The BOE Line

Over the last 3-4 years, I have found myself really liking, and then collecting, a little bit of everything when it comes to trains.   I am a huge fan of the Penn Central, and their 'colorful' history.   I enjoy Conrail, since that is what I saw when I was a kid.  I have also grown quit the affinity for Japanese rolling stock, in particular the freight hailing.  

My T-TRAK modules are also a bit eclectic.  I have a scene set in 1958 'anywhere' PA; and then another set in modern day.  I have a Star Wars themed one, and a Thomas the Tank Engine themed one.  

Bit-Of-Everything Branchline

In January 2024, I acquired a discarded hollow-core door, some saw horses, and a little extra space in the basement.   Eventually, I will probably do an "actual" hollow-core door layout, but for now I realized I needed that space to serve as a table on occasions.   So I decided I could just set up the T-TRAK modules I currently have, even if some are incomplete, and have a place to run my trains that are too large for the DuraBond layout.  Since my locomotive fleet and my module scenery covers a bit-of-everything, the BOE Line was board.   


For those that might not know, bowline knot is one of the "essential seven" knots in Scouts.  I have been an active scouter for most of my life, currently serving as Scoutmaster for my local troop.  So the "BOE Line" has a nice double meaning as well.  


The BOE Layout - version 1

The currently layout consists of the Bulwark Yard,  4 "finished", and 3 "work in progress" modules.

"Finished" Modules:

"Work In Progress" Modules:

Operations on the BOE Line

While the BOE Line is really 2 loops, I operate it as a Point-to-Point.  The left side of the loop (the tunnel) is thought to be the end of the two lines.  The mainline ("red line" on the T-TRAK modules) is considered to be a east-west route mainline.  The inside loop ("yellow line") serves as north-south dead-end branch line.    This very similar to how the PRR and the Turtle Creek Branch was set up.  The Turtle Creek branch ran from Trafford to Export,  with an interchange with PRR at Trafford.  

Currently, I use Wheel Reports as my method of operations.    (MORE TO COME)