Conrail's O&WV Division HO Scale Layout Tour 2024 Edition

A full tour of Conrails Ohio & West Virginia Division HO Scale Layout

[@FGLKPaul]

Smiled a little bit when you mentioned Mike Bednar! Absolutely love his narrated videos of the Valley. "Here comes the Apollo, Bombin' through Bethlehem." 😂

[@ConrailSteve]

Big Mike’s narration is second to none and the humor he adds is awesome!

[@samuelplew5630]

Nice! You’ve really caught the flavor of Conrails Cleveland-Pittsburgh region. I lived in Canton and worked in Akron for many years. Railfanned the C&P, Alliance, Willard, Mingo. Hired out on split date and worked the Monon and Avon for 22 years.

[@ConrailSteve]

Thank you very much!

[@luvindemtrains]

Very nice tour and I like the tribute to Big Mike. Even with all of the good work on your layout, your trains steal the show. The weathering is top tier. I model in O scale and have been adding more CR to my fleet. I will be using your models as a reference as I weather my locomotives. You're no different from most modelers who model what they grew up seeing. I'm sure the memories with your grandfather and those yard visits were a big part of the great work you have been doing with your "time machine".

[@ConrailSteve]

Thank you very much! Wish I had the room for O scale as working with the small details in HO can be a pain at times. My grandfather and Conrail may be gone but they will live on for a long time to come on my layout.

[@robertsiebenrock3997]

Great layout and tour. Never have enough of anything.

[@ConrailSteve]

Thank you! And very true!

[@anthonymaida5718]

Excellent layout I,am glad I found it.looking forward to updates.

[@ConrailSteve]

Thank You!

[@xerotolerance13]

Looks great. I grew up watching Conrail trains. Lehigh Line and the Washington secondary is 100 feet from the back of my house.

[@ConrailSteve]

Thank you! Wish I lived that close to the main line. Although I was lucky to grow up with a yard at the end of my street.

[@rowsdower12]

I love how you had the train speed at a realistic notch. Not flying by unless it's an open straight away

[@ConrailSteve]

Thank you!

[@rowsdower12]

@@ConrailSteve welcome!!

[@kenmunozatmmrrailroad6853]

I'm an O-Gauger- that's an awesome yard!

[@ConrailSteve]

Thank You! O scale is awesome!

[@mrdoggone]

I'm from Indiana, your layout is so cool, I started out working for C&O, 67 year,s old now, but one hell of a nice layout

[@ConrailSteve]

Thank you! That had to be neat hiring out in the C&O!

[@MitchsModelRailroad]

Very nice to see the whole layout! Looks much bigger than it is! Great job

[@ConrailSteve]

Thank You! It's not always about how big a layout is but about how scenes are broken up and separated to give the illusion on a big railroad.

[@jasonspicer2598]

I grew up watching Conrail's West Virginia secondary. And when i turned 20, i hired on Conrail. I learned to be an engineer on the West Virginia secondary.

[@ConrailSteve]

Thats awesome! wish I could have seen the West Virginia secondary in action back then.

[@jasonspicer2598]

@ConrailSteve as a kid i had the train schedule down by how many chimes the courthouse sounded. As an engineer i loved running the helpers shoving the trains to Columbus.. rule of thumb if you hit Albany at 10mph you would crest Moxi tunnel at 1 mph.

[@gregginter5867]

@@jasonspicer2598h

[@gregginter5867]

😂😅😂😅…nice!

[@cncpgreatlakesdiv4896]

awesome Steve Thanks for the post😊😊👍👍

[@ConrailSteve]

Thank You for watching!

[@georgiasunbelt]

Great tour…really nice layout Steve …love all the details

[@ConrailSteve]

Thank You! Those little detail's take time but always end up really bring the scenes alive.

[@DavidAllen-dj7sd]

Nice concept for the layout. Everything was right on the money. You put everything a modeler could think of into the right amount of space. As for expansion, i would use the hidden area for helix leading up to a second level. You have the space and the chance to expand that wow factor. Awesome layout.

