Elmore, WV--22'x30' Track Plan

Scale: HO
Minimum Radius: 30" (28" in helix)
Minimum Aisle Width: 27"
Designed by Dan Bourque

Elmore was the center of Virginian Railway operations in the coal fields. Mullens, just north (railroad west) of Elmore, was home to a major engine facility and the western terminus of electrification on the Virginian. Traffic through Elmore was predominantly coal, but there was meager non-coal traffic in the form of traffic to and from the NYC and C&O at Deepwater, WV. Because of the tipples included, this trackplan best fits the timeframe between 1940 and 1970. Prior to 1962, the mainline was electrified and the Virginian (N&W after 1959) used heavy electrics to lift heavy trains over the mountains all the way to the division point of Roanoke. After 1962, N&W power, both 4 and 6 axle, was used. During both the Virginian and N&W eras, the VGN's FM Trainmasters were the workhorses for mine runs.

This trackplan is a double-decker, but each deck could function as its own complete layout if desired. The upper deck concentrates on mainline operations east of Elmore where there was a prevailing 2% grade up to Clark's Gap Tunnel. Helpers were a necessity! Elmore itself was the collection point for all Virginian coal loaded west of Clark's Gap, so mine runs would leave in the morning from Elmore to deliver empties to the area mines (7 on the upper deck and 11 on the lower deck) and pull loads back to Elmore. Once in Elmore, yard crews would build short trains for the haul eastward. Once a train was ready, a "Hill Job" would be dispatched to Matoaka. The Hill Job consisted of head-end power, pushers, and half a train. The train would move upgrade to Matoaka where it would be left on one of the two tracks and the power would run light back to Elmore with the caboose. Another Hill Job would take the second half of the train to Matoaka, couple to the first half and run east as an extra to Princeton. This process was repeated several times a day.

The lower deck represents the Winding Gulf and Stone Coal Branches. At Amigo, the Stone Coal Branch splits off to the east toward Stone Coal Junction and a connection with the Chesapeake and Ohio. Although the C&O had trackage rights over the Stone Coal Branch, the interchanging of hoppers with the Virginian was preferred. The C&O would drop off empties at the junction where the Virginian would take them, set them out at the appropriate loader and return C&O loads to the junction. This agreement still exists today with the NS and CSX.

The C&O actually parallels the Winding Gulf Branch all the way from Stone Coal Jct. to Pemberton, and most of the large tipples are served by both railroads. Because of a lack of space, this trackplan includes only portions of the C&O. To further imply the C&O's presence, empty and loaded C&O hoppers (maybe even a C&O mine run) should be placed on the C&O tracks adjacent to the tipples. Unfortunately, to keep operations at a maximum, the run between Woodbay and Pemberton is somewhat condensed. Pemberton is the terminus of the lower deck, but there were several mines further up the line which can be simulated by staging mine runs. At times, there were a few mine runs called out of Pemberton instead of Elmore during both the Virginian and N&W eras--this would be a great feature to model. Pemberton was also an interchange point with the C&O where the C&O would give the VGN empties for the Affinity tipple, and the VGN would give the C&O empties to be loaded at Crab Orchard, just north of Pemberton.

Several operators could be kept busy on this layout. One or two could operate mine runs on the lower deck, while another could operate a mine run on the upper deck. At least one operator would pull yard crew duty at Elmore, while another could act as the hostler at Mullens. The remaining operators, at least three or four, would operate scheduled freights and Hill Jobs. Finally, a dispatcher would be needed to keep things straight!

Upper Level (Mullens to Matoaka)

Lower Level (Winding Gulf Branch)