| Milepost Number |
Date |
Milepost |
| 197 |
2/19/09 |
Plaster cloth applied from Abbott
to north end of Catawba. |
| 196 |
2/8/09 |
Began installation of cardboard
scenery forms at Abbott and Catawba Tunnel. |
| 195 |
2/5/09 |
Plaster cloth applied from the
north portal of Hanging Rock Tunnel to the curve at Hanging Rock. |
| 194 |
1/1/09 |
Began installation of cardboard
scenery forms at Hanging Rock Tunnel. |
| 193 |
12/26/08 |
Began applying ballast at tunnel
portals. |
| 192 |
12/20/08 |
Began installing tunnel portals at
Hanging Rock Tunnel, Catawba Tunnel, Chimney Rock Tunnel, and Mud Run
Tunnel. |
| 191 |
09/30/08 |
Installed the last signal from
South Bend Signal Company on the railroad at New Castle, which completed the
signal installation from MC Cabin to the north end of Covington and removed
all the Digitrax signal test masts from the layout. |
| 190 |
03/24/08 |
Installed the first signal from
South Bend Signal Company on the railroad as the southward absolute signal
at the north end of Ridgemont. |
| 189 |
02/27/08 |
Completed wiring and slide switch
turnout controls for main classification yard at North Salem. |
| 188 |
01/27/08 |
Completed Vinylbed and track in
main classification yard at North Salem (after design revisions to add an
additional track). |
| 187 |
12/27/07 |
Completed Vinylbed and track in
main classification yard at North Salem (as designed configuration). |
| 186 |
12/8/07 |
Began installation of track in the
classification yard at North Salem. |
| 185 |
11/24/07 |
Began installation of Vinylbed in
the classification yard at North Salem. |
| 184 |
07/30/07 |
Installed schematic diagrams of
towns on fascia from Catawba to Covington. |
| 183 |
07/21/07 |
First run of T636, the northbound
Laurel Turn, from the Appalachian Power Co. plant in Laurel, Va. |
| 182 |
07/08/07 |
First rock castings installed on
layout at cut north of Pearson Curve. |
| 181 |
03/17/07 |
First run of P992/P993, the
Skyline Special, fall foliage excursion behind CRR 4-6-6-4 670. |
| 180 |
03/17/07 |
First run of Covington Shifter
(B703). |
| 179 |
01/06/07 |
Installed first plaster scenery in
the Pearson Curve area between Ridgemont and Carpenter, Va. |
| 178 |
12/30/06 |
Began installation of cardboard
scenery forms just south of Carpenter, Va. |
| 177 |
12/30/06 |
Finished installation of the 12th
(of 12) local switch controls on the Covington Subdivision (MC Cabin to N.E.
Covington). |
| 176 |
12/27/06 |
Completed installation of the new
James River Lead at Catawba. |
| 175 |
11/25/06 |
Began installation of the new
James River Lead at Catawba. |
| 174 |
11/25/06 |
Installed first local switch
control panel at N.E. Catawba. |
| 173 |
11/18/06 |
First sound equipped locomotive operated on the railroad
on P997, the Santa Claus Special. |
| 172 |
09/16/06 |
First shifter (local train), B712,
operated on the railroad. |
| 171 |
06/16/06 |
Installed remaining lighting fixtures
north of SN Cabin. |
| 170 |
06/06/06 |
Installed lighting fixtures in the
Salem, Va. area from Market Street Union Station to the SE Cabin vicinity.