[@ConrailSteve]

Thank You! As much as I would love to have a second level and a helix the layout as it is is the biggest version I can do with the modular design. The long term plan is to eventually expand/ build a new layout once I have a permanent home for it.

[@jamesyoung1127]

beautiful layout love it . very well detailed and done right. nice weathering on your equipment also.

[@ConrailSteve]

Thank you very much!

[@jonathansabatino3987]

Hey Steve I enjoyed the tour thanks for showing us,

[@ConrailSteve]

Thank you for watching!

[@scottbohn929]

Enjoyed the video tour Steve. You have a cool layout.

[@ConrailSteve]

Thank you very much!

[@steven8979_vlog]

Awesome layout you have there man! I’m a conductor on the WV secondary and Deepwater division.

[@ConrailSteve]

Very cool!

[@ronaldrondeau7870]

Thanks you have a great layout in a small place. Erevy things is perfectely place, love it

[@ConrailSteve]

Thank you very much!

[@williamdavid9333]

Great looking video,thanks for sharing this with us!

[@ConrailSteve]

Thank you for watching!

[@JohnS-jj9by]

Nice tour! Great detail and description of the layout. I appreciate modelers who stick to prototype, but I truly appreciate those of us who model memories and include the folks who inspired us. THANKS!

[@ConrailSteve]

Thank You! It's always important to remember where you came from and honor those that inspired you.

[@johnwhalen3037]

Nicely done love all the details on the layout and it gives me some ideas to do on my layout when I get the time to work on it

[@ConrailSteve]

Thank you!

[@johnwhalen3037]

@@ConrailSteve your welcome

[@kensbackshop6399]

Love your layout i watch all your videos ,,,,,your layout looks deeper then two feet

[@ConrailSteve]

Thank You! The backdrop really helps make things look deeper than they are as well as how I set up my camera to take videos.

[@garymartz7587]

The layout looks like a lot of fun Steve. You have done a very nice job! I really like the open side door on the 6974, nice touch!

[@ConrailSteve]

Thank you! The layout was designed to give me the best of both worlds. Some operations while still being able to simply run a train as well. Always have to have an open cab door for the hot summer days on the O&WV division!

[@stevenlitkey9354]

Outstanding !!! Tons of detail in a modest sized home layout 👍🏼👍🏼

[@ConrailSteve]

Thank You!

[@anthonyborden2513]

Great layout 👌 👏 I model conrail too but I also model nj transit, Amtrak, winchester and western railroad, CSX,NS NYC to shore points nj keep up the great work

[@ConrailSteve]

Thank you very much!

[@Guytrains]

Beautiful layout

[@ConrailSteve]

Thank you!

[@MrJustdave01]

Dig that intro music Bro. Great job on the layout.

[@ConrailSteve]

Thank You!

[@waynekeeton8327]

Very cool layout! Nice work on the weathering

[@ConrailSteve]

Thank you very much!

[@RickyAllen-gb6kl]

Nice layout. I to am from NE Ohio and grew up with Conrail. I had to laugh though when you said CP Duke because I was trying to figure out who your voice reminds me of. Luke Duke lol. Don't know if you've ever been told that before. Anyways enjoying the videos. Take care.

[@ConrailSteve]

Thank you! Have not been told that one yet but ill take it lol

[@markiannacone2103]

You have a great! layout

[@ConrailSteve]

Thank you very much!

[@artkemberling7764]

Do I see a C39-8? Those were my favorite Conrail locomotives.

[@ConrailSteve]

I do have a handful of the C39-8’s but non are currently on the layout. I do have 3 C32-8’s on the layout right now that appearance wise look very close to the C39-8’s.

[@cprs5000]

Awesome I have some Conrail 1997 Altoona open house Johnstown PA that's a great industrial railroad I love it what yard did you watch Conrail at.. unfortunately Selkirk was GE territory check out some trains on my site old Conrail from 1995 2001 I like your layout it's great nothing like industrial grit take care enjoy

[@ConrailSteve]

Thank you!

