"Again?... A Sunday Morning's Rude Awakening."

An unwelcome text came in from our friend in Maryland early this morning with news and video of the overnight flooding in Ellicott City. Readers of this blog know that this has been a habitual problem for the area and it is what ultimately rendered the Old Main Line all but obsolete. 

 

The National Weather Service reported that more than six inches of rain fell in less than three hours. More than five inches fell within 90 minutes! It has been deemed, "a thousand year storm." 
 

The charming downtown is built on the side of a hill and its main street runs from top to bottom, punctuating with a meet at the Patapsco River. Higher hills on each side of Main Street funnel all water run-off onto it. This area, pictured in happier times, suffered significant damage.



Twenty four hours later damage was still being assessed. This stretch of Main Street is considerably higher  than the area adjacent to the Patapsco River. It did not escape harm.

News is still filtering in about the extent of the devastation. Two deaths have been reported so far. Our family is absolutely gutted, having visited this historic place so many times and always enjoying our interaction with the friendly residents and shopkeepers. Prayers!

BTW, for more photos of Ellicott City and its downtown architecture, see my post on selective representation.

UPDATE: August 1, 2016
Buddy David Olesen sent this update from the Washington Post. The videos emphasize the danger and helplessness that powerful, cascading water presents. The damage is such that there is now the very real fear that some of the historic buildings may not survive. EC will never be the same. So heartbreaking.
 

-30-

 

   BONUS:  JUST  ONE  MORE  THING  BEFORE  WE  GO...  

 



 



"Sykesville, railfanning... and New Year's Eve?"

An invite from dear friends in Maryland to a New Year's eve dinner party was a no-brainer once our daughter confirmed that she would indeed be jetting off to Italy to spend the holiday with friends made during her study abroad. So the pups were off to meet new playmates at a local boarding facility, Miss La-di-da went to Milan and we stole 40 hours of R & R sandwiched between eight hours of I-95.

We arrived Wednesday evening and I immediately plotted out a research expedition to the western part of the Old Main Line that I would be modeling, namely the Sykesville area, about 35 minutes northwest. I figured that I could get away the next morning while the others did whatever they chose to do. But to my surprise, my wife and our hosts wanted to share in my excellent adventure.

"What exactly is this model railroading thing of which you speak," they queried.

As we approached the gateway to Sykesville at the Patapsco River bridge about 1 pm, the unmistakable sound of a rumbling train combined with the crossing's alarm bells advised us that our timing was one Chevy Blazer away from being absolutely impeccable.



The sheer size, sound and power of the empty westbound coal train was stunning when witnessed from such close proximity and in such an unexpected fashion. The train barreled through for about four minutes, obscuring all but the central section of the Sykesville depot.



My primary goal on this trip was to get a better idea of various land forms and the relative relationships between the mainline, river and overall  geography. Here is a view from the bridge looking west just in front of the depot that was undermined during the flood in 1972.



There is a bit of an ad hoc collection of railroad memorabilia adjacent to the station including a former Pennsylvania Railroad signal tower, a C&O passenger car and this refurbished B&O caboose. It was unfortunately closed during our visit.



There was also this not-yet-refurbished-and-we-don't-know-if-it-ever-will-be caboose sitting on a former siding just west of the depot building. I assume that it was also closed.



We climbed to an area west of town tracing an abandoned spur to the nearby State Hospital. The sharp difference in elevation throughout Sykesville surprised me. Here the old tracks are visible in the foreground with the mainline below and the river just beyond.



The grade at which the spur climbed was very substantial. It was essentially only used by a 'dinky' pulling a single coal hopper every few days to provide for the hospital's power plant.



We moved east to once again gauge the relationship between the river and the mainline and to get plenty of photographs that would help me depict a time of year in which little is in bloom. While I'll be portraying March, my Maryland friends assure me that this is probably pretty representative of that time anyway.



Part of modeling the OML in 1960 is to depict that which was no longer utilized by that time like this bridge abutment which is the only remains of the Henryton Road bridge over the Patapsco, just east of Sykesville.

