Howdy! I'm a new member here, so I figgured I'd tell a little bit abotu myself and my railroad. I've been into railroads since i was a wee thing. I grew up 1/2 a mile from the UP mainline (former MP, the first thing I remember about trains was the UP take-over). I was right by a GMAC auto unloading facility in Spring, TX jsut outside Houston. I'm active USCG right now which means moving alot... I had a 8X4 HO layout growing up, and in my Senior year of high school I partially transitioned to N scale. I've since settled on HO, keepign the N in reserve for a club or diorama, or coffe table. While I was moving about quite a bit I got big into 1:72 scale helicopters and wound up usign my 2X4 modules to set up a 2X16 Fire and Rescue Airfield in my apartment. From the airfield came the fire station: Which quickly grew: So now that I have 3 years left here, and a room dedicated to modleing, I'm goin wiht a 10X6 HO layout connecting to the airbase on a shelf along the wall. (the airfield will have a small passenger station, and will be home to the Fire Train) Now on to the railroad if anyone is still with me here.. The V&AL started out way back when (both IRL and in it's free-lanced history.) In the late 1800's both the PRR and NYC realized the need for a neutral Pittsburgh area switchign and connection road, so the Vandergrift & Alleghenny was formed as a joint partnership. As time went on the relationship between the two roads became worse and eventuallty the V&AL was spun off as a private company. Eventually the V&AL started expanding into the coal regions of PA, WV, and VA. An enterprising young man, made rich of his father's steel wealth purchased the entire railroad, and changed the name to Virginia & Alleghenny. He followed the VGN's way of doing business, brinign the road to higer profitability, and never starting an expansion they couldn't pay for from the get-go. Fast forward to the late 50's as the PRR and NYC start to head down hill... The V&AL sees an oportunity, and makes a move... Purchasign the PRR, and acquiring the VGN, merging the 2 roads, and making the V&AL mostly what it is today. Today the V&AL Main Lines are 4 tracked, and electrified. They run from St. Louis, MO across to Pittsburgh, where the line splits to connect with the former VGN on down to Norfolk, while the old PRR continued to NYC. A North-South line Connects Philly, DC, and Norfolk. Connecting lines and Interchanges: A workign relationship existes between the V&AL and the Alleghenny Midland. (I need to set down with a map of the 2 roads and figgure out hwere the interchanges are...) The Paper Valley Railroad and the Wisconsin Central. The "Paper Valley Flyer" is a hot-shot freighter that bypasses Chicago completly. Run in 2 sections (east and west) 1 goes to St. Louis, the other to eastern destinations. One of the hottest and most customer-oriented trains on the rails today, this train operates like many "air" frieght trucking lines. It leaves at a certain time, and arrives at a given time, and will run jsut 1 car if that is all that shows up... Soecial thanks are due to the Paper Valley Model railroad club of Kaukauna, WI for being there, and being open to a stranger. they got me motivated to dust off the trains and get 'em running again!
grr... it ate my post I'll have more pics and descriptions of the current layout tomorrow, I'm heading otu to my K9 SAR team trainign now and preppign fro a tropical system...
V&ALM, welcome to TrainBoard. You will build an electrified railroad? With catenary or with third rail? With my former European layout I had catenary. Can you post a track plan? Wolfgang
track plan... hmm... Dont have one drawn out yet... got some sketches on a scratchpad though... I'll try to whip one up on MS Paint. Catenary is a far-off idea, that may happen soemday. Right now I'm using my modeler's lisence (hmm... up it;s up to date!) to say that it's there... I'm in the middle of expanding my origonal 8X4 into a 10X6. Current plans call for the "back" side to represent Gallitzen, PA complete with the famoud twin/tri bore tunnel. The "front" will contain a freelanced version of Altoona, (to be called Chapanoak, and moved to Va.) the predomanant feature will be the Locomotive shops, where locomotives from all eras are maintianed, and rebuild with the latest technology. Here's a shot from the 4X8 as it is rigth now. Cluttered as all heck as new stock continued to roll in off of ebay... I'm still new at painting and I dont dare try a locomotive. (My airplanes attest to the lack of paint skills) So in the meant time, I am learning abotu decals. Pretty simple... or not... testors deal paper is useless... My lettering is WAAAYYY to big, but that's the first decaled V&AL locomotive ever!! Anyone know how or if I can get my name changed to V&AL? V&ALM is from a proposed merger with the Allaghenny Midland... I'd also like to use my logo as my avatar, but didnt see an upload option??
