Exploring the C&O Hinton Division

Consider model trains from a different perspective and you may just change your outlook on the hobby. Imagine the model railroad layout is the theater stage, the trains are the actors, the scenery is the stage background and the schedule is the plot. That’s exactly how modeler Frank Ellison perceived model railroading. Frank’s philosophy has inspired many train modelers, including Jim Eudaly in his modeling career. Frank’s articles published in the Model Railroader served as a major influence for Jim’s Chesapeake and Ohio layout.

The Chesapeake and Ohio Model Railroad

In this video, Jim Eudaly delivers a personal tour of his Chesapeake and Ohio layout and provides an extensive background of it’s history. The C&O is an O scale layout depicting West Virginia in October of 1950. The layout was a lifelong dream for Jim and with the help of his two sons he was able to make it come true.

Jim settled on the location he wanted to model after visiting Southern West Virginia in 1954 with his wife. Over the years, his family began vacationing in West Virginia and his sons grew to love the rails as well. As a family, they built the structure in which the layout is housed in, completed the metal structure for the layout, and installed and painted the backdrop. After completing those stages, Jim continued to build the Chesapeake and Ohio on his own. He spent 25 years working on track plan ideas and building equipment for the layout.

Not much has changed on the Chesapeake and Ohio as far as the track plan but Jim continuously made upgrades to his layout as technology advanced. There has been significant changes in the electrical control systems over the years. He discusses how he incorporated the new technology into the C&O.

Jim desired to follow the real Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad as much as possible. Throughout the video you will learn the details behind how he accurately modeled the prototype. In this tour lead by Jim, you will learn more about the route for the layout, the track plan, weathering of the locomotives and the operating sessions.