Maryland & West Virginia Model Railway Association
Technical information repository 		September 2025
Greg Ciurpita
Open House
Routes
Schematics
Sw-DS64
Signal Code
Speed Trap Code
Throttle IDs
For Trade

Contents For more public information, see

Layout

The roughly 70x36 foot layout has two multi-track mainlines, each is ~450 ft (~7.5 scale miles), with reversing loops at each end. The layout is designed for continuous running during weekend and week long (county fair) open houses. These mainlines model the B&O and Western Maryland from Cumberland to Connellsville, includes the Cumberland yard, engine terminal and recently (2024) completed Cumberland freight house.
 

B&O (blue) and Western Maryland (red) mainlines
The layout uses: A separate system is used to program locos:

DS64s are used both to control turnouts (see Sw-DS64) and routes (see Routes, still collecting data) selected using DT602D throttles. Almost all turnouts are controlled by DS-64s and Tortoise machines. Caboose ground throws are used in the Connellsville yard and over center springs at the Cumberland Freight House

Each mainline is divided into 8 blocks, separate blocks in each direction. A limited amount of signaling is implemented using ESP-32 processors and block detection from PSX/PSXX/PSX-ARs. The ESP-32s share block occupancy information via broadcast UDP WiFi. A wall mounted display shows block occupancy on both mainlines with white LEDs, as well as shorts using red LEDs.

Wiring

There are three color coded track/DCC buses. Dark/light colors match polarity.
blue/yellow   B&O
red/white   Western Maryland
black/white   Engine Terminal & Roundhouse
Tracks where locos sit are powered thru microswitches attached to Tortoise machines. This minimizes current draw, especially in-rush current with sound decoders when the layout is turned on. These tracks include the 13 yard tracks and shop tracks (engine terminal).

The turntable is driven by a geared motor, no indexing, using a DCC decoder at address 99. Roundhouse tracks are current not powered.

Panels

Cumberland

Hyndman
Garrett/Ohiopyle

Diagrams


LocoNet connections
Track schematic

Track Display showing blocks of two mainlines, upper is Western Marylan and lower is B&O, white indicating occupied and red indicating a short.

Track Diagrams

Engine Terminal

Prototype Info

  • CSX
  • Route Maps of the Cumberland Terminal Subdivision