Installed lighting fixtures from Hanging Rock to just north of SN Cabin. |
| 169 |
06/04/06 |
Installed lighting fixtures in the
North Salem, Va. area from SN Cabin to Roanoke Junction. |
| 168 |
05/20/06 |
First operating session using
TCS on the entire Covington Subdivision (MC Cabin to Alleghany Junction) of the railroad! |
| 167 |
04/22/06 |
Installed signals and Tortoise for
use with TCS in OS section at NE Covington, completing installation of TCS
from MC Cabin to NE Covington over the entire Covington Subdivision! |
| 166 |
04/18/06 |
Installed signals and Tortoise for
use with TCS in OS section at SE Covington. |
| 165 |
04/16/06 |
Installed third SE8C at Market
Street Union Station in Salem, Va. |
| 164 |
04/08/06 |
Installed lighting fixtures from
SE Catawba Creek Viaduct to south portal Catawba Tunnel. Installed lighting
fixtures at Abbott, Va. from south portal Chimney Rock Tunnel to north
portal Catawba Tunnel. |
| 163 |
04/02/06 |
Installed signals and Tortoise for
use with TCS in OS section at NE Ridgemont. |
| 162 |
03/24/06 |
Installed signals and Tortoise for
use with TCS in OS section at SE Ridgemont. |
| 161 |
01/21/06 |
First operating session using
TCS on a portion (MC Cabin to Shenandoah Junction) of the railroad! |
| 160 |
01/02/06 |
Initial run of trains all the way
through TCS territory from MC Cabin to Shenandoah Junction (both
directions). |
| 159 |
01/01/06 |
Installed signals and Tortoise for
use with TCS in OS section at Shenandoah Junction (protecting NS crossing
and connection track). |
| 158 |
12/29/05 |
Installed signals and Tortoise for
use with TCS in OS section at MC Cabin. |
| 157 |
12/29/05 |
Installed second SE8C at MC Cabin. |
| 156 |
12/26/05 |
Installed intermediate signals at
Abbott and Rich Patch. |
| 155 |
12/26/05 |
Installed signals and Tortoise for
use with TCS in OS section at NE Laurel. |
| 154 |
12/22/05 |
Installed signals and Tortoise for
use with TCS in OS section at SE Laurel. |
| 153 |
12/19/05 |
Installed signals and Tortoise for
use with TCS in OS section at NE New Castle. |
| 152 |
12/18/05 |
Installed signals and Tortoise for
use with TCS in OS section at SE New Castle. |
| 151 |
12/06/05 |
Used CATS to control OS section
(signals and switch) at NE Catawba successfully |
| 150 |
12/06/05 |
Installed signals and Tortoise for
use with TCS in OS section at NE Catawba |
| 149 |
12/02/05 |
Used CATS to control OS section
(signals and switch) at SE Catawba successfully |
| 148 |
11/29/05 |
Installed remaining two signals in
plant use with TCS in OS section at SE Catawba |
| 147 |
11/28/05 |
Installed first signal in plant
for use with TCS in OS section at SE Catawba |
| 146 |
11/27/05 |
Installed first Tortoise for use
with TCS in OS section at SE Catawba |
| 145 |
11/20/05 |
Installed first SE8C for TCS north
of Catawba |
| 144 |
11/05/05 |
Began preparation work for
installation of TCS |
| 143 |
09/17/05 |
First use of CATS Version 0.25
with DTC support. |
| 142 |
07/23/05 |
First use of equipment with
resistive wheelsets for detection during an operating session. |
| 141 |
05/21/05 |
Used Computer Assisted Traffic
System (CATS) in service during an operating session for the first time for dispatcher to control train movements. |
| 140 |
05/04/05 |
Placed Computer Assisted Traffic
System (CATS) into service for dispatcher to control train movements. |
| 139 |
05/02/05 |
Installed LocoBuffer-II-f to allow
PC to communicate with Digitrax DCC LocoNet using JMRI software. |
| 138 |
03/19/05 |
First operating session on the
V2.0 railroad! First time ran 6 trains simultaneously on the layout! |
| 137 |
02/26/05 |
Finished installation and painting
of all backdrop with the completion of the curved section at Pearson Curve. |
| 136 |
02/02/05 |
Began placing locomotives back
into service in preparation for return to operations. |
| 135 |
01/02/05 |
Began placing rolling stock in the
Connellsville/Winchester staging yard. |
| 134 |
12/29/04 |
Finished installation of track in
the NS Roanoke staging yard. |
| 133 |
12/27/04 |
Installed two LocoNet Fast Clocks
