K&T Logo PlainThe Kentucky & Tennessee in the diesel era was a simple operation. A handful of used Alco S2 switchers moved coal hoppers between the connection with the Southern at Stearns, KY to the lone tipple at Justus, about 3 miles from Stearns. Justus loaded about 30 Southern 100T hoppers per day via a small flood loader directly over the main. The hoppers were picked up and dropped off in the ample interchange yard in Stearns where the K&T interchanged with the Southern’s busy CNO&TP mainline. Despite the … Read more

SOU CRR Clinchcross, NC track plan HO

Track plan SOU CRR Clinchcross, NC HO scale
  • Size: 14′ x 20′
  • Scale: HO
  • Minimum Radius: 28″
  • Minimum Aisle Width: 30″
  • Designed by Dan Bourque

Southern Logo (plain)Clinchcross, near Marion, NC, was a major interchange point between the Southern and Clinchfield.  Besides playing host to several coal trains per day (particularly on the Clinchfield), Marion was a busy switching area for both roads.  The Clinchfield stationed a switcher at Marion for years (don’t know about the Southern) to work the four-track interchange yard and industries which included a concrete block plant, a scrap dealer and a piggyback track among others.   On the Southern side, the main industries were furniture plants which would see … Read more

L&N K&A Coal Fields track plan HO

Track plan L&N K&A Coal Fields HO scale - upper
  • Size: 22′ x 22′
  • Scale: HO
  • Minimum Radius: 27″
  • Minimum Aisle Width: 30″
  • Designed by Dan Bourque

L&N Logo PlainThis layout represents the L&N’s former Knoxville & Atlanta division south of Corbin. This area is a fantastic blend of coal, mainline traffic and fantastic scenery, and the L&N shared a coal branch with the Southern Railway.

The Layout

Southern Logo (plain)The layout is designed to represent operations in the ’70s, though some of the loaders like Roosevelt were probably inactive or gone by this time. The lower level represents … Read more

Southwestern Virginia track plan HO

Track plan Southwestern Virginia HO scale - Upper
  • Size: 28′ x 30′
  • Scale: HO
  • Minimum Radius: 30″ (avg. 36″)
  • Minimum Aisle Width: 30″
  • Designed by Dan Bourque

L&N Logo PlainMany railroads tangled in the Appalachians, but few areas featured as many railroads coming together as southwestern Virginia where the L&N, N&W, Interstate, Southern and Clinchfield all interchanged within a few miles.

The Layout

N&W Logo blue PlainThis was one of the track plans designed for Stu Thayer’s basement before he moved. It downplays the coal branches but captures most of the interactions and interchanges between the five … Read more

SOU St Charles Branch, VA track plan HO

Track plan SOU St Charles, VA HO scale - Upper
  • Size: 19′ x 33′
  • Scale: HO
  • Minimum Radius: 30″ (24″ in helix to Monarch)
  • Minimum Aisle Width: 30″
  • Designed by Dan Bourque

Southern Logo (plain)The St. Charles Branch was a tree-shaped branch of the Southern northwest of Appalachia, VA. The Southern owned the branch, but the L&N (and the CSX today) had trackage rights over the entire branch.  It appears that a Southern mine run was operated out of St. Charles (two mine runs in the 70s) and served all of the mines up the branch lines.  The coal would then be moved south through Pocket and over to the yard at Appalachia (later Andover), VA. … Read more