I got to thinking last night about my upcoming shortline, Rock Creek Railway, and so I started to draw. I ended up drawing an ex-Chessie System SD40, patched and all for RCRY. So today, I realized that I’ve seen many great shortlines in books and magazines, and I’ve decided to create a place to discuss our shortlines that we model, whether they be real or made up. As you may have figured, mine is made up. I got the name from a creek that runs close to my house. It is a switching route, probably old CSX tracks, which I also model. It is your typical shortline: Old, messed up locomotives, patched railboxes, etc.
This is the first entry, now let’s hear about your shortlines![:D]
We have a 12" scale shortline at Preston called “Ribble Rail” it runs from Preston station in Lancashire UK down to the docks a couple of miles away, it handles four heavy oil tanker trains a week to the Fina refinery, they switch the trains with a selection of 0-6-0 and bo-bo diesel switchers and unload them then return them to the main line sidings ready for collection
The Columbus & Hocking Valley Ry is owned and operated by the CDB Industries and is one of 7 short lines owned by CDBI.The C&HV came into existence in 1978 when CDBI bought the old Athens sub-division of the Chessie System.During this purchase 2 other short lines was bought,the Parkersburg & Ohio Valley RR that ran from Parkersburg WV to Athens Oh and the Ohio Midland Ry that ran from Jackson,Oh to Newark,Oh.These 2 roads was quickly merged into the new C&HV.By purchasing these roads the CBDI finally had the long sought after southern Ohio coal fields and industries.The CDBI relaid the track from Nelsonville to Athens which had been removed by the C&O some years ago.The old Logan yards was rebuilt and upgraded during this time as it would serve as the home shops and the only major yard on the C&HV since it was centrally located on the line.The second yard would be located in the old C&O(nee CHV&T) Mound Street yard and would require trackage rights over the Chessie to reach…A agreement was struck with the Chessie for those rights.The former P&OV yard in Parkersburg was upgraded as was the OM yards at Jackson and Newark.
The C&HV connects with the following roads.
Chessie(c&o) at Columbus.
N&W at Columbus.
DT&I at Jackson
Chessie(b&o) at Newark.
Scioto Valley Lines at Lancaster.
Ironton Northern at Athens.
Chessie(b&o) at Athens.
Commodities haul: Grain,Lumber,coal,coke,steel,fly-ash,food stuffs,sand,glass,corn sweetener,corn starch,vegetable oils,scrap,pipe,chemicals,paints,news print,pulpwood,wood chips and other general freight.Total cars handle 32,584 a year
Thanks to a aggressive marketing team freight traffic has climb a staggering 33% since the CDBI started the C&HV.
CDBI owns the following roads.
Cumberland,Dickersonville & Bristol Ry.Cumberland to Bristol VA.The CD&B is the flagship road.The CDB in CDB Industries is the same.
Kentucky Central.Cumberland Ky to Maysville Ky.
Artemus-Jellico Artemus,Ky to Jellico TN.
Although not a shortline in the prototypical sense, it has the capacity to recreated in model form as such. I’m speaking of the SP kentucky House branch which ran between Lodi, Ca. east into the Sierra foothills to a cement plant at kentucky House. Orginally, portions of it were narrow guage prior to SP take over.
Final plans include: Victor with 9 packing houses, produce sheds and a tool and die works. Continuing to Clements, located in a wheat growing belt one finds 3 grain elevators and 2 grain sheds plus a station before the modeled portion terminates at Valley springs with a lumber spur and a sneak off track for a unmodeled quarry. Past valley Springs the line terminates to a stagging yard.
Obviously produce is the major revenue generator, but soild cement trains in addtion to rock trains provide just enough headaches for the dispatcher. The 3% grades will require helpers or doubling from Clements to Valley Springs, thus increasing the action.