above Pearson Curve. |
| 132 |
12/26/04 |
Completed installation of NS
Charleston staging yard control panel. |
| 131 |
12/24/04 |
Completed installation of
Connellsville/Winchester and Wadesboro staging yard control panels. |
| 130 |
12/15/04 |
Completed installation of all
upper level backdrop sections. |
| 129 |
12/14/04 |
Began installation of track in NS
Roanoke staging yard. |
| 128 |
12/08/04 |
Completed installation of all
lower level backdrop sections. |
| 127 |
12/05/04 |
Completed all upper level fascia
installation by installing remaining fascia from Shenandoah Junction to
Carpenter. |
| 126 |
11/28/04 |
Completed fascia installation in
access pits for both the Wadesboro and Connellsville/Winchester staging
yards. |
| 125 |
11/26/04 |
Completed all mainline & detection
related wiring for entire layout! |
| 124 |
11/22/04 |
Completed mainline wiring in
Salem, Va. |
| 123 |
11/17/04 |
Completed installation of backdrop
sections in front room (i.e. Salem/Covington) of layout. |
| 122 |
11/08/04 |
Completed all wiring in Catawba,
Va. |
| 121 |
10/31/04 |
Completed cutting all backdrop
sections for the layout. |
| 120 |
09/18/04 |
First "test" operating session!
First time 4 trains ran simultaneously on the layout! |
| 119 |
09/18/04 |
Finished installing the Potts
Valley Railway benchwork at Glade Springs and Mill Ridge, Va. |
| 118 |
09/12/04 |
Completed all wiring in Abbott,
Va. |
| 117 |
09/11/04 |
Completed all wiring in Carpenter,
Va. and for Old Dominion Forest Industries north of Ridgemont, Virginia,
which essentially completes all upper level wiring. |
| 116 |
09/11/04 |
Completed all wiring in Covington,
Va. |
| 115 |
09/6/04 |
Activated continuous running loop
through Connellsville/Winchester and Covington. |
| 114 |
09/5/04 |
Completed industry wiring in New
Castle, Va. |
| 113 |
09/1/04 |
Installed benchwork for NS Roanoke
Terminal (staging yard). |
| 112 |
08/25/04 |
Industry trackage
completed in Carpenter, Va. |
| 111 |
08/15/04 |
Yard and industry trackage
completed in Covington, Va. |
| 110 |
07/31/04 |
Finished wiring for NS connection
from Roanoke Junction to Roanoke, Va. |
| 109 |
07/29/04 |
Completed wiring in Wadesboro
staging yard. |
| 108 |
07/18/04 |
Completed NS connection from
Roanoke Junction, Va. to Roanoke, Va. |
| 107 |
07/17/04 |
Completed track at Wadesboro
staging yard. |
| 106 |
06/20/04 |
Finished installing Vinylbed in
the Wadesboro staging yard. |
| 105 |
06/16/04 |
Completed benchwork for Wadesboro
staging yard, which completes all benchwork for the main portion of the
layout. |
| 104 |
06/10/04 |
Finished all wiring of
Connellsville/Winchester staging tracks, including Potts Valley Railway loop
track. |
| 103 |
05/31/04 |
First loop track wired at
Connellsville/Winchester. |
| 102 |
05/23/04 |
Finished installing all track in
the Connellsville/Winchester staging yard. |
| 101 |
05/20/04 |
Finished LocoNet wiring for the
entire railroad. |
| 100 |
05/08/04 |
Finished installing Vinylbed in
the Connellsville/Winchester staging yard. |
| 99 |
05/05/04 |
Wiring completed in NS Charleston,
W. Va. staging yard. |
| 98 |
04/26/04 |
First run of Norfolk Southern
trackage at Shenandoah Junction, Va. |
| 97 |
04/24/04 |
First run of multiple trains
simultaneously on the railroad, including the first meet between two trains
on the railroad at Laurel, Va.! |
| 96 |
04/24/04 |
Finished the wiring of the Salem
Terminal (No. 1 and No. 2 tracks), which completes the mainline and passing
siding wiring for the entire railroad! |
| 95 |
04/21/04 |
Installed the final piece of
plywood subroadbed on the upper level to complete the
Connellsville/Winchester staging loop. |
| 94 |
04/17/04 |
Cut the final piece of plywood
subroadbed for the "main" layout for use in Wadesboro staging loop (still
need to do Potts Valley and NS Roanoke staging yard). |
| 93 |
04/13/04 |
First track laid for the Potts
Valley Raiway at Potts Junction in Covington, Va. |
| 92 |
03/20/04 |
Wiring completed to Roanoke
Junction on the No. 1 track in the Salem Terminal and to SY Cabin on the No.
