Tuesday 21 April 2015
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"Ooooops!... The best laid plans go awry."
Fortunately today's title does not refer to my layout construction this time, but rather to the construction of the Old Main Line itself... or more exactly, to the mills that would be serviced by the railroad. When Baltimore-area industrialists launched a plan to reach the middle of the country via their Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, savvy entrepreneurs staked out sites along the anticipated right-of-way. Or so they thought.
The conventional thinking of the day was that the line would stay on the north side of the Patapsco River, nearer to Baltimore and therefore more likely cheaper to build. In anticipation of this, construction of several mills was begun before the track configuration was finalized. Big mistake!... Huge!
These mills represented the largest customers on the Old Main Line, but accessibility and dependability were less than ideal initially, and only grew more troublesome with the advent of increased traffic and larger loads. Complicating things further, were the frequent mile-long coal trains that disrupted these unusual movements.
While these make for great 'Layout Design Elements' and fun operating in 1:87, it was not good business for the B&O. There would be changes coming.
Thursday we get back to the next step with bench work... risers and sub-roadbed.
"Ooooops!... The best laid plans go awry."
The conventional thinking of the day was that the line would stay on the north side of the Patapsco River, nearer to Baltimore and therefore more likely cheaper to build. In anticipation of this, construction of several mills was begun before the track configuration was finalized. Big mistake!... Huge!
These mills represented the largest customers on the Old Main Line, but accessibility and dependability were less than ideal initially, and only grew more troublesome with the advent of increased traffic and larger loads. Complicating things further, were the frequent mile-long coal trains that disrupted these unusual movements.
While these make for great 'Layout Design Elements' and fun operating in 1:87, it was not good business for the B&O. There would be changes coming.
Thursday we get back to the next step with bench work... risers and sub-roadbed.
-30-?
BONUS: RHETORICAL QUESTION OF THE DAY...
Which TV character would have been best suited to explain to mill owners why the B&O chose to build across the river from them?
A) Cliff Claven from 'Cheers'
B) Ralph Kramden from 'The Honeymooners'
C) George Costanza from 'Seinfeld'
D) Arthur Fonzarelli from 'Happy Days'
?
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