[@garyweber2867]

yea steave my second love Trucks great layout

[@ConrailSteve]

Thank You!

[@railfanjayden]

Ha Steve I love your trains

[@ConrailSteve]

Thank You!

[@jacobpfeifertrains1998]

Where did you find your heavy duty semis with the tag axles and/or heavy duty multi piece trailers?

[@ConrailSteve]

The semis and trailers are mainly purchased from truck stop hobbies 1/87 store. A lot of them are custom kitbashed from a base model with extra axle and fenders.

[@jacobpfeifertrains1998]

@ConrailSteve trains are my first love but semis are a close second. Id love to get some like that at some point.

[@gregginter5867]

Dang, that’s a heap of coil cars!😂😅

[@ConrailSteve]

Gotta have a "Full" train lol

[@cp368productions2]

You obviously have never looked at photos of Selkirk Yard if you think you have too many locomotives.

[@ConrailSteve]

I mean more of too many locomotives for how big the layout is lol

[@conrailfan6277]

Whats up Steve!!!

[@IMRROcom]

nice

[@ConrailSteve]

Thank You!

[@dennisarmes3473]

ps, steve... have you ever heard from mike bednar about this ? he is really good and i am sure he would appreciate the honor you bestowed him !!!

[@ConrailSteve]

I have never had the pleasure of meeting Big Mike or talking to him unfortunately.

[@rickyhammond36]

How do you get in & out Steve ? is it via the lift out bridge ?

[@ConrailSteve]

Yes, the lift out section became a duck under section once I did the scenery on that part of the layout.

[@conrailfan6277]

What's up Steve!!

[@ConrailSteve]

Enjoy the tour!

[@tedmaas3588]

Say Steve, did you set up your layout for operations, or is it for your enjoyment to do what ever you wish?

[@ConrailSteve]

My layout is set up mainly for my enjoyment more than anything else. When I built the layout I didn't have anyone local to me to operate with so I kind of designed it more for just myself. Looking back I wish I would have put more thought into operations when designing it.

[@tedmaas3588]

@@ConrailSteve Well u can always start over...lol. Thx Steve for the tour, be waiting for the next one. Ted

[@ConrailSteve]

Thank you! The long term plan is still to expand the layout eventually when the time is right. Hopefully within the next 5 or years.

[@davidstewart5694]

Too bad you couldn't get Mike to do a cameo narration lol.

[@ConrailSteve]

That would be super cool!

[@jasonkebic741]

what is the plan for the lower level you mentioned?

[@ConrailSteve]

As of right now I mainly use it for storage. I had originally planned it to be used for staging but ran into issues with the joints between the modules not lining up well and causing derailments. Also the curves at the top and bottoms of the grade between the the two levels created issues as they probably needed to be a much larger radius than I had room for. I may in time try to get it up and running but for now its more hassle than its worth.

[@jasonkebic741]

@@ConrailSteve the grade definately changes the what workable radius are. Great looking railroad. So do you crawl under the table? Or is there a central staircase? I didnt see a pull out section so was curious how you access the central portion?

[@GMCGUY-]

WOW

[@ConrailSteve]

Thank You!

[@GMCGUY-]

@@ConrailSteve Can you maybe do a video maybe tell us all the Locomotives, you have like the actual names to each one. You have so many that layout must have cost you. A guess $200000.

[@GMCGUY-]

@ConrailSteve If not more your railroad looks amazing. I also. Remember watching a bunch of GP 40's GP38 And a couple old GP7.

[@ConrailSteve]

I actually did a locomotive tour video a few months ago showing all the locomotives currently on the layout. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qHfKppWoett8l6csi=0FsESntkFnoRvKOa $200000 is a bit high but I would say somewhere around $50000 over the last 8 years of building the collection,