2 track. |
| 91 |
03/15/04 |
Began wiring of Salem Terminal at
MC Cabin. |
| 90 |
02/28/04 |
Installed LocoNet cabling from
Digitrax Chief (DCS100) at SN Cabin to SY Cabin. |
| 89 |
02/23/04 |
Began installation of lower level
fascia. |
| 88 |
02/11/04 |
Completed installation of turnouts
for Connellsville/Winchester staging yard throat. |
| 87 |
02/08/04 |
Finished installation of all
Digitrax PM42 and BDL162 cards for the layout. |
| 86 |
01/26/04 |
Began installation of turnouts in
Connellsville/Winchester staging yard. |
| 85 |
01/18/04 |
Completed wiring from SE
Covington. Ran train from SE Covington to just south of
Connellsville/Winchester. Ran train from MC Cabin to end of visible mainline
for the first time! |
| 84 |
01/17/04 |
Completed wiring from SE Ridgemont
to just south of SE Covington. Ran train from SE Covington to MC Cabin. |
| 83 |
01/10/04 |
DB150 Booster installed and DCS100
(Chief) relocated. |
| 82 |
12/31/03
1623 EST |
Golden
Spike driven in CSXT mainline near the north end of Covington,
completing the installation of mainline track from Wadesboro to
Connellsville/Winchester! |
| 81 |
12/18/03 |
Installed first plywood subroadbed
and risers for Connellsville/Winchester staging yard at the north end of the
layout. |
| 80 |
12/18/03 |
Installed final plywood subroadbed
and risers for CSXT Shenandoah Division mainline at the north end of
Covington, Va. |
| 79 |
12/13/03 |
Mainline completed to helper
pocket in Covington, Va. |
| 78 |
12/07/03 |
Completed feeder installation in
the "back room" by installing feeders from the south end of Ridgemont to
Pearson Curve. |
| 77 |
11/30/03 |
Wiring completed on mainline to
High Meadow, Va., and first train run to High Meadow. |
| 76 |
11/29/03 |
Mainline completed to Potts
Junction in Covington, Va. |
| 75 |
11/19/03 |
Risers and plywood subroadbed
installed connecting Carpenter with Covington, Va. |
| 74 |
11/15/03 |
First train run from the south end
of Laurel, Va. to future intermediate signal at south portal of Mud Run
Tunnel (near High Meadow, Va.). |
| 73 |
11/15/03 |
Wiring completed from the south
end of Laurel, Va. to future intermediate signal at south portal of Mud Run
Tunnel (near High Meadow, Va.). |
| 72 |
11/10/03 |
Installed second BDL162 and
associated control panel to provide detection from the south end of Laurel,
Va. to High Meadow, Va. |
| 71 |
10/23/03 |
Installed risers and plywood
subroadbed for the town of Covington, Va. |
| 70 |
10/21/03 |
Restored all track connections on
the New Castle peninsula salvaged from V1. |
| 69 |
09/28/03 |
Wiring completed from New Castle
through the Bald Knob block to the Rich Patch block near the "Corkscrew."
