Model Railroader – October 2019

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