Returning after two years of COVID break, our ‘St. Albans Chesapeake & Ohio Modelers Meet’ finally convened for the weekend of March 25, 2022, this time at a new, fine location: The Chief Logan State Park Lodge. We moved from Hawks Nest to Logan, as the new venue offers many more guest rooms – enough for any and all attendees!
Attendance was good, energy high, and camaraderie warm, getting together for the first time in three years with all our C&O friends from across 11 states, including Michigan, Florida and Texas. Stellar presentations, outstanding models on display, a thousand items for sale by the C&O Historical Society and West Virginia Hobbies, and everyone railfanning the area, made our ‘Modeler’s Meet’ THE C&O event of 2022. (All photos by Jim Butler, except as noted.)
And mark your calendar for next year’s ‘St. Albans C&O Modeler’s Meet’ at Chief Logan State Park Lodge, March 31-April 1, 2023.
One of our newest members of SACOM, and first-time attendee of our ‘St. Albans C&O Modeler’s Meet,’ Micah Mocnik won this Walthers C&O GP7, which will be pulling freight at our April SACOM layout’s operating session, this one to be staged in the mid-1970s. This raffle prize was graciously donated by one of our members. 
Tyler Wylie, Paul Tabit and Jesse Smith, conducting the raffle. Purchase of raffle tickets by the membership helps sustain our organization over the next year. 
SACOM President Tyler Wylie oversaw the raffle and auction, traditionally closing our weekend event. Here, Mike Burgett demonstrates the workings of an old C&O trackside phone, one of the donated items. Raffle items were donated by West Virginia Hobbies, the C&O Historical Society, Walthers, Micro Trains, and Dave Wetterstroem, with proceeds to SACOM. A great thank you to all the donors! The event’s registration and raffle proceeds comprise our primary fundraising event for the year, and finally after two years’ pandemic, our organization is back on track! 
The 5-foot-long, HO scale model of one of C&O’s steam-powered Lake Michigan car ferries. Jesse Smith’s scratch-built ‘S.S. Spartan’ was begun in 1982… and belatedly finished as a pandemic project in 2020. 
One car brass, the rest kit-bashed, these expertly-finished HO scale cars represent all six types of C&O’s heavyweight tail-end observation cars for their passenger trains – 1930 through 1950. The crisp detail, clean work, and working lighting made Frank Goad’s display a highlight. 
Also on display were 3-D printed passenger car sides for various C&O heavyweight cars, created by Dave Wetterstroem, soon to be offered for sale by SACOM. 
Several T-track modules were on display, as here, Thurmond, created by Bill Madden. 
HO scale, super-detailed, painted and weathered C&O box cars were displayed by Andy Cummings, whom also presented an outstanding talk on the subject. Excellent presentations on C&O subjects at the conference included talks by Karen Parker, Greg McCartney, Mike Burgett, Jesse Smith, Andy Cummings, Craig Wilson and Mark Totten. 
Always interesting, are the many model displays provided by members, including Jim Butler’s well-weathered C&O steam and equipment. A sincere thanks to all that brought their fine models for display! 
Part of the alure of the coalfields of Southern West Virginia is the earlier railroad heritage, including C&O K-4 2-8-4 Kanawha #2755, on display at Chief Logan State Park. The Park’s Naturalist, Lauren Cole graciously opened the engine for our close inspection. 
From our event, the morning and afternoon free-time before each evening’s presentations was spent exploring the coalfields of Southern West Virginia. Here, with springtime buds on the trees and a snow squall rolling across the valley, Raleigh Burger caught the T207 at Henlawson, WV, heading west toward the main line from Peach Creek yard. 
Empties heading for Peach Creek on the Logan Sub. take the siding here at Ranger, WV, for a meet with coal loads heading for the main line. Raleigh Burger photo.