I was assured throughout the day that my railfan mates were sincerely enjoying themselves and not just humoring me, even when I would channel my inner Cliff Clavin and recite interesting historical anecdotes and relatively useless facts and figures. So, all in all, it was a banner day. Several dozen photographs for later reference for me and a few minor purchases from quaint shops for the ladies.

We were home in time for final dinner prep, a great meal and a few drinks, plus some lousy bowl games and some even lousier New Year's Eve shows. We are all now well assured that we are no longer a preferred demographic target for any television network. Happy New Year everyone!

-30-

 

  BONUS:  JUST  ONE  MORE  THING  BEFORE  WE  GO ... 

 

Big thanks to my backseat hosts, Jim and Carrie for this video and fine hospitality.

 



"For your reading pleasure... a quick fix."

If the current dearth of Old Main Line entries has you frustrated, consider getting your B&O fix from some sidebar links under 'Reference Resources' if you haven't already done so. The B&O Historical Society, the B&O Museum and the B&O Network all provide endless information on the railroad and related items. The Old Main Line Photo Tour is a wonderful exploration of the current line with a great historical narrative and some old photos for comparison.

Finally, both Bing and Google provide aerials and street views of much of the OML. Simply type in Ellicott City, MD or Sykesville, MD, etc. to locate the serpentine line. You'll note that Ilchester and Daniels barely exist anymore after once being bustling mill communities.

 

In addition to the great B&O links here, consider these two books. Herbert Harwood, Jr. is the pre-eminent B&O author, photographer and historian. His 'Impossible Challenge' is must reading for the enthusiast. Also, a trio of local historians has put together a splendid pictorial review of the Old Main Line, and beyond, in 'Reflections of the Capital Dome.'

I'll be back as soon as I can with several track plans for evaluation and some neat ideas for railroad uses of ever-day items, as well as a look at my new, super-duper work bench. And I guess we're overdue for another installment of the seemingly popular feature,'Friendly Fridays,' too. Wonder who it will be?

But for now I have some family responsibilities and a World Series to watch. My team is making its regular every-15-years appearance.

-30-

 

  BONUS:  RHETORICAL  QUESTION  OF  THE  DAY ... 

 

Did you know? Because the KC Royals have a pitcher named 'Duffy,' our Duffy will be known as 'Cespedes' for the duration of the series. She's good with that as long as she gets belly rubs. Let's go Mets!

 



"Railfanning... and my own Bermuda Triangle."

A trip to Bermuda was on tap for an end-of-summer respite from increasing personal demands. I expected a week of relaxation with little hope of any railroad-related diversions that would allow for my adjournment from the company of my wife and daughter and their pursuit of the ultimate tan.

But wait! Upon arrival I discovered that Bermuda has an abandoned railway line that has been converted to a hiking trail. I argued that I had a responsibility to all ten of my loyal followers for an in-depth OML investigative report.

The two were more than happy to agree so that their relaxation would not be interrupted with my incessant, "So exactly how long are we going to lay here?"

The 22 mile standard gauge Bermuda Railway ran from 1931 to 1948 bringing cruise ship passengers from St. George's and agricultural products from Somerset into the capital city of Hamilton. It was also Bermudan's main means of transit then since automobiles were prohibited on the island so as not to disturb the tranquility of affluent British and American tourists. Even then, tourism was the economic lifeline of the country.





Bermuda's rolling terrain posed a challenge for the railway and many wooden trestles spanned the modest valleys. I started my hike up some stairs on our hotel grounds in Southampton in the southwest part of the island. I was assured that rails and ties would be evident along the way. Maybe the steps are old railroad ties. Not too exciting.



This isn't quite what I was expecting, but this is only the first mile. The railway used gas powered engines due to the lack of available freshwater that steam would require. Neat!



This is looking more like it, now into mile two. But what's with all of the black cats? This is the fourth I've seen, along with a bunch of chickens and roosters. Where are the people?



Limestone cuts are frequent throughout the island and here is just one example that was required for the railway. Note my requisite water bottle in the 85 degree, 85 percent humidity. Still not finding much though. This isn't as much fun as I thought it would be.



