N&W layout in Germany

[nw-modeling-list at nwhs.org]

Hi,

I'm a member of the NWHS since several years now and I'd like to report about a 36' long modular exhibition layout, which I modeled together with a friend.

The layout shows a mining operation (Pocahontas Mining Co.) in Hensley (the village is named after Kim Hensley, who provided very helpfull informations) in West Virginia during the fifties. Main feature is the coal tipple (which actually loads three different grades of crushed coal into hopper cars by conveyors and internal hidden machinery). There are three miners cabins and a company store with gas station to represent the mining settlement. We operate mine runs up to 30 hoppers (powered by LifeLike Y3's) and sometimes a freight train up to 50 cars with a Broadway Class A on the point. In near future we too will have a consist of two GP9 and one RS11 locos for our mine runs. recently they recieve N&W steam era lettering and some neccessary minor alterings. All steam locos are sound equipped and visitors are really impressed when a Y3 accelerates a long loaded coal train with exhaust chuff. 

My friend Jürgen did all the engineering (benchwork, track laying, wiring a.s.o) and he built the loading mechanism for the tipple. I did the landscaping and painted the backdrop. 

If you want to get an impression, visit www.stuttgart-modelrailroaders. de , - "SMR Anlage" - "Pocahontas", please. I hope you are not disturbed too much by strange locos on the tracks - some frinds had test-run their trains during the last exhibition in Stuttgart in October and the pictures happened to get on the web page. There are too some wrong explenations (era 1970, Roads N&W and CSX) which will be corrected soon.

I hope you will enjoy the pictures!

Regards from Germany
Michael Fuchs