October 2019 39
Battery power and stay alive
The vast majority of locomotives in
this period were 4-4-0 American-type
steam engines. In fact, all but one of the
engines on the Aquia Line were 4-4-0s.
For my model railroad, Schneider Model
Trains (SMR) simplified the task of
acquiring motive power by importing
O scale brass steam locomotive models
appropriate for the Civil War.
Like many brass models, the SMR loco-
motives needed some improvements to
run reliably. I disassembled the engines to
add all-wheel electrical pickup and DCC
Provost
Marshall
Liester
House
Worm fence
Matthews
House
USMRR Aquia Line
O scale (1:48)
Room size: 30 x 32 feet
Scale of plan:^7 ⁄ 32 " = 1'-0", 24" grid
Numbered arrows indicate photo locations
Illustration by Bernard Kempinski and Rick Johnson
Find more plans online in the
ModelRailroader.com Track Plan Database.
Design length train
Freighthouse
Freighthouse
Burned station
Military trestle
Picket
camp
Falmouth
Aquia Landing
Stoneman’s
Station
Tents
Potomac
Creek
Station
Warehouses
Car
float
Clairbourne Run
Fort
Telegraph
shed
Barges
Burnside’s
Wharf
Swamp
Clozet
Tunnel
SS New York Paddlewheel steamer
Burned
station
Brick
warehouse
Sawmill Store
Tavern
Accokeek
Creek
Water mill
Battery
Schaefer
Potomac
Creek
Cook House
Brooke
Bath
Stairs up
Duct
72"
off floor
Work-
bench
Utilities
Fences
Virginia
Centra
l RR
Manassas Gap RR
Ora
nge
&^
Ale
xan
dria^
RR
AL&
H (^) RR
Warrenton
Long
Bridge
Potomac^ Riv
er
Rappa
hannoc
k River
Overall Map of
Winter Quarters in
Northern Virginia
December 1862 –
April 1863
Out of Service
Confederate Operated
Union Operated
Potomac
MD.
Aquia
Culpepper Landing
VIRGINIA
Alexandria
Manassas Junction
Stuart
Stoneman
Gordonsville
Orange Court House
Fredricksburg
To Richmond
Washington
No VaLee
Bull Run
Hooker
RF
&P
RR
Route of the
Railroad
Car Ferry
Gun
emplacement
The layout at a glance
Name: Aquia Line
Scale: O (1:48)
Size: 31 x 32 feet
Prototype: United States Military RR
Locale: Virginia
Era: late winter 1863
Style: walk-in
Mainline run: 115 feet
Minimum radius: 28"
Minimum turnout: no. 5
Maximum grade: 1 percent
Benchwork: open grid
Height: 48"
Roadbed: 1 ⁄ 8 " plywood
Track: code 100, handlaid
Scenery: extruded-foam insulation board
and plaster hardshell
Backdrop: painted styrene and tempered
hardboard
Control: CVP Digital Command Control and
Stanton battery-powered radio DCC