Eureka! An old depot/freight house, now being used by a local charity. While the materials are purely Bermudan, the scale and proportions of the building are very traditional. 



Into mile three and the trail is getting jungle-like. Am I supposed to stop here? What does this signage mean? My water is getting low and still no rails! Jimmy is getting pissed.



A little further along I hit a pretty steep valley and decided that I was turning back... three more miles to go! The only sign of a rail was this channel for cyclists to presumably walk their bikes down the hill (You just know some yahoo has tried to ride down this, right?)



A few days later at a bookshop in the Dockyard area where cruise ships now arrive, I found an old photo of the remains of a trestle connecting the eastern end of the railway to the mainland. I saw the rebuilt version from our taxi heading back to the airport days later.



The Dockyard is my wife's dream spot with a myriad of crafts stores and artisan's workshops. I freed myself from a pottery studio and discovered this sign outside. Excellent, the local hobby shop must be right down the alley. Hello, diversion. Come to poppa!



Damn it!

 

BTW, I later found out that all rails have been removed for years and that my original source, our hotel concierge, relied on childhood memories. She is now a grandmother. I also found out that the eastern end of the railway trail is much more interesting and scenic. Well, I gave it a shot. Next time, I'll ride a bike.

 

All was not lost though. My knees and back actually spent most of the week enjoying the saltwater. Just don't ask about my tan. For more information about the railway and it's downfall, check out a neat website, The Bermuda Railway Pages by clicking here.

We'll get back to layout construction in our next post. See you in a bit.

Update: February 12, 2016
Railroad enthusiast Matt Picciotto has posted on the Model Railroad Hobbyist site his intentions to pursue the NMRA's MMR certification by replicating the Bermuda Railway in HO. His blog can be found here . He also has a Facebook page dedicated to the Railway here . Best of luck, Matt. We'll be following along.

-30-

 

  BONUS:  RHETORICAL  QUESTION  OF  THE  DAY... 

 

Okay, do I really need to pose the obvious chicken question here?

 



"Three years ago the unthinkable happened... "

It was shortly before midnight, Monday, August 20, 2012. Two 19 year old girls sat on the railroad bridge, feet dangling over Main Street, their backs to the railroad tracks several feet away. They tweeted, "Looking down on old EC." The high school friends would soon be returning to their respective colleges and they were doing what kids in Ellicott City have allegedly done for years, hanging out on the historic trestle on a warm summer night. Then the unthinkable happened.

A fully loaded eastbound coal train rounded the bend and descended into town. The first ten cars rumbled past the girls before something went tragically wrong. A string of hoppers derailed, tipping over and burying the pair instantly.

The CSX eastbound train had originated in Grafton, WV and was comprised of 80 fully loaded hoppers pulled by two locomotives. Total weight was estimated at 9,000 tons.



The first 21 cars of the train derailed in the heart of downtown at the historic bridge over Main Street. The girls were in a restricted area accessible by climbing a low fence.



All reports confirm that the train was traveling at the 25 MPH speed limit entering town.



The cost in property damage and clean-up was estimated at $1.9 million, but the emotional loss for the close-knit community can never be determined.  (Photo by John Teichmoeller)



It was initially speculated that a retaining wall had slowly been giving way allowing the track above to go out of gauge, but a year-long investigation by the NTSB found that a rail fractured several hundred feet from the trestle caused by the "gradual deterioration of the rail-head surface" ... otherwise known as metal fatigue.             (Photo by John Teichmoeller)

 

As a regular visitor to this town my entire life, the tragedy felt weirdly personal, even from 200 miles away. I have stood in that general area many times with my grandfather and just a year earlier with my then-17 year old daughter as part of a college tour to Washington DC. How do those most affected by this, cope with their loss and grasp the random nature of such a bizarrely fateful event?

As modelers, it points to a strange reality that when we depict a prototype and a period, we may be dabbling in a story whose innocence will be stolen forever at a later date. It's going to be challenging to depict the Ellicott City bridge at Main Street circa 1960. I will know something about its future that I would prefer not to know. It sure wasn't something I signed up for modeling the Old Main Line.

 
-30-

 

   BONUS:  RHETORICAL  QUESTION  OF  THE  DAY... 

