West Virginia - the Mountain State

 

Michael Hohn's new layout

Michael Hohn has been busy building a new layout. His old HO scale layout was also set in upstate New York in the late 1800's. This page is an early peek at his new efforts. Updated images can be found on his website.

Mike's been modeling for a little while and has enjoyed scratchbuilding structures and rolling stock. Many of the images here and on the Geneva, Ithaca & Sayre pages depict award winning contest models. Recently, Mike was honored with the title of Master Model Railroader by the National Model Railroad Association. To achieve this title, Mike honed his modeling talents in many diverse areas; writing, building, soldering, organizing, and learning all along the way.

  
 
One of Mike's scratchbuilt gondolas. He used an assembly line processes to build several on the workbench.
A classic gondola.

Mike's new layout is heavily influenced by an article in the October 1999 issue of Railroad Model Craftsman. Author Harold Russell outlined operations of the Batavia Terminal Division of the Depew, Lancaster & Western, an interesting shortline that served several industries around Batavia, NY. This shortline used parts of two defunct railroads - Lehigh Valley and the New York Central - to switch these industries. This article hit Mike in two distinct ways. He is a major fan of the Lehigh Valley Railroad, and he spent a couple formative years growing up in Batavia, NY.

Here's the depot area with a New York Central interchange.
An elevated view of the yard and interchange.

Down by the station.
Ovid depot was built from images Michael had found. The prototype was built by the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western in New York.
Mike's award winning enginehouse.
A two-stall enginehouse is ready to service the iron horses that run on Michael's new layout. If I recall correctly, Mike had a grand time shaping the stripwood above the arched doorways.
A period mixed freight.
One of the first trains to move along the main line. The loco is an MDC Old-Time 2-8-0; the box car is an old Central Valley kit; the combine is an old LaBelle kit; and I believe the caboose is an MDC model.
Tucked into the corner.
Here's an elevated view of the other end of the railroad. The box car is scratchbuilt, as is the classic mill structure beside it.
Here's a short 26-foot boxcar built from a Trout Creek kit. Mike has found several period car kits to populate his layout. His scratchbuilt fleet is slowly gaining in numbers.
An early AT&SF box car.
 
  Mike and I hope you've enjoyed this quick tour of his new HO scale layout. Several other model railroad layouts from the north-central West Virginia region are featured at the home page. Take a few minutes for another tour. All aboard!  
 

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