Bill Scheerer's Baltimore and Ohio - Monongah Division
The Monongah Division of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad is located in a finished walkout basement. It represents operations between Cumberland, MD on the East and Parkersburg, WV on the West, with Grafton, WV being the center of activity between the two.I did not attempt to recreate the prototype but rather to model the essence of the B&O in this part of the world. The Monongah Division is set in the 1950's, steam diesel transition era, with a + 240’ single track main line and a + 40’ branch line to Kingwood, West Virginia.
The layout is operated point-to-point with the end points being a common staging yard. Additional staging occurs on the Cowen Subdivision and the Fairmont Subdivision. The overall design is two level track plan with one helix hidden under mountains, visually transitioned into the scenery. The upper level has no visible means of support. Pushers and Helpers are used between Grafton and Cumberland. They are removed at Blaser and turn on the wye before returning to Grafton.
The bench work is constructed as “stand alone”, meaning it is an around-the-wall and peninsula layout, all free from the walls and ceiling for easy removal in the future if it becomes necessary.
Scenery is approximately 35-40% complete. The railroad is signaled with the B&O's unique approach lighted Color Position Light Signals (CPL) and the layout's 12 Controlled Points are operated from a reproduction GRS control machine built with parts from the D&RGW's Winter Park to Yarmony, CO machine which was retired about 1974.
This Layout was featured in the December 2017 issue of Railroad Model Craftsman
-
I took this photo in 1966 when I was a summer job locomotive fireman which fueled my love of the B&O
click to enlarge
Layout Accessability Information
- HO Scale.
- Layout space of 530 Square Feet plus crew lounge and dispatcher's office.
- Linear, partial double deck.
- Height 42 -58 inches.
- Basement stairs with handrail.
- NCE DCC with all wireless "Hammerhead" throttles and sound in all locomotives.
- Prototype style waybills.
- Method of operation Between Cumberland and Parkersburg is Traffic Control System.
- Telephone communication with Train Dispatcher.
- Fast Clock ratio 4:1.
- Operating Sessions are 12 scale hours.
- Number of operators is 7 (1 Dispatcher, 1 Yardmaster and 5 Road Crews). 8 operators can be accommodated if one is a dispatcher working under the direction of a qualified dispatcher.
- Layout room has a crew lounge and restroom
For Bill, his childhood love of trains became both a lifelong hobby and career. He retired from CSX Transportation as its Chief Engineer Communications and Signals with system wide responsibility for Communications and Signal Design, Maintenance and Construction. He also served Harmon Industries as Vice President Systems Operations and GE Transportation Global Signaling as its Chief Engineer.
His love for the B&O stems from a summer job as a locomotive fireman on the Akron Chicago Division in 1966. He is grateful for the unending support for both his career and his hobby by his wife Nancy who says "Railroading is not a career, it is a disease!"
Yard Master - Operates the yard engine and hostles engines for locals, pushers and helpers as necessary. Handles through train pickups and setouts, makes up local freights, switches cars as required, services Grafton customers.
Five road crews - Through freights, passenger trains local turns and mine run. Dispatcher lines routes and clears signals. Crews run on signal indication.
It is recommended that those considering participating, or who have been assigned to participate, in the operation of the B&O Monongah Division take a few minutes to have a look at the attached documents that provide insight about my railroad and its operation.’
Photo Gallery
-
Mainline and West leg of the Wye at Blaser, WVa looking west toward the Blaser Rd. crossing.
-
Train No. 11, The Metropolitan, passes CA Tower at Terra Alta WVa enroute to Cincinnati, Ohio.
-
The Ideal Box Co. and Burner Lumber & Coal Co. are located a Pennsboro, WVa. Burner Lumber was scratch built in 2021 from an article series that appeared in the May, June and July 1960 Model Railroader Magazine.
-
The Austen Viaduct carries the Mountain Subdivision Mainline over the Kingwood Subdivision at West Kingwood, WVa.
-
Terra Alta is typical of many small towns in this part of West Virginia.
-
Coal train Extra 159 East passes the East End Pennsboro Controlled Point on its way to the docks at Curtis Bay in Baltimore.
-
A rail fan captures the head end of Train No. 12, The Metropolitan, just west of Tunnel No. 7. EMD E units 92A and 28 do the honors
-
The Capital Arms brings up the rear of No. 12
-
Coal train Extra 159 East enters the West End of Tunnel No. 7
-
Coal Train Extra 159 East meets Extra 4579 West at West End Salem, West Virginia
-
Kingwood, West Virginia and the mine located there are located at the end of the Kingwood Subdivision
-
Coal Train Extra 159 East passes the Standard Transformer Co. at Smithburg, West Virginia
-
Grafton, West Virginia is the center of activity on the Monongah Division and is the site of this engine terminal
-
Extra 4610, train Cumberland 96, Passes SY Tower as it leaves Parkersburg, West Virginia
-
I elected to make the double ended staging yard (Cumberland, MD on the east end and Parkersburg, WV on the west end visible complete with scenery. I just couldn’t bring myself to hide these beautiful trains
-
The B&O Monongah Division is controlled from this GRS cTc Machine
-
In addition to the Gregory No. 3 Mine, Hiser Supply Co. and the J. H. Toomey Company are located at Kingwood, WVa.
-
Extra 834 West crosses Racoon Creek enroute to East St. Louis with the Southwest Steel Special.
-
Train 82 East passes exits Thornton Tunnel enroute to Cumberland, MD.
-
Pusher 6197 rounds the West leg of Blaser Wye.
-
Pusher 6197 turns on the Wye at Blaser prior to returning to Grafton, WVa.
-
The Ruben C. Seidel General Store and Post Office is located on Blaser Road. The West leg of Blaser Wye is in the background.