 

Have you hugged your child today... and reminded them of the inherent dangers around railroad tracks?

"A most unfortunate anniversary of sorts..."

The historical reporting of Tropical Storm Agnes is almost as chaotic as the storm itself. Depending upon various sources, the storm reached Maryland 43 years ago today... or yesterday... or Sunday. Perhaps the confusion is more about semantics, and the reporting of raining versus flooding, but regardless, the torrential storm pounded the Patapsco River region and the Old Main Line into submission, swelling the river and causing unprecedented damage from flooding.

 

The weather system originated in the Caribbean as early as June 14th and reached U.S. soil June 19th at Panama City, FL. It was downgraded from hurricane to tropical depression as it crossed into Georgia and South Carolina, but inexplicably regained strength by June 21st while crossing North Carolina. The tropical storm headed north and would soon wreak havoc dumping 14-19" of rain within 48-hours upon parts of Maryland, Pennsylvania and New York.

 



The destruction of Ellicott City is photographed from above. Maryland suffered 19 fatalities and $110 million in damage.



Flood waters in downtown Ellicott City reached 14'. The railroad trestle is in the distance sitting just a couple of feet above the water.



Curious residents climbed to the station area to see the raging flood waters once the heavy rains had ended. The lower portion of downtown is in the 100 year flood plain... Bingo!

 



Debris from the Patapsco River clogged the trestle to the Wilkins Flour mill. The geography of the steep, narrow river valley created a funnel-like effect for towns in the lower region.





Once the flood waters receded, the aftermath was evident. If you visit Ellicott City today, you will find a 'measuring pole' right here that indicates the height of flood waters.

The mill at Daniels peeks out over the debris at another trestle over the Patapsco River. According to reports, several workers were rescued from the rapidly rising flood waters by the National Guard via helicopter. They had climbed to the mill's roof!

The B&O Historical Society devoted their second quarter 2012 issue of  The Sentinel to the 40th anniversary of Agnes. The cover showed a half submerged tunnel at Point of Rocks near the Potomac River.





The sight of uplifted and eroded track along the Patapsco River was commonplace, as shown here in Sykesville. Because the track closely followed the twisting river, the raging currents continually crashed into the embankments and undercut the roadbed, creating washouts sometimes up to 50' wide.

While these type of weather-related tragedies seemed to have become almost commonplace during the last few years throughout the United States, Agnes was a significant weather anomaly  back in 1972. Readers are reminded of the photo of a submerged Daniels in the very first entry of this blog. Take another look at the sheer magnitude of the flooding, and understand that it would trigger a series of events that would ultimately lead the Old Main Line to obscurity.

On that note, we'll see everyone Friday with a special recognition, and then back to some construction next week.

-30-

 

  BONUS:  RHETORICAL  QUESTION  OF  THE  DAY ... 

 

Did you have a good Father's Day? Here's a belated, but heartfelt hope that everyone had a day of happy visits, loving memories, or both.

"Yada, yada, yada... Sykesville, USA"

I have several reasons for being so determined to include the town of Sykesville on my layout's track plan... enough so that I converted to multi-deck to get adequate separation from the other major layout design elements. One is practical. One is artistic. And one is purely emotional, but what the hell.

First, it offers multiple operational possibilities with four different industries congested along three spurs. They represent alternative businesses from the preponderance of mill operations on the Old Main Line and provide the opportunity for varied loads and varied rolling stock. That would be nice.

Second, the town has more of a horizontal, farmland aesthetic and a smaller scale at trackside from that of my other LDEs which emphasize verticality through the valley terrain and massive mill structures. I would like that variety, too.

Third, and perhaps somewhat irrationally, I finally have procured a kit of the Sykesville station that was produced in the early 1990's. I can't let that hard-to-find icon go to waste!





This photo from the early 1980's gives some idea as to the condition of the 100 year old station once it was shut down to passenger traffic. Like most passenger depots along the Old Main Line, it became a freight house for various railroad odds and ends.



