Ken
Nesper's
Potomac & Patuxent Railroad
November 7, 2004
The Potomac and Patuxent
Railroad
(P&P) is a modestly successful urban railroad serving a diverse
industrial base in southeast Washington, DC. Steam operations are set
in May 1947, and diesel operations are set in May 1957. The railroad is
intended to be operated "at night" with blue lights overhead, a
multitude of layout light sources, and darkened aisles. Scenery and
lighting is approximately 20% completed at this time.
The P&P RR operates between the 1947 and
1957 era of either steam or later with diesel switching. The layout is
designed to invoke a nighttime
atmosphere and present the operators the same difficulties that
nighttime
switching presents. When
normal lighting
is shut off, strings of blue “Christmas” lights and a single blue light
illuminates the roughly 20’ by 16’ room.
The code 125 and 100 hand laid rail in O-scale
depicts the realism of lighter weight rail. The sidings and secondary
track allow realistic operations to be
performed. Ken's placement of hand laid
switches does create some interesting switching moves. Generous use of
Kadee type uncoupling magnets
does make uncoupling easy, although the barbeque skewer is available.
The P&P RR switchers include an Alco
RS-3, EMD SW-9, and EMD GP-9. All equipment
and rolling stock has been carefully assembled and tuned for fluid
operation.
An assortment of kit-bashed structures in
various stages of weathering, help add the feel to run down and dirty
industrial sites. From the two yards and marine
terminal to the
numerous sidings with industries, any guest operator will have their
operating skills challenged.