Overview of the M&K Division of the B&O

Check out the model of the M&K Division of B&O Railroad created by Don Cassler and his fellow model railroaders, Bill Hanley and Mark Vinski. Allen Keller is welcomed into Don’s home to see a 20 year long project that took place in Don’s basement. The trio formed an informal club and worked under Don’s guidance. Their model is based on memories of cherished train watching locales and was specifically designed for the space. B&O stands for Baltimore and Ohio and the B&O Railroad is the oldest railroad in the United States. The model represents the railroad in West Virginia where mountain grades are common, thus needing helpers with long trains of 50 cars. Helper engines assist trains that need more power to climb a gradient. The model has a minimum radius of 48 inches and a maximum radius of 50 feet to accommodate to the mountainous environment. All of the curves in the model are extremely elevated. The 20 years of work really shows through with this incredible M&K masterpiece.