After an exhaustive, but unsuccessful search for this kit, it dawned on me to contact a local Sykesville hobby shop. Duh! ...  Presto, Glenn at the Moose Caboose sold me one from his private stash at the original retail cost of  $19.95! The kit is actually nicer, and better detailed, than the photo on the box suggests.

The station is presently  a popular restaurant specializing in steaks, burgers, Maryland crab and beer. It is known as Baldwin's Station, after well-known B&O architect Francis Baldwin. FYI, Chris Rock filmed a scene here  from his 2003 film, Head of State. I missed it.

 

A sweet little structure that sits nearby is the refurbished 'colored schoolhouse.' Built in 1904, it was used to teach black children of the area while segregation existed. It is now a museum and after-school classroom for all of Sykesville's residents. It was in disrepair in 1960. Can't wait to scratch-build this little beauty as a nice background structure.

Sykesville is a cute little town with an historic downtown of quaint shops, restaurants and bed and breakfasts, plus a great hobby shop. It's a nice spot to share a weekend with your significant other... a little something for each of you.

A weekend getaway? Yeah, that's the ticket. Might be just what I need after the helix fiasco! Hey, maybe my wife would like to come along, too.

-30-

 

  BONUS:  RHETORICAL  QUESTION  OF  THE  DAY... 

 

Did you know? After several days of tense negotiations, it was decreed that the cost of one helix in a finished rec room is a weekend of quilt shows, art galleries and antique shops, according to the household's Senior VP of Real Estate Distribution and Utilization, and mother of my smirking daughter.

"Linking 13 Great States with the Nation..."

In reviewing the first two months of this blog, I must confess to being somewhat remiss in featuring prototype information. The single biggest reason is that I have been playing catch-up with 2-1/2 years worth of layout construction, albeit changes and all. But I would like to keep something of a balance when checking the category labels on the sidebar. So today, a quick overview of the B&O system.

By 1960, Baltimore & Ohio track covered more than 6,000 miles across 13 states in the eastern part of the United States, hence it's slogan, "Linking 13 Great States with the Nation." The 63 miles of the Old Main Line represented just about 1% of the total railroad.

But times were changing and it was soon that the B&O was joining the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad in 1963 to expand overall regional capabilities while eliminating duplicate operations. And in 1973, the two were combined with the Western Maryland to form subsidiaries of the Chessie System. The unofficial mergers became official in 1987.


The B&O system essentially ran east-west connecting New York with Chicago and St. Louis via Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington. It connected other major cities like Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Detroit via north-south spurs.
 

A close-up of Maryland shows the 'arched' OML route from Baltimore to Point of Rocks. Although this schematic suggests a very direct alternative run from Baltimore through Washington to points west, the actuality was a longer, but more efficient route that was flatter and straighter. In truth, the OML represented the hypotenuse of a basic isosceles triangle while Baltimore to Washington and Washington to Point of Rocks would be the sides of that triangle. Make sense?



That's about it for now. We'll forego this week's 'Friendly Fridays,' lest that feature become the dominant label of this blog. I won't be doing 'Wordless Wednesdays,' as that franchise seems pretty well covered by others, but there always is the possibility someday of 'Mindless Mondays' or 'Thoughtless Thursdays,' if and when I have nothing to say.

See you in the next few days with more construction and more prototype posts.

-30-

 

  BONUS:  RHETORICAL  QUESTION  OF  THE  DAY... 

 

Can you name the 13 states in which the B&O conducted business? (Oh, come on people. This is the equivalent of an open-book test!)

"Ooooops!... The best laid plans go awry."

Fortunately today's title does not refer to my layout construction this time, but rather to the construction of the Old Main Line itself... or more exactly, to the mills that would be serviced by the railroad. When Baltimore-area industrialists launched a plan to reach the middle of the country via their Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, savvy entrepreneurs staked out sites along the anticipated right-of-way. Or so they thought.

The conventional thinking of the day was that the line would stay on the north side of the Patapsco River, nearer to Baltimore and therefore more likely cheaper to build. In anticipation of this, construction of several mills was begun before the track configuration was finalized. Big mistake!... Huge!

