L&N CV Sub track plan HO

Track plan L&N CV Sub HO scale - Lower
  • Size: 28′ x 30′
  • Scale: HO
  • Minimum Radius: 30″
  • Minimum Aisle Width: 30″
  • Designed by Stuart Thayer and Dan Bourque

L&N Logo PlainThe L&N’s CV sub stretched from Corbin, Kentucky to southeastern Virginia where in short order it interchanged with the Southern, Interstate and N&W. The L&N also handed off a good deal of traffic bound for the Clinchfield to the Interstate at Dorchester Jct for the latter to run to its connecting with the CRR until 1973 when the L&N acquired rights to run over the N&W and connect with the Clinchfield at St Paul, VA. This area … Read more

L&N Martins Fork, KY track plan HO

Track plan L&N Martins Fork HO scale
  • Size: 9′ x 19′
  • Scale: HO
  • Minimum Radius: 27″
  • Minimum Aisle Width: 27″
  • Designed by Dan Bourque

L&N Logo PlainThe Martins Fork Branch, despite its name, was actually a mainline on the L&N’s Cumberland Valley Division.  The line extends from Loyall, KY to Smiley, VA where it goes through the Hagans switchback to meet up with the old CV main.  As a mainline, it handled most of the coal traffic from Loyall bound for the Southern, Clinchfield, and N&W.  In addition to being a mainline, it was also home to several loaders and other, smaller coal branches, including the Crummies Creek Branch with its Lick Branch Spur which … Read more

L&N Lynch, KY track plan HO

Track plan L&N Lynch, KY HO scale
  • Size: 11′ x 17′
  • Scale: HO
  • Minimum Radius: 30″
  • Minimum Aisle Width: 27″
  • Designed by Dan Bourque

L&N Logo PlainLynch, KY lay at the end of the L&N’s Poor Fork Branch east of Loyall, KY on the Cumberland Valley Division. The large loader at Lynch was owned by US Steel and loaded the “steel train” that ran between Lynch and Corbin, KY. Near Lynch were other loaders and few industries around Cumberland, KY.

The Layout

This bedroom-sized layout represents the end of the L&N’s Poor Fork Branch to Lynch, KY.  It is purposefully designed use narrow shelves to keep most of the interior of the room usable as … Read more

L&N Lots Creek Branch, KY track plan HO

Track plan L&N Lots Creek Branch, KY HO scale
  • Size: 22′ x 22′
  • Scale: HO
  • Minimum Radius: 30″
  • Minimum Aisle Width: 30″
  • Designed by Dan Bourque

L&N Logo PlainThe Lots Creek Branch was located on the L&N’s Eastern Kentucky (EK) Division (later the EK sub). It extended northeast from Hazard, KY, and served many loaders in a fairly short run.

The Layout

This layout starts at Hazard, KY and runs north to Hazard yard and the Lots Creek Branch. Hazard itself was a very busy yard on the L&N and was home to several mine runs. Local equipment included mostly 4-axle Alco power (notably RS-3s and C-420s), but a decent amount of 6-axle power ran through on … Read more

L&N Harlan, KY track plan HO

Track plan L&N Harlan, KY HO scale
  • Size: 10′ x 12′
  • Scale: HO
  • Minimum Radius: 30″
  • Minimum Aisle Width: 50″
  • Designed by Dan Bourque

L&N Logo PlainHarlan, KY sat on the intersection of the L&N’s Martins Fork mainline and the busy Clover Fork Branch near Loyall, KY. In addition to the numerous coal trains running through, Harlan was home to a number of small industries and a neat station. The Layout This layout packs a lot of operation into a tiny area.  Because of the short staging tracks, train size is limited, but other than that, you’ve got 30″ radius curves and a large aisle to work in.  Additionally, the trackage under the layout allows … Read more

L&N Cumberland Valley and St Paul track plan HO

Track plan CV and St Paul HO scale - lower
  • Size: 28′ x 30′
  • Scale: HO
  • Minimum Radius: 30″
  • Minimum Aisle Width: 27″
  • Designed by Stuart Thayer

L&N Logo PlainThis was Stu Thayer’s initial track plan for his Cumberland Valley and St. Paul.  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, the Interstate (Southern) Railroad from Dorchester Jct. to Miller Yard, VA, the N&W’s Clinch Valley District from Norton to Boody, VA, and the Clinchfield from Boody to Miller Yard, VA. The layout captures all of the major interchange points between … 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

INT Appalachia, VA track plan HO

Track plan INT Appalacia, VA HO scale
  • Size: 20′ x 25′
  • Scale: HO
  • Minimum Radius: 30″
  • Minimum Aisle Width: 27″
  • Designed by Dan Bourque

Interstate Logo PlainAppalachia, Virginia and the surrounding area was an important part of the Interstate/Southern/L&N triangle. Before the purchase of the Interstate by the Southern, Appalachia was the main interchange and outlet for Southbound Interstate coal via the Southern. The Interstate maintained its headquarters and shops at Andover, just two miles north of Appalachia. Andover was the primary coal-collection point on the railroad. The north end of Andover is the beginning of the Roda branch which serves … Read more

INT N&W Norton, VA track plan HO

Track plan INT N&W Norton, VA HO scale
  • Size: 20′ x 22′
  • Scale: HO
  • Minimum Radius: 30″
  • Minimum Aisle Width: 30″
  • Designed by Dan Bourque

N&W Logo blue PlainNorton, VA was an important interchange point between three railroads: the L&N, the N&W, and the Interstate (Southern). The large yard was maintained by the N&W, but operated by both the N&W and L&N. Between two and four merchandise trains were exchanged daily between the two, while the rest of the traffic was coal. Until 1973, the L&N interchanged its Clinchfield-bound coal to the Interstate RR at Dorchester Jct (just west of Norton), and the Interstate hauled it to the Clinchfield at Miller Yard. Between 1973 … Read more

L&N Hagans Switchback track plan segment HO

Track plan L&N Hagans Switchback HO scale
  • Size: 20′ x 25′ (track segment)
  • Scale: HO
  • Minimum Radius: 30″
  • Designed by Dan Bourque

L&N Logo PlainHagans Switchback is located on the L&N in between Loyall, KY and Appalachia, VA. The original Cumberland Valley Division mainline ran up the poor valley from Cumberland Gap to Appalachia. A major branchline was constructed to Loyall, KY and beyond soon after. With the goal of reaching the Clinchfield RR, the the L&N stretched the Martin’s Fork branch southward from Loyall through the 6,244 foot long Hagans Tunnel. The tunnel exits directly beneath the original CV main, but abruptly ends because of the lack of funds to complete the project. To … Read more