ICC paperwork for Belews Creek Depot

David Bott originally provided the digital photograph of this page, I now have a digital scan.

Belews Creek Depot

Another view of the depot.

Belews Creek Depot

Here is a shot of the model I made of the Belews Creek Depot. The basic information came from the ICC report from circa 1916-1918.

Belews Creek Depot

Here is a shot of the Belews Creek Depot as taken from Dave Botts web site: http://southern-railway.railfan.net/ay/. Dave's site provides a wealth of information. The photo is from the ICC files.

Stage One: The lower level yard

With the help of Carolina Model Railroader's past president, Ron DiDonato, the bench work for the lower level is in place.

Atlantic & Yadkin model railroad

After months of working on plans, ideas and the like, the day has finally come that I can start construction. I enlisted the help of John Linz, one of the founders of the Carolina Model Roaders, Inc. (http://www.carolinamodelrr.org/) to help with the track plan.

The plan is to have a three deck layout, with the bottom deck a yard (representing Greensboro's Pomona Yard) feeding the layout. From the lower level, trains will enter the main level by way of an helix, arriving in Belews Creek. From Belews Creek the train then travels to Walnut Cove, where there is an interchange with the Norfolk & Western (N&W). The level finishes with Pilot Mountain, where the train ducks into another helix to raise to the third level. The third level is Mount Airy, where the railroad terminated.

Trains will originate from Pomona Yard and Mt. Airy during an operating session.

I expect a standard session to have a morning North bound passenger and local freight as well as a South bound set. There will also be a similar set for the evening, resulting in four trains in each direction during a session. I also expect the N&W to have one "exchange train" a session to add interest.

Atlantic & Yadkin dream

I have been thinking about building a model railroad based upon the A&Y now for years. However, I had a layout, and I was happy. Then I got married, we decided to move, we found a house with a basement, and now I have a clean slate to design and build whatever I desire. To that end, I have been trying to get a plan together that would let me depict the A&Y in some form.

I decided to start with some basic points, that I wanted included in my new railroad design:
1. Continous running
2. No tighter radius than 24"
3. The ability to run passenger trains
-- This means modeling prior to 1939, the year the varnish disappeared
4. No duck unders!!!

Now all I need to do is pick the route and start drawing.

Uncle Theo Jakob 1929-2007

My Grandfather's best friend.

Uncle Theo and the railbus

This is taken somewhere between Frankfurt and Wiesbaden, during its test run.

Interior Shot of Railbus

Prototype Railbus VT 95

The photo is of the prototype; note the Germans have not lettered the engine... It is on a test run between Frankfurt and Wiesbaden. Uncle Theo Jakob (my Grandfather's best friend) was the railroad's purchasing agent for this train.

VT 95

This is another shot of the A&Y ten wheeler. I changed the headlight, bell and tender to look more prototypical. I also lettered the engine based upon photos of similar A&Y engines. I do not know if 952 was ever lettered for the A&Y, but I do know that they had 950 and 953. Engine 952 was known to have operated in and around Greensboro, so until there is a photo that says otherwise-- it is my railroad :)

Atlantic & Yadkin

The Atlantic & Yadkin was a Greensboro based railroad that ran through our community. I am planning on modeling the area from Greensboro to its terminus, Mount Airy. As such, I have started modifying engines to look more like the actual A&Y engines. Here is my first attempt at modifying a Bachmann ten wheeler to look like the A&Y.

911s on my train layout

What? 911s and Model Trains???

Yes, it is true, I love model railroading. This weekend was a great weekend-- I started by getting up at the crack of dawn to stand in line at a tag sale for the late Dr. John Couch of UNCG. There was a lot of talk, and a newspaper article about his estate. I was especially interested in his train collection and his railroad related book collection. My brother and I arrived before 5 am to get our place in line, and found to our surprise that we were 18th & 19th in line. By the time the final line formed at 7:30, we were bumped up to 16th & 17th in line. Unfortunately, when the doors opened at 9, the #2 person in line bought ALL of the train books. He got a screaming deal. I did end up buying a neat PRR pitcher, a railroad tie and iMac computer. Bruce did better, buying some Ben Owen Sr. pottery candlesticks as well as some paintings. I passed on a large Southern Railroad wall map, which was priced at $50. The guy behind me in the check out line bought the map after I rejected it. He got a good deal.

I also presented a short class at the High Point Library on model railroading. We had a good attendance and my fellow Carolina Model Railroader, John, delivered the portion on starter sets. There is an article in today's News & record High Point version about the class. There was also a spot on Fox 8 Saturday night. So far I have not seen either. You can learn more about our club at: http://www.www.carolinamodelrr.homestead.com/.

What a curve!

One of many hairpin curves and switch backs on this mountain road.

Mountain Roads

Here is the 911 in the mountains. I cannot remember the road, or even the state, but I believe it was just over the WV line in VA. The shot was taken Nov. 15, 2005.

1997 911 Targa

This is my 911 in front of the Natural Science Center's old Zoo Entrance. Known to Porsche geeks as a 993, they were manufactured between 1995 and 1998. There were only 1,112 Targas made. You can read more about 993s at http://www.993registry.org/