Once engineers determined that the track would be better built on the south side of the river, industries like the paper mill at Ilchester did not have direct access to the line. Both a conveyor and a team track were used here for the transfer of goods.

The flour mill at Ellicott City used a trestle to span the river accessing the plant with two spurs, but as motive power grew in size and weight, limits were put into place eventually negating their use. Freight was pushed and pulled across the bridge with the help of empty gondolas known as 'stretchers' to keep engines on the south side of the river.

The textile mill at Oella had further complications due to a difference in elevation. A winch was employed to pull freight across the trestle and used to control its roll back down toward the mainline.

The textile mill at Daniels WAS on the correct side of the river, however we know from the photo on the very first entry of this blog, the location proved less than ideal due to the river's proximity on three sides.

These mills represented the largest customers on the Old Main Line, but accessibility and dependability were less than ideal initially, and only grew more troublesome with the advent of increased traffic and larger loads. Complicating things further, were the frequent mile-long coal trains that disrupted these unusual movements.

While these make for great Layout Design Elements and fun operating in 1:87, it was not good business for the B&O. There would be changes coming. But for now, we get back to more bench work with risers and sub-roadbed. See you Thursday.

 

-30-

  BONUS:  RHETORICAL  QUESTION  OF  THE  DAY... 

 

Which TV character would have been best suited to explain to mill owners why the B&O chose to build across the river from them?

 

A) Cliff Claven from 'Cheers'

B) Ralph Kramden from 'The Honeymooners'

C) George Costanza from 'Seinfeld'

D) Arthur Fonzarelli from 'Happy Days'



"Westward ho... The long and winding railroad."

In the early 1800's, like other east coast cities, the port of Baltimore's  commercial viability was challenged by New York's construction of the Erie Canal. The canal would soon link the Hudson River with the Great Lakes and thus, the country's major north-south rivers, giving New York dominant shipping access to much of the country.

The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad was incorporated in 1827 and a path for the Old Main Line was plotted to the Potomac River and points west. The earliest version of the line twisted and turned mimicking the adjacent Patapsco River as it climbed westward towards the midpoint town of Mt. Airy and a problematic elevation. From there it descended across rolling farm land until it reached the Potomac just southeast of Harper's Ferry, WV at Point of Rocks, MD.

This layout will focus on the eastern end between Ilchester and Sykesville. It will feature busy mill operations at Ellicott City, Oella and Daniels. A set-out yard just east of Ellicott City is used for the holding and classification of trains for all of these operations.

 

The iconic scene at the Ilchester tunnel/bridge @ MP 10 represents the entry from east end staging onto the layout. The depot, which was demolished in 1964, is currently being modeled to depict its 1960 appearance.

The first 13 miles of track were completed between Baltimore and then-Ellicott Mills in 1830. The station building is the oldest in the nation and originally served as engine house, freight house and passenger depot. It currently handles commuter traffic and houses an annex of the B&O Museum, including a layout of the OML.

The company houses for the Dickey textile mill in Oella are still in use today, although the mill is not. Located one mile up  the river from Ellicott City, the mill operated 24/7 during WWII supplying military uniforms for the effort. It is now luxury condos with river views!



The main mill building at Daniels  featured considerable church imagery in its architecture. Located at MP 19, the textile mill produced sails and other nautical items utilized by the shipping industry operating out of the Baltimore harbor.

 





The farming community of Sykesville is at MP 28 and features a Baldwin-designed masonry depot that still exists today as a restaurant. Built in the mid-1800's, the design represented the beginning of the B&O's signature look for its depots across its network. Just west of here is the Sykesville tunnel where trains exit the layout into west end staging.

We'll look at much more history from time to time, but for tomorrow, it's time to roll up my sleeves and get to work. Lumber, power tools and other assorted manly things. Lots of photos of the bench work. Promise.

 

-30-

  BONUS:  RHETORICAL  QUESTION  OF  THE  DAY...  

 

The B&O rushed the OML to completion ignoring what crucial issue?

A) Torrential rain just might cause rivers to overflow their banks.
B) Sharp curves become problematic as trains grow in speed and size.
C) Shallow track grades are always preferred to steep ones for transit.
D) All of the above