This
is the fourth version of the Virginia Midland. Construction
began
in 2003 after a move from the Chicago area (Schaumburg) to Germantown.
The N-scale railroad is approximately 400 feet lomg, or
almost 35
scale miles as factored against a 2.4:1 fast clock used during
operations. There are approximately 50 operating locomotives
and
about 750 cars on the layout - 500 of which are hopper cars.
The
Virginia Midland is an Appalachian based railroad operatinng
from
Charlotte, NC to Pittsburgh, PA with extensions west to Hazard, KY ,
and east to Roanoke, VA and a connection to the Norfolk and Western.
The time period is 1967. Second generation diesels
were
being introduced and first generation units were relegated to secondary
service.
The
operating portion of the layout includes the First
Sub-Division
of the Virginia Division extending North from Marion, VA to Welch, WV,
plus a small segment of the Hazard Sub-Division from Cedar Springs to
Tazewell (staging). Several small branch lines divert from
the
mainline. A small part of the Carolina Division into staging
is
represented, operating south from Marion to Sugar Grove (staging)and
Charlotte and geographically east to Atkins (staging) and Roanoke.
