Following the untimely passing of Scale-S modeler, Sam Powell, in January 2016, his family searched for a museum in the Southwestern Pennsylvania area to become the new home for his renowned layout, the Penn Creek Valley RR.
Final track plan of Sam Powell’s basement layout. This was the third layout he built, going back to 1972. Planning and construction began in 2003 and the layout was always a work in progress. Drawn for the NASG Dispatch by Joe Kimber. Used with permission of the NASG Dispatch.
In April 2016, they made arrangements to donate the layout to the Tri-Town Area Historical Society in Dawson, PA, which is near Connellsville, PA, the area that Sam modeled. The layout was moved from Gaithersburg, MD to Dawson on May 21, 2016.
Family members made contact with Roger Schneider, from our club, to enlist help in setting up and operating this layout in its new home. Watch this space for information about the ongoing support members of the Pittsburgh S-Gaugers are giving the family and the museum in this important project.
Sam’s layout was featured in the Model Railroader Magazine’s “Great Model Railroads 2015” issue. Photo @Model Railroader Magazine
Photo taken in 2007 at the NASG National Convention by Bill Lane. Sam’s layout was featured in the Baltimore area layout tours.
Work to reconstruct the layout in the museum began in earnest in June 2016. A new space was specially built to duplicate the shape and size of Sam’s basement. Sam designed and built his bench work so the layout might be moved in the future, if necessary. A family friend disassembled the layout and diligently recorded all details of the 18 interlocking layout sections to aid in the reconstruction. Family members carefully wrapped all the buildings, engines and rolling stock for the move to the Pittsburgh area.