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Club History May, 2009 marked the 60th anniversary for the Northern Virginia Model Railroaders. Our membership has grown from the original six founders to over seventy members today. These members come from a diverse background including a number of foreign countries, but all share an enthusiasm for the hobby. The club has had three locations in its sixty year existence: the first was in a member’s garage (only lasted one winter!); the second was the yardmaster’s office located in the Southern Railway yard in Alexandria, Virginia; and for the last 30 years it has been in the nineteenth century Washington and Old Dominion (W&OD) railroad station in the historic center of Vienna, Virginia on Dominion Drive and Ayr Hill Avenue.
The Club Today The club has been truly fortunate to have both the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority and the Town of Vienna provide the station for our use. At least ten times a year at our free open houses, members of the public are able to experience the layout in operation and also see the other historical railroad memorabilia on display. On the last Friday night of the month, the club holds a formal operating session for the members.
Our layout is a HO scale depiction of the Western and North Carolina (WNC) Railroad from Spencer/Salisbury running west to Asheville over Black Mountain. This picturesque line passes through several small towns and villages which are also present on our layout, as well as the fearsome mountain climb from Old Fort to Ridgecrest, a challenge for the real trains as well as those on the layout. The WNC has an interchange on the route with the Clinchfield Railroad, and this is also represented on our layout. Our visitors can see all the action from the viewing aisle as the trains steadily gain altitude negotiating the multiple levels before reaching Asheville. In the forefront of our railroad, there is the Blue Ridge Traction, Power and Light trolley system connecting with the railroad at two different passenger stations as well as Spencer Yard.
The layout is located in the 20 by 60 foot W&OD baggage room while the waiting room and ticket office contain models and artifacts for the public to view. Our layout design has stayed remarkably intact but has been continuously upgraded to incorporate the latest products including a Digitrax DCC control system, better scenery products and detailed structures. Many of the locomotives on the layout can reproduce the sounds of their prototype. Members continue to upgrade behind-the-scenes equipment, such as the extensive rewiring and electronics to improve operations, while others have made thousands of individual trees to give the genuine flavor of being in the Great Smokey Mountains.
The club owns a variety of Southern Railway locomotives and considerable rolling stock. However, on any given Open House, you may see many different prototypes running since the Northern Virginia area draws from large group of model railroaders who bring their own special interests with them.
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