Some of the following history and description is factual.  Some is  mainly factual, and some is creative license.  It is for you, dear  reader, to decide.
 
Built in 1834 as a branch line of the Richmond and Fredericksburg  Railroad, the Potomac Railroad was intended to connect the city of  Richmond with the Potomac River.  However the strength of larger  companies and the lack of investment meant that it never grew beyond two  miles in length, and ended near, but not connecting to, the main line  at Quantico.  It built its own station in that town.
 
The 20^th century saw a series of mergers between the six  railroad companies that served eastern Virginia, and this culminated in a  powerful takeover by the CSX Corporation in 1991.
 
With declining local usage and revenues, CSX decided to close the  Potomac line in 2001, despite resistance by local pressure groups.  The  company did eventually agree to sell the right of way and buildings to a  newly-formed corporation.  The Potomac Railway Company of Virginia was  incorporated in 2005, and the following year began limited operations on  the reopened line between Rivertown and Quantico.
 
Quantico (population 480 in the 2010 census) is a quaint retirement  community, but also contains one of the largest United States Marine  Corps bases in the country.  It also has a busy Amtrak passenger station  close to the military base.  Much of the population is serving or  retired military, and the local businesses reflect that.
 
Rivertown (Population 85) is a small hamlet on the northern bank of  Blackwater Creek, a navigable inlet that adjoins the Potomac River.  The  area is very popular with boaters and campers alike.  The Marine Corps  are also beginning to use the creek for amphibious training, and have  approached the Potomac Railway Company to use the line to transport  troops and equipment.
 
Track Plan: A simple loop with Quantico sidings and a branch line/spur at River Town, leading to the USMC depot.
Scale: HO
DCC operations
Era:  Modern





Now, the strong possibility that the Lewis family will be on the move within the next year has resulted in this part of the layout being carefully dismantled and put into storage.  The argument being that it is to big to transport in a house move, and it would be best to wait and see what space is available - if such a move takes place.  The psychology of working further on a layout in the knowledge that it will have to be moved is a negative one - but I'd rather store this board now than later and in a more finished state.

N.B.  NO AXE WAS INVOLVED!

The next question was:  How to continue with the general layout project?  The answer was:  Start building plank layouts that are easily transportable.  And so the River Town Branch/spur was born.

Measuring 8'x12"


The construction so far… (in pictures, 'cos I know you like pictures.)









Now there's a bit of a delay as I await some new turnouts to start the track laying.

Another move in the offing Tim ? :hmm  As I recall it, the last potential move came to nothing …………..is this one "local" or long distance ?

It's a pity Potomac has been shelved for the time being, but I can fully understand (and agree with) your reasoning.  Once it re-starts, there's  huge potential given the history of the line.  Shiney "Amtraks" and drab military transports sound very exciting.  Have you ever seen the "Rowlands Castle" layout ?  Based on pre "D-Day" troop movements in the UK.

One thing that does always surprise me about the States is, when you build a plank, it's a scaffold plank !!!  It looks like half the tree ……….:roll::roll:

I think there's another "military depot" layout on here too but I'm blowed if I can remember it's name nor who is building it …..:oops:

I too am awaiting "supplies" before I can move on with mine so I know how you feel. :???:  Looking forward to when yours arrive. :thumbs

Hi Tim

Whats with 'Wenchoster: The Shaston Farthing Branch Line (N)'

at the bottom of your postings?
Thats a new one, isn't it?

We need to know more!

Shaun.

[user=567]gastwo[/user] wrote:

Hi Tim

Whats with 'Wenchoster: The Shaston Farthing Branch Line (N)'

at the bottom of your postings?
Thats a new one, isn't it?

We need to know more!

Shaun.

All will be revealed shortly, Shaun;-). It all started when I wanted to find a
use for some N scale track and found a piece of wood. It will be a small layout with a humorous theme!

Hello Tim, nice to see you at it again. moving is never fun, let alone something to look forward to.
Do you thInk you can finish this before it happens?

Wayne

Thanks Wayne. Finishing? Who knows, but both planks can be lifted and shifted to a new house without interrupting modelling. That's the strategy!

[user=567]gastwo[/user] wrote:

Hi Tim

Whats with 'Wenchoster: The Shaston Farthing Branch Line (N)'

at the bottom of your postings?
Thats a new one, isn't it?

We need to know more!

Shaun.

