Louisville & Nashville locomotive number 231, a Pacific 4-6-2, pulls a passenger train over the Toccoa River on a through truss bridge on Michael George's L&N Old Line layout.
Continuing our look at other amazing model railroads, this month I had the opportunity to visit Michael George’s Louisville & Nashville (L&N) Old Line. Michael is modeling in Proto:48 (P48), which corrects the “standard” O scale (1:48) track gauge from 5’ (Ow5), to the prototypically accurate 4’ 8.5”. In addition to the track being 100 percent accurate, P48 modelers typically scratch build their locomotives, rolling stock, and structures.
An L&N RS-3 locomotive pulling a mixed freight crosses over the Talona Creek bridge.
Michael’s layout is located in a 24’ X 32’room above a detached garage at his property. The layout is double decked, and has a 2% grade ramp connecting the two decks. The two decks are separated by 12 to 14 inches, which is adequate clearance even for O scale scenery and structures. In most areas, the upper deck is set at 12” wide, while the lower deck is 24” wide, which helps with the vertical separation between them. The 2% grade is concealed behind a backdrop in the Toccoa River scene so visitors don’t see the transition from one deck to the other, and it allows for a spectacular scene as the trains cross the bridge. All track and turnouts are handlaid and detailed to P48 standards. Bridges and trestles are built to prototype standards and replicate those found on the L&N Old Line. A staging yard represents both ends of the line with locomotives headed south entering Copperhill, while those leaving northbound entering the Whitestone portion of the layout.
Members of a train crew await the arrival of the passenger train at the Copperhill, TN depot.
The Whitestone depot was scratchbuilt following prototype plans and photos.
The John J. Craig office building was cast in a custom mold and the brickwork was all hand carved.
This two story house replicates the house that Michael's' wife grew up in.
The layout models the L&N Old Line from Copperhill, Tennessee to Whitestone, Georgia in the summer of 1948. This allows Michael to model the “transition period” and include passenger operations, as well as steam and first generation diesel locomotives. Structures on the layout are scratch built based on photos and measurements of the prototype structure being modeled. Each L&N depot modeled reflects the variations found on the prototype. A few structures were modeled based on actual buildings, but were not on the L&N Old Line. One of those structures is a model of the house his wife grew up in.
The three truck Shay was scratchbuilt based on a prototype locomotive.
One of the most impressive aspects of Michael’s layout are the scratch built locomotives. The steam locomotives are particularly impressive with their accurately sized driver wheels and tons of details. For me, the star of the show is Michael’s scratch built Shay locomotive. The Shay locomotive is based on a prototype locomotive that was wrecked and rebuilt with a new steel cab, which is precisely recreated on the model. The Shay also features a geared drive line that actually turns the gears on the wheels as the piston crankshaft is turned by the motor. Not to be left out, the L&N RS-3 is a very nice model of the prototype locomotive.
A double headed freight train crosses over Talona Creek.
Building bridges and trestles is one of the aspects of the hobby that Michael enjoys most. The steel bridge over Talona Creek was built using scale thickness styrene and deflects as locomotives cross over it, just like the one on the prototype. The piers, abutments, and trestles approaches accurately follow the prototype arrangement. The signature scene through-truss steel bridge over the Toccoa River was kitbashed from two Atlas bridges, while the deck and the portals were scratchbuilt. Riders on the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway today pass over this same bridge as they enter Copperhill, Tennessee. Another unique bridge on the prototype is on a curve with the track super-elevated for the curve, which Michael exactly recreated on his layout.
The daily passenger train pauses in front of the Ellijay depot to allow passengers to board.
Michael’s layout was featured in the 2019 issue of Model Railroad Planning. There you can find a copy of his track plan, and more photos of his layout, including some showing it under construction. In addition, Michael is the author of a book, Southern Railway’s Murphy Branch, which covers the incredible history of the line with interviews from the crews that worked the branch line and lots of photos. I really enjoyed my visit to Michael’s layout and thank him and his wife for their hospitality.
Until next time, stay safe and keep model railroading.
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