Alexander Railroad

If I was going to model a prototypical shortline railroad, perhaps on a shelf around the basement, I am certain I would set out to recreate the Alexander. At 18 miles, it is the perfect length, and it possesses all the key elements: interchange, warehouse switching, stretches for running, and a small shop. Perhaps this will be my retirement project! The ARC is a classy southeastern pike, with an SW8 that always looks clean and bright in person and in nearly every picture of it I've ever seen. My father and I had a blast chasing #8 all the way up the line from Statesville to the end, taking ample pictures along the way. The crew seemed amused by our presence at every grade crossing in Alexander County ... although I feel certain we were not the first, nor the last railfans to chase the SW8. At Taylorsville, we were treated to two shortline features. First, in order to get #8 on the correct end of its train for the trip back to Statesville the next day, the crew performed a run-around move using gravity. First, #8 was uncoupled from its northbound movement and pulled into the siding (1, below). Then the small train was allowed to roll downhill past the switch (2), after which the locomotive was brought back out from the siding and reconnected to the train (3). Brilliant! The second treat was watching the crew drive #8 right into the shops and lowering the roll-up door (Locations, above), like someone returning their car to the garage after a day's work! Drive in, shut down, go home! This is shortline operation at its best.