Welcome to the MCTD!

Hello everyone, and welcome to my blog for the Monument City Terminal Division.

With a new house and an empty basement, it's time to start working on a layout. Over the last thirteen years as a member of the Worcester Model Railroaders, I've learned that my operational interests lean towards switching. I'm definitely not a fan of "railfan" style operations (which we operation snobs at the club refer to as "running round-and-round"). While I can appreciate the draw of watching a nicely-modeled train running through a well-constructed scene, it simply doesn't hold my attention for long. Switching, however, is like a 3D logic puzzle for me. And it can change. You can make it easier or harder depending on your mood. I like that.

When I first got back into model railroading in my 20s, I had decided to create a freelanced road. Over time, I rediscovered my love of the Chessie System, with a focus on the Baltimore & Ohio, and the freelancing took a back seat. Along the way, I determined that the city of Baltimore embodied so much of what I wanted to replicated in model form. As such, I've decided to make that the focus of the layout.

After some thought, here's where I think I'm heading and what I'd like to see:

Givens and Druthers

My "Givens and Druthers" list includes the following (subject to modification or editing--but unlikely to face wholesale changes--at any time).

Givens

• Industrial Theme heavy on switching
• Based on B&O operations in Baltimore, MD
• Chessie System era (Specifically July 1984)
• Proto-freelanced, replicating some features of Baltimore relatively faithfully, while other features are an attempt to capture the flavor of the area.
• 30" minimum radius (mainline)
  24" minimum radius (industrial)
• Maximum Grade: 2%
• Point-to-point operation
• Continuous running option for breaking in locomotives and open  houses
• Coal branch to have a place to use some of the Craftsman-style kits that I've been acquiring over the last couple years.
• Street running
• LDE-style representation of Wicomico St. in Baltimore
• Control System: Digitrax DCC

Druthers

• Specific Industries to Model:
  - Ellicott Engineering (Wicomico St.)
  - GM Auto plant
  - Brewery
  - Coal Mine
  - Coal Dock
  - Paper Mill
  - TOFC Ramp
  
• Interchange with at least one other railroad (in order of preference):
  - Conrail
  - N&W (yes, I'm taking some license with the timeline and the location)
  - Wachusett & Erie (my original free-lanced road)
• Phased construction
  - Phase 1: Wicomico St module
  - Phase 2: Black Lick Coal Branch
  - Phase 3/4: Halethorpe Industrial Area
  - Phase 3/4: Sparrow's Point Branch

The reason for the "Phase 3/4" designation in the druthers list is that I'm not sure which section I would tackle first.

[NOTE: I've added a Givens and Druthers page here, which will always contain the latest and greatest list.]

In an upcoming post I'll share with you my thoughts about modeling Wicomico St. as an "almost" LDE, the trackplan for the Wicomico St. industrial area, and the layout of the current space I have to work with, among other things.

Thanks for coming by!
Joe