WP&P
 The
Winchester
Paston &
Portsmouth
Railroad
Corporation 		WP&P RSD-15 #346

The Depot
Home Layout Module Route
The Layout

N-trak Module

(Tri-State N-Trak)

 We Provide Pride!
The Sim
The Birds
The Rest

The fictional WP&P intersects the real N&W just north of the town of Boyce, to the southeast of Winchester.  While not included on the layout as a modeled town, I was able to create this vignette as a standard 2 ft. by 4 ft. N-Trak module.  The design of the module was an attempt to maximize the aesthetic potential of the N-Trak standards, but I discovered that the real geography at Boyce maps neatly onto the fictional scene I created.

Module plan - Boyce Junction

If you imagine the module rotated clockwise by 135 degrees, you can see how it would map onto the geography at Boyce, VA;
Module turned 135 degrees
Boyce Virginia - real

Boyce Junction - imaginary

Here are some photos of the module, under construction and at the first two train shows (Fall 2005)


module lacking greenery This in-progress shot shows several features of construction.  Note that track was spray-painted with brown primer (from low angle) and then bronze (straight down).  Plywood surface is 1/4" luaun plywood, let down at stream bed.  Above plywood is expanding foam insulation, then a layer of papier-mache blended with color and texture agents.
module at 1st show This is the module being set up for the first time as part of an operating train show layout.  I was nervous about integrity of trackwork and wiring, as these are typically problem areas for me.  I was also concerned about the clearances and guardrails on the bridges, whether there might be derailments.
trains running on module I had little to worry about - the trackwork was solid and performed wonderfully.  Here, you can see passenger equipment, which can be sometimes more finicky than freight cars, weaving gracefully through the tighter-radius branch line main.
module and its maker At the end of the show, I was greatly pleased with how well it performed as well as how many compliments were received.  In this photo you can see that the tower has been removed - it is only held in place by a magnet, which you can see as a black spot on the grey foundation.
module at 2nd show At the second show a month later, I had added a few trees, where the road bends back into the backdrop.  These serve to conceal the truncation of the road, and are highly effective. My apologies for the blurry photo; better shots will come soon, so check back often!
module close-up In summer 2006, I acquired a Noch static flock grass applicator, and am enjoying the natural look of fibers standing upright.  SD-35 #1523 is setting out a Southern boxcar for pickup by the Culpeper General Transit train, which is operated by Southern over the old WP&P tracks to Culpeper.


 created by Michael R. Rountree