Central Indiana Division - Midwest Region - NMRA

Central Indiana Layouts...

John's Virginian Ry. is set circa April 1954. For anybody familiar with the VGN, or S W Virginia the layout is being modeled from Mullens to Deepwater, basically the New River Division second sub. It's all about coal trains & coal mines.

This is a multilevel 20x26 layout with an estimated 1800 total feet of track when complete, and something like 120 turnouts. It has mostly handlaid track on visible areas, and flex track for staging with a minimum radius of 34 in., and minimum turnouts #8, although there are a few #6 wye turnouts (but that diverges like a #12). The max turnouts are #12 but those are mostly used for crossovers. Most of the construction is Spline roadbed although there are examples of almost everything that could be used to support trains off the floor. (It's engineered benchwork what can I say, sorry I can't help it) Extensive use is made of Luan and other plywood.

Layout trackage is planned around 40 (34' hopper car lengths) car train length. There will eventually be 3 1.5 turn helices. Train length is such that by the time the caboose has disappeared, the engine is just about ready to emerge. Thus eliminating the case of the vanishing train.

Lenz control installed via VGN mobile power unit #34, (small cart with clip leads). There's about 350-400' of track down although not all contiguous. There is now about a 90' run possible with service to 2 mines - a giant test track. Most of this is lined with rough foamery.

John is a member of the Union Station Railroad Association group.