Ran the first train from New Castle up the mountain through the "Corkscrew"
to the south end of Craig Creek Viaduct. |
| 68 |
09/27/03 |
Completed installation of all
trackage in the "back room." This milepost included completing the 4 track
NS Charleston,W. Va. staging yard, the 2 tracks for Appalachian Power at
Laurel, the Dixie Plastics & Forming spur in Laurel, the Blue Spring Wood
Products spur in High Meadow, and the Old Dominion Forest Industries spur
near Ridgemont. |
| 67 |
09/25/03 |
Wiring completed for New Castle
passing siding. |
| 66 |
09/20/03 |
Wiring completed from the north
end of Catawba to the Apple Track turnout near the south end of New Castle,
Va. First train run from SN Cabin to New Castle, restoring service to the
New Castle peninsula salvaged from V1! |
| 65 |
09/14/03 |
Completed mainline to just south
of the north end of Carpenter, Va. |
| 64 |
08/31/03 |
Wiring completed from MC Cabin to
the north end of Catawba (mainline and passing siding). |
| 63 |
08/29/03
1515 EDT |
First train run under DCC radio
power. |
| 62 |
08/17/03
1750 EDT |
First train run under DCC from SN
Cabin to south end Catawba! |
| 61 |
08/17/03 |
First wires installed on the
layout for a track detection section: Hanging Rock detection section from MC
Cabin to south end Catawba. |
| 60 |
08/16/03 |
First 2 wires were installed under
the railroad for the power supply for the Digitrax PM42 under Catawba. |
| 59 |
08/07/03 |
Soldered first wires to the first
Digitrax PM42 on the railroad |
| 58 |
07/05/03 |
Completed mainline around Pearson
Curve into the south end of Carpenter, Va. |
| 57 |
07/05/03 |
Completed mainline and passing
siding at Ridgemont, Va. |
| 56 |
06/29/03 |
Installed subroadbed connecting
the north end of Ridgemont, Va. to the south end of Carpenter, Va. around
Pearson Curve. |
| 55 |
06/14/03 |
Completed mainline to south end of
Ridgemont, Va. |
| 54 |
06/12/03 |
Installed subroadbed for
Carpenter, Va. and Virginia Eastman plant. |
| 53 |
05/29/03 |
Installed subroadbed to curve at
north end of Ridgemont, Va. |
| 52 |
05/25/03 |
Completed mainline to Mud Run
Bridge at High Meadow, Va. |
| 51 |
05/24/03 |
Completed all CSXT and NS trackage
at Shenandoah Junction, Va. |
| 50 |
05/21/03 |
Completed mainline to Shenandoah
Junction, Va. |
| 49 |
05/17/03 |
Installed subroadbed from to High
Meadow, Va. |
| 48 |
05/14/03 |
Completed mainline and passing
siding to north end of Laurel, Va. |
| 47 |
05/11/03 |
Installed track at Broad Run
Tunnel to connect to "New Castle peninsula," salvaged from V1. Completed
mainline from Wadesboro to Broad Run Tunnel. |
| 46 |
05/04/03 |
First track laid on the upper
level at Laurel, Va. |
| 45 |
04/24/03 |
Installed subroadbed for NS CR&E
Charleston, W. Va. staging yard. |
| 44 |
04/20/03 |
Installed 5 backdrop sections at
Catawba. |
| 43 |
04/19/03 |
Completed industrial trackage in
Catawba by finishing James River Paper Co. spurs. (Used the last of the 1st
case of Atlas code 55 flex and started on the 2nd case.) |
| 42 |
03/30/03 |
Subroadbed has been installed to
Shenandoah Junction, Va. |
| 41 |
03/23/03 |
All upper level roadbed from
Laurel to the north end of Ridgemont has been cut. |
| 40 |
03/16/03 |
First Subvinylbed and Vinylbed
installed on the upper level at Laurel, Va. |
| 39 |
03/15/03 |
First upper level subroadbed
installed from Laurel to south of Shenandoah Junction, Va. |
| 38 |
03/15/03 |
Lower level subroadbed completed
