3Cs Model Railroad Layout Plan

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3Cs Layout Plan using Backwards Modeling

I have to admit, I do things backwards from most modelers. I first designed a basic plan for the layout tables based on both the configuration of my basement rooms, while also thinking about the desired scenes. (e.g. Johnson City, Speers Ferry, Holston/Watauga River Valley, the Loops)

The center room was perfect for the loops and the river valley

The left room was best for Johnson City

And the right room gave me the space to model Speers Ferry and a large river valley and tall steel viaduct like Copper Creek……and up on the adjoining top shelf was a perfect place for Dante.

The mechanical areas gave me space at both ends for staging areas…..and major cities where the CC&C, Southern originated. The staging areas represent Charleston/Jacksonville, Cincinnati, Knoxville, and Roanoke/Washington.

Experimenting with Track and Scenery

By configuring the Kato unitrack and then running trains for a few months helps avoid mistakes and future headaches. By temporarily placing the backdrops and buildings, also helps create the best scenes.

Step 1: Position track and scenery temporarily

Step 2: Run the trains, take pictures

Step 3: If not perfect, repeat step 1

This process will take several years, but it will be fun and worth it.

As you can see, the layout allows for a major railroad thoroughfare through the middle of Johnson City the boomtown, with the CC&C/Clinchfield, Southern, and ET&WNC doing the honors. Once I get that right, game on!

Below was the first plan created for the Charleston Cincinnati & Chicago N-Scale layout. A second plan will follow in the next few months after I experiment with various track and scenery configurations.

Clinchfield Model Railroad - CC&C 3Cs Model Railroad

Goforth Junction

Note that I’ve begun to name junctions, yards, towns, and geographic features for the founders, legends, historians, and those we so often read about in CC&C and Clinchfield history. My favorite so far is ‘Goforth Junction,’ no doubt no better name for a major railroad junction. Thank you James Goforth!

Drop Me a Note

If you are a n scale model railroader, or if you have interest in the history of the CC&C, Clinchfield, ET&WNC, Southern Railway, or Johnson City and the East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia, please give me a shout via the form below.

For More Information – Sources and Resources

The following are excellent resources for those of you wanting to explore and learn more about the history and operation of the Appalachian Railroads. These sources of information also serve as reference and historical materials for Appalachian-Railroads.org. Much of the collective railroad history data points on this website are verified across multiple sources.

Contact Us

Would enjoy hearing from you if you have questions, suggestions, edits, or content that you are willing to share. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have similar interests in the railroads or model railroading.

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3Cs Websites

Appalachian-Railroads.org | Clinchfield.org | Southern-Railroads.org