Author Archives: Dan Bourque

Cumberland Mine Railroad, PA track plan N

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Cumberland Mine Railroad, PA N scale track plan
  • Size: 12′ x 12′
  • Scale: N
  • Minimum Radius: 15″
  • Minimum Aisle Width: 27″
  • Designed by Dan Bourque

The Cumberland Mine Railroad, built by U.S. Steel, is a coal hauler unlike any other. Built in 1975 to Class 1 standards, the 17-mile railroad is a hallmark of late 20th century engineering from start to finish, complete with a large, modern flood loader at one end and a similarly modern rapid-discharge dumper at the other. What makes the Cumberland Mine Railroad unique is that despite being surrounded on all four sides by lines of the former Monongahela Railway, The Cumberland Mine Railroad was completely isolated, miles from touching any other railroad. This makes it a great subject for those who … Read more →

Book Review – The Monongahela Railway in Color, Volume 2

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Book - The Monongahela Railway in Color Vol 2

By Stephen M. Timko
Morning Sun Books, 2020
ISBN 1582487103

Review by Dan Bourque

Book - The Monongahela Railway in Color Vol 2

Stephen Timko’s newest foray into the coal fields comes in the form of The Monongahela Railway in Color, Volume 2. This book is part of an anticipated three-part series, and volume 2 covers the West Division and branches, primarily the more modern branches on the road. If you’ve … Read more →

C&O Piney River and Paint Creek Sub, WV track plan HO

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C&O Piney River and Paint Creek Sub HO scale track plan
  • Size: 13′ x 16′
  • Scale: HO
  • Minimum Radius: 24″
  • Minimum Aisle Width: 27″
  • Designed by Dan Bourque

C&O LogoDespite the long name, the Chesapeake & Ohio’s Piney River and Paint Creek Sub was a very short affair, less than 7 miles in length. Unlike most coal branches, this line also served a small city (Beckley, WV) and several industries on its way to the coal loaders at the far end of the line. The short running distance, ample side tracks and mix of industries makes it a perfect prototype for a large bedroom-sized layout.

The Layout

This plan is designed … Read more →

B&M Connecticut River Division, VT track plan N

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B&M Connecticut River Div, VT N Scale Track Plan - Lower
  • Size: 14′ x 31′
  • Scale: N
  • Minimum Radius: 15″
  • Minimum Aisle Width: 30″
  • Designed by Dan Bourque

Here’s another track plan that’s a bit out-of-scope for the railroads covered on this site, but it’s a fun one for the northern area of the Appalachians. The Boston and Maine’s Connecticut River Division straddled the namesake Connecticut River along the border of Vermont and New Hampshire. The Central Vermont (CV) had trackage rights over this line from Brattleboro to Windsor, VT, and it formed part of the CV’s single north-south mainline. The favor was returned with the B&M having trackage rights on CV track from Windsor to White River Junction, VT where the B&M met up with other B&M lines … Read more →

C&O Layland, WV track plan O

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C&O Layland, WV O scale track plan
  • Size: 14′ x 14′
  • Scale: O
  • Minimum Radius: 48″
  • Minimum Aisle Width: N/A
  • Designed by Dan Bourque

C&O Logo

Layland, West Virginia lay at the end of the Chesapeake & Ohio’s 6-mile long Laurel Creek Sub that originated at the small yard at Quinnimont, WV on the New River. Like most of the early lines built from the New River, grades were steep (up to 4%), and switchbacks were used to access some of the tipples crammed into the tight hollows.

The Layout

This track plan represents the very end of the Laurel Creek Sub and the medium-sized tipple at Layland, and the track arrangements would work … Read more →

FJ&G, NY track plan HO

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FJ&G, NY HO Scale Track Plan - Upper
  • Size: 13′ x 31′
  • Scale: HO
  • Minimum Radius: 24″ 
  • Minimum Aisle Width: 30″
  • Designed by Dan Bourque

The Fonda, Johnstown and Gloverville, better known as the FJ&G, wasn’t exactly a “coal hauler,” but it’s a fun little railroad nonetheless. Nestled on the fringes of the Appalachians in New York, the FJ&G served many industries along its line and connected with the New York Central. The primary industry in the area was leather, but in addition to dozens of tanneries, the FJ&G served many customers including manufacturers and coal dealers.

The Layout

This layout represents the FJ&G in the transition era when power was moving from steam to Alco switchers. By this time, the FJ&G consisted of a single line from its connection with … Read more →

Modeler Spotlight – Bob Chapman

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C&O 2-6-6-2 in HO scale by Bob Chapman

Bob Chapman HO scale layoutBob Chapman standing in front of Cincinnati Union Terminal on his HO-scale Cincinnati-based layout

I had the privilege of visiting Bob Chapman’s HO scale, Cincinnati-based layout recently to see his work first-hand, and it was a non-stop parade of beautiful trains and meticulously built models.

B&O 4-6-2 Royal Blue in HO scale by Bob ChapmanB&O class P7A 4-6-2 Royal Blue speeds by on Bob Chapman’s layout

Bob loves many railroads, so his … Read more →

My New Layout – Southern Railway St. Charles Branch

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In addition to keeping up Appalachian Railroad Modeling, I’m a model railroader myself. A few years ago, I had to tear down my first layout [largely unfinished] based on the Interstate Railroad in Virginia in preparation for a move. My layout space in the new house is a bit smaller, so it gave me the opportunity to model something different. You’ve probably seen a few of the ideas as they’ve shown up in the track plans section of ARRM.

Just a couple weeks ago, though, I began construction on my new layout, a 12 x 16′ double-deck design … Read more →

ARRM Featured on “The Roundhouse” Podcast

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I’ve always loved the track-planning aspect of the model railroad hobby, and recently I was asked to share some of my track-planning philosophy on a podcast called “The Roundhouse.” If you enjoy (or struggle with) designing prototype-based track plans, it might be worth a listen as I share some things I’ve learned in the last 20+ years of designing track plans with The Roundhouse host, railfan and modeler Nick Ozorak. Give it a listen!

SP Tehachapi Sub, CA track plan HO

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SP Tehachapi Sub, CA HO scale track plan - Upper Deck
  • Size: 24′ x 40′
  • Scale: HO
  • Minimum Radius: 35″ 
  • Minimum Aisle Width: 36″
  • Designed by Dan Bourque

This track plan represents one of the most iconic pieces of railroad in the United States, the Southern Pacific’s Tehachapi Sub, home of the famous Tehachapi Loop. While certainly not an Appalachian track plan, it’s still a good study in prototype track plan design (and any mountain railroad is still pretty cool). This plan captures the key features of the line between Bakersfield and Mojave, CA circa 1990s when both the SP and ATSF (via trackage rights) ran 30-40 trains daily over this route.

The Layout

While 24′ x 40′ may seem like a lot of space for a layout, it was … Read more →