and connected to New Castle peninsula in the vicinity of Broad Run, between
Abbott and New Castle. |
| 37 |
02/11/03 |
Catawba, Va. yard tracks completed. |
| 36 |
02/10/03 |
Mainline completed to Craig Creek
Chip Co. in Abbott, Va. |
| 35 |
02/08/03 |
Catawba, Va. passing siding
completed. |
| 34 |
02/03/03 |
Vinylbed completed to south portal
of Chimney Rock Tunnel (north of Abbott, Va.). |
| 33 |
02/02/03 |
Mainline completed to 400 scale
feet north of the north end of Catawba, Va. |
| 32 |
01/25/03 |
Subroadbed and risers completed
from Catawba, Va. to Chimney Rock Tunnel (north of Abbott, Va.). |
| 31 |
01/23/03 |
Mainline installed to south end
turnout at Catawba, Va. |
| 30 |
01/23/03 |
Temporary version of Catawba Creek
Viaduct installed. |
| 29 |
12/26/02 |
Completion of yard throat at
Wadesboro, N.C. (south end staging yard). |
| 28 |
12/12/02 |
Completion of Catawba peninsula
benchwork. |
| 27 |
12/02/02 |
First track laid on the Covington
Subdivision mainline (north of the Salem Terminal) at MC Cabin in North
Salem. Mainline completed to Hanging Rock, Va. |
| 26 |
11/24/02 |
Mainline completed to turnout at
MC Cabin in North Salem. |
| 25 |
11/21/02 |
Initial installation of final
supports for Catawba peninsula (essentially completes major benchwork
construction.) |
| 24 |
11/17/02 |
Plywood subroadbed and Subvinylbed
installed to the south end of the Catawba Creek Viaduct. |
| 23 |
11/16/02 |
New Castle peninsula from V1.0
layout installed in V2.0. |
| 22 |
11/10/02 |
First backdrop section installed
near SE Cabin in Salem. |
| 21 |
11/01/02 |
Began installation of
Catawba/Laurel peninsula. |
| 20 |
10/21/02 |
First feeders installed on layout
at SE Cabin in Salem. |
| 19 |
10/17/02 |
Both Arrival/Departure tracks laid
at North Salem. |
| 18 |
10/01/02 |
Both mainline (No. 1 and No. 2)
tracks laid to the crossover at SN Cabin in North Salem. |
| 17 |
08/23/02 |
Both mainline (No. 1 and No. 2)
tracks laid to the crossover at SY Cabin in Salem. |
| 16 |
08/19/02 |
Mainline trackage laid to SE Cabin
in Salem. |
| 15 |
08/15/02 |
First benchwork installed in the
back layout room. |
| 14 |
08/04/02 |
First track and 3 turnouts laid at
Wadesboro staging yard, including first section of code 55 for the
mainline coming north from Wadesboro. |
| 13 |
06/24/02 |
Finished installing Vinylbed roadbed
for Wadesboro yard throat. |
| 12 |
06/01/02 |
Installed first Vinylbed roadbed on layout
at Wadesboro (south end staging yard). |
| 11 |
05/11/02 |
Installed first risers on layout
at Wadesboro (south end staging yard). Installed first plywood subroadbed
on layout at Wadesboro. |
| 10 |
05/01/02 |
Completed installation of Salem/Covington/staging peninsula. Completed installation of support
brackets along North Salem/Carpenter wall. |
| 9 |
03/14/02 |
Began installation of
Salem/Covington/staging peninsula |
| 8 |
03/02/02 |
First benchwork installed in
layout room. First blood drawn by a work crew member, other than the
layout owner. :-) |
| 7 |
02/27/02 |
Received first order of Atlas code
55 flextrack. |
| 6 |
02/24/02 |
Made last mass cuts of wood for
benchwork. |
| 5 |
02/09/02 |
Started assembling peninsula
supports |
| 4 |
01/27/02 |
Layout design
"completed" and published to the web site. |
| 3 |
01/19/02 |
First group work session. Ripped
birch plywood into 1 x 3 and 1 x 2 lumber. Cut to length vertical supports
for peninsula. |
| 2 |
11/03/01 |
First wood cut for new layout. |
| 1 |
08/19/01 |
Start of layout design in
3rdPlanIt. |
