Come See the Western Maryland!

The 2018 O Scale National Convention is in full swing and this layout is ready for visitors!

This layout is open for tours on the following days.

Thursday, August 23 from 7PM – 9:30PM
Saturday, August 25 from 1PM – 9:30PM
Sunday, August 26 from 9AM – 6PM

Here is Pat’s description of the layout:

The Western Maryland had a large hub located outside Cumberland, Maryland called Maryland Junction, the focal point for the mainline portion of my railroad. From Maryland Junction a line ran east to Hagerstown and is represented by a 22 foot long elevator. Another line ran west – the Connellsville Extension – with a grade running from Cumberland to Deal. This portion is double track and helper territory. A third line ran south (railroad west) through Knobmount Yard (50 feet long) with a slow climb to Thomas West Virginia,This portion Is a helix. From Thomas the line is modeled through Elkins WV., ending at Webster Springs. This is coal country and served by a large fleet of 2-8-0s.

The railroad is P-48 and the 1750 feet of track is hand laid except for hidden areas and staging. Dead rail is another feature with dcc control. The railroad is multi level and scenery is about 20% complete. You are welcome to visit and see how this all comes together in a 36’x52′ space.

 

Modeling The Western Maryland Railway in Proto48

If you have not seen Pat Mitchell’s layout, you’re missing out.

With over 15 scale miles of hand-laid track (all in proto48), detailed scenery, meticulous trains and some of the most impressive ingenuity out there, this layout is a must-see.

The focal point of the model is the famous Black Fork grade on Western Maryland’s main hub “Maryland Junction” located near Cumberland, MD.

Using a built-in elevator on the line east to Hagerstown, trains magically enter a tunnel on one level and exit on another.

The line extends from Elkins to Thomas with a large mine complex near the summit. The ends of the layout are connected off-stage with a room-sized helix.

See this Layout in Person!

Interested in seeing this layout in person? This and many more will be featured during the 2018 O Scale National Convention layout tours.

The schedule of tours can be found on the 2018 Scale O National Convention website

The convention this year will be held in Rockville, MD from August 22-26.

A Look Back – 2009

Back in 2009, Pat’s layout was in the beginning benchwork phase. Take a look at this post by George Losse, “Layout Visit: Pat Mitchel, 2009 O Scale National”