Layouts of the Shenandoah & Potomac Valley Garden Railway Club
Cottonwood & Sequoia RR

Cottonwood & Sequoia Railroad logoThe Cottonwood & Sequoia, despite its western sounding name, is an eastern railroad... actually, a mid-atlantic railroad. The trees it is named for both do exist in the east.

Construction began in April of 2004. Preliminary track plans were laid out, then the retaining wall built to level the 'front' area of the garden. Several loads of 5/8" gravel and topsoil later, the layout landscape began to take shape. When track was laid out again, the original plan had to be modified to avoid an immovable boulder and a major root to a cherry tree. The double tunnel waterfall was built, the water feature dug & lined, and the first loop (inner loop) up and running on May 30th, 2004 using an 8' landscape timber to span the area to be supported by a scratch-built trestle in early summer of 2005. Since the owner is employed full time, progress is a little slow, and lack of a heated workshop limits the amount of winter construction.

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Picture: After the wall was in, the track was laid out on the grass to finalize the layout - April 2004
Picture: Track is being laid in foreground while the understructure for the 2 tunnels is under construction in the background. May, 2004
 Picture: Checking tunnel clearancesApril 2004 Picture: No 'Golden Spike' here in the east. Would you believe the 'brass rail clamp' ceremony to celebrate the joining of the inner loop? May 2004 Close-up of the "Brass Rail Clamp" ceremony

The completion of the outer loop was laid out just before the winter of 2004-2005 set in by placing the track on top of PVC pipes with tee's on top. It can't run trains in this configuration, but it allows for accurate measurement of trestle heights and bridge lengths. The trolley line was laid on top of the ground, as was the siding, to get a visual picture of the final track configuration. That was changed in March of 2005 to allow for better positioning of structures to create the village. Sometimes, it is better to just lay it out and look at it for a while before making things 'permanent'. The C&S 'opened' on Monday, April 4, 2005 for the season to try out the new Western Maryland RS-3s and rolling stock from the ECLSTS.

Picture: The Royal Blue heads north out of the lower tunnel during construction in the summer of 2004. June 2004
Photo: The Royal Blue crosses the landscape timber soon to be replaced by 2 bridges and a trestle. June 2004
 Picture: Idle during the winter because the snow plow was back-ordered, the C&S lies dormant under a skiff of snow - January 2005
Picture: Opening Day April 4, 2005 saw a Western Maryland double header of Alco RS-3 diesels pulling a local freight.
Another picture of the two RS-3s pulling a local freight. April 4, 2005

Most of the fall purchase of plant material was devoured by rabbits over the winter, but new spring plants are being added. Home Depot does get some really usable plants in the early spring, but may run out quickly. Miniature (2') boxwoods and miniature rhododendrons are hardy, evergreen, and prune into 'trees' very nicely, and the heather adds color and texture in a reasonable size.

Unfortunately, the layout came to a screeching halt when the garden railroader was paralysed from the chest down by a tumor from multiple myleoma in June of 2005.

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SHENANDOAH & POTOMAC VALLEY
GARDEN RAILWAY CLUB

Last Update: January 27, 2005
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