NW-Modeling-List Digest, Vol 263, Issue 13

[NW Modeling List]

While I rarely get time to post here for various reasons, I’ll add my angle on collecting tonight…
My “Focus” is primarily on the Norfolk & Western and Virginian in the late 1950’s in HO. While I say that’s my focus my rolling stock and collection certainly show otherwise. While I have accumulated a fair amount of Locomotives & Rolling stock related to this time period on the Norfolk & Western and Virginian, I have found myself picking up rolling stock from other roads particularly those that directly interchanged with the N&W and Virginian and some beyond. In addition to that my job with the railroad has also influenced my HO collection by the territories I visit and the history I hear about. Seams that everywhere I go I’m excited to hear about the “Local” line and then find myself motivated to pick up rolling stock and sometime Locomotives to add to my collection. My “Focus” collection is mostly out of the box models from Blue-Box all the way up to today’s most recent releases of highly detailed better than brass quality equipment with a strict rule that the rolling stock stay in late steam or earlier, nothing post steam. I have over time ventured deeper and deeper into collecting brass focusing on the N&W and Virginian but have also found myself buying other prototypes when I like them for what ever reason. I have also after years of collecting rolling stock for the “eventual” basement railroad started to collect either vintage rolling stock kits or the more detailed “contest” level kits for very specific prototypes.
The one admission I have to make is for me time is a major factor. My job while very enjoyable on most days requires a lot of time and focus reducing my available time with family let alone developing a basement railroad to just ideas and plans right now. Virtually my entire collection has gone from purchase to storage box as it arrives as I’ve not had a piece of track to “operate” on since before I went into the Navy back in 2002 after my five years at Virginia Tech. I really didn’t start to actively pick up my rolling stock collecting till after my honorable separation from the Navy after 5 years in the Pacific theater. After leaving the Navy I joined Norfolk Southern in the Research & Test Department and have been traveling the system as part of the team that operates the Track Inspection Geometry Cars. The entire systems is my territory and covered in detail multiple times a year. This is what makes my “Focus” on my home roads here in Roanoke Virginia difficult to stick to. I continually find myself after a trip here or there wanting to pick up rolling stock related to where I just spent a week learning about what “was” there as we test what “is” there. My heart is the original Pokey of the current Blue Ridge Division. In fact, this coming Monday Sept 9th I will be taking the NS-99 Geo Car and NS-34 Measuring Car with assigned power NS-7693 west bound from Roanoke deep into the Pokey. Its my favorite areas to test as I get to see what is my inspiration in my HO collecting world with hopes of recreating some of these places as they were back in the late 1950’s and always interesting seeing what’s still there now.
This next week will run like this for the NS-99…and I’ll bet after this next week I’ll be wanting to buy yet more Hoppers!
Monday Sept 9th, Roanoke to Bluefield west bound on the V-line to Narrows then N-Line to Bluefield.
(Deadhead train overnight to Cedar Bluff)
Tuesday Sept 10th, Cedar Bluff to Iaeger on the I-Line then Iaeger to Ought-One on the N-Line then Devon on the D-Line to Page (Consol Mines) via Dismal.
(Deadhead overnight Consol mine back to Weller Yard)
Wednesday Sept 11th Weller Yard back to Devon on the D-Line then Devon down the N-Line to Wharncliffe to access the GB-line to Gilbert and then the GR-Line from Gilbert to Elmore. In Elmore we are likely to cross through the yard to access the V-Line and test up to Maben where our track “stops”.
(Deadhead overnight from Elmore WV to Bluefield VA)
Thursday Sept 12th Test Bluefield VA over the CV-Line through Richlands west to Norton then stop and back up to Tacoma and then Test over the former Interstate RR’s IN-line to Andover to end the Test week.
Yes, I already have a sizeable collection of Interstate RR rolling stock and power among others given interchange with N&W and other roads you name it have accumulated around the 1950’s surrounding the N&W and Virginian system. It’s been very easy for me to be motivated to by other roads rolling stock with my travels and my collection shows. But at the end of the day the bulk of my collection is N&W and Virginian. I always enjoy reading what folks post here and very rarely do I have time to post myself. Mostly a lurker and just quietly observe and learn from what others are doing. Happy Railroading. Look forward to reading more regardless of scale!
Steve Smith
(Roanoke VA)

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