Shaun, here's a teaser!  A small end-to-end N scale layout, coastal/rural.  And it will have a humorous religious theme.  I'll say more about that later…

:thumbs Looking good, Tim! Good to catch up with you again!

Cheers,

John

Nine years later…  :???: The Potomac Railway Company may yet live. There's no way or space to recreate what was in 2013, but the River Town Branch may take some shape, again in HO gauge. Who knows? In present size it's a 72" x 12" shelf layout - a shunting puzzle, if you like, based loosely on the Ashleigh design in the 2012 Railway Modeller, but extended by 2 feet.
(The link to that design - on page 7 - is here: Designing small shelf Layouts for operating fun (thoroughbredlimited2015.yolasite.com) )

Thank you.  I am quite 'umbled to have this as the headline picture - and it means I'd better get cracking!  :cheers :doublethumb

Hi Tim,

Did your "railroad" ever connect with the Lorton and Occoquan Railroad?

"The Lorton and Occoquan Railroad, owned by the Department of Corrections  and operated by its Engineering Division, served the Lorton Reformatory  (original a penal colony) between 1915 and 1977. It replaced the  original cable car/pulley system in place (since 1911) to haul cars up  the grueling 7% grade from the banks of the Occoquan River; during its  life, the railroad hauled raw materials and inmates into the facility,  and hauled finished goods out." http://www.abandonedrails.com/lorton-and-occoquan-railroad

Some 7 miles long, it connected with the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac railroad at Lorton. The prison facilities are still visible from Ox Road.

Visiting Quantico is interesting, as the road in/out goes through the marine base. Full security inspection of the vehicle and driver/passengers.

There were some funny railroads in this area of VA.

Nigel

A small step forward this afternoon. 

[user=1632]BCDR[/user] wrote:

Hi Tim,

Did your "railroad" ever connect with the Lorton and Occoquan Railroad?

"The Lorton and Occoquan Railroad, owned by the Department of Corrections  and operated by its Engineering Division, served the Lorton Reformatory  (original a penal colony) between 1915 and 1977. It replaced the  original cable car/pulley system in place (since 1911) to haul cars up  the grueling 7% grade from the banks of the Occoquan River; during its  life, the railroad hauled raw materials and inmates into the facility,  and hauled finished goods out." http://www.abandonedrails.com/lorton-and-occoquan-railroad

Some 7 miles long, it connected with the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac railroad at Lorton. The prison facilities are still visible from Ox Road.

Visiting Quantico is interesting, as the road in/out goes through the marine base. Full security inspection of the vehicle and driver/passengers.

There were some funny railroads in this area of VA.

Nigel

Hi Nigel - If my memory serves, I did come across references to the L&O when I was thinking about the original plans for the Potomac back in 2013, but I didn't dig any further. Thanks for that link.  I'm going to read up some more. Who knows? When phase 2 of the Potomac happens (if  :roll:) there may be some connection! 

A bit of a step forward today. Testing all those joins in the track, especially around the points. All's fine so far. The locomotives have been in storage for three years, and roughly stored at that (not by me, but by a couldn't-care-less moving company.) Some slight damage, and a need of cleaning and lubrication all round - but it felt good to be reunited with "old friends" again!

What's happened to monthly pics, we're still seeing February no March, no April!!!!!!!!!!!!

to Time passes, so I must write a little update. Progress has been slow due to my (hopefully final) surgical stuff which I won’t bore you with. The big decision was abandoning the N gauge Wen Valley layout for one simple reason: My aging eyes simply weren’t up to it anymore! So I decided to focus instead on the Potomac HO gauge shelf layout.

The big change here is that having been given a fairly decent amount of Kato Unitrack, I decided to take up the Atlas sectional track and start again. A bit of carpentry and the purchase of other necessary track pieces (especially the points) and I’m pleased with the way it’s going.

One photo shows the length of the shelf. 12 feet. You can see that there are two separate, unconnected tracks. The left-hand line is DCC, and the right hand one DC. And ne’er the twain shall meet! The logic here was that I have a number of vintage DC shunters that I still like to run. And I intend to lengthen the DCC (main) line by another 6 feet to include a passing siding at some point.

The theme is pretty much as before. A quiet end-of-line depot and town on a 3x2' board with local passenger and freight. Other than that, Rule 1 will apply.

Fingers crossed that you are done with surgery and can progress with the railway uninterrupted Tim. All the best.