Stuart Thayer's
L&N Cumberland Valley Subdivision
Scale: HO
Minimum Radius: 30"
Minimum Aisle Width: 30"
This is the current layout Stu and I are building in his basement. While Norton yard is almost finished, the rest of the trackplan has undergone a major revision. The biggest changes are the addition of Hagan's Switchback and moving Loyall, KY from the upper deck to the lower deck.
The layout is designed as faithfully to the prototype as space allows and represents the L&N's Cumberland Valley Sub from Loyall, Kentucky to Norton, Virginia. Other key players, such as the N&W and Interstate are faithfully represented and will play major roles in operating sessions. Three branches, the Poor Fork, Clover Fork, and Lick Branch Spur, are fully functional. The layout is designed to operate 16' trains--roughly three locomotives, 20-25 triple hoppers, and a caboose. To capture the feel of the CV Sub, the layout was designed as a series of scenes representing the major landmarks and areas of interest along the line. Helixes are strategically placed to increase the mainline run and put distance between scenes.
Operations will concentrate on the movement of coal from loaders to interchange points. At least three mine runs daily will be needed to work the coal branches, and Loyall yard operators will be kept busy building trains and making room for all the coal. Mainline trains will move coal in both directions with some coal going to Corbin, KY (staging), and other coal going to the Clinchfield via the Interstate at Dorchester Jct. (pre-1973 ops sessions) or via trackage rights over the N&W from Norton to St. Paul, VA (post-1973 sessions). Besides L&N operations, the N&W and Interstate operators will be kept busy running their own mine runs and trains in and around Norton.
P.S. If any of you have a supply of 200 or so kitbashed PS-3 triple hoppers, please let us know--we'll be glad to take them off your hands :-)
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Lower Deck
Colors:
Louisville & Nashville Norfolk & Western Interstate/Southern
Upper Deck
Staging Deck
