of the
Pennsylvania Railroad
by Ed Thomas
I am not a bolt counter, nor do I care if my operations follow a schedule true to the prototype. I do like operations, but I prefer to follow the needs of my model. I also like to watch 'em run, so continuous running is a must. The operation of my W.B. Division is mining Anthracite coal from the Wyoming Valley and provide home heating fuel to distant markets (mostly New England-via the D&H interchange at Buttonwood). There is a lot of bridge traffic from the PRR main at Northumberland (Sunbury) to New England via the PRR and D&H. The D&H is only represented "on layout" by it's presence at Buttonwood. There is a staging yard for the D&H Hudson yard behind a view block on the back side of Buttonwood. There is also local freight traffic for Nanticoke, Nescopeck and Plymouth (via the Plymouth Branch) where the Loree mine is located. There is a regular Bituminous coal delivery from the Pennsy main to the P P&L Power Plant at Nanticoke, and an occasional passenger train thrown in for good measure. The CNJ also has an interchange at Buttonwood and switches the Wilkes Barre Industries.
We completed an addition to our house and my wife agreed to share the hobby/family room with me and I got a 12' x 12' space. I curled the whole plan into a figure "G". My wife even agreed to paint the room sky blue and thus in January of 2004 this model railroad was born.