Well, I have begun the track planning stage, or in my case the doodling stage. I pretty much have the size nailed down so I’m working within that. I haven’t really come up with anything workable because I keep trying to cram too much track in and then I tear it up and start over. I would also like to have a tunnel or some other sort of hidden trackage to disguise the roundy round portion of it but since it’s small I won’t be able to make anything huge as it will look out of place. Looks like this will be a bigger challenge that I thought.
MJPinSEWII know, but like you pointed out, it’s my railroad & I can run what I want...lol
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
riogrande5761 By and large, most mainline steam was out of commercial service by the end of the 1950's, so mid-1970's isn't really a critical a critical time period for steam. As others have mentioned, if you want to run steam during the last 60 years, excursion service is the realistic solution. Of course you can always adopt the "it's my RR, I can run what I want". Many do.
By and large, most mainline steam was out of commercial service by the end of the 1950's, so mid-1970's isn't really a critical a critical time period for steam. As others have mentioned, if you want to run steam during the last 60 years, excursion service is the realistic solution.
Of course you can always adopt the "it's my RR, I can run what I want". Many do.
I know, but like you pointed out, it’s my railroad & I can run what I want...lol
I plan to run mostly smaller locomotives and shorter frei cars as it will be a smaller branch line and quite frankly, to me anyway, 70’ boxcars and 6 axle diesels would look out of place on a smaller layout such as this. If I decide to expand the layout in the future that could change. Right now I have 1 GP35 and a NW2 that are very nice runners but they are DC and I’m thinking of going to DCC so they may need to be upgraded.
cowman How deep do you plan to have your shelf? Also, do you want continuous running? Just a thought in case the 70's aren't your favorite era, you can run steam at anytime up to the present as excursion trains. I have also seen videos of rebuilt steam locos hauling a freight occasionally. Have fun, Richard
How deep do you plan to have your shelf? Also, do you want continuous running?
Just a thought in case the 70's aren't your favorite era, you can run steam at anytime up to the present as excursion trains. I have also seen videos of rebuilt steam locos hauling a freight occasionally.
Have fun,
Richard
The shelf will be 24-30” wide and will allow for continuous running.
That is how I took liberties to get what I wanted. No era was perfect for me so I made some adjustments to do it my way. My basic layout is late 70s. I like F7 so some of them have survived to operate with the rest of my fleet. I also like Santa Fe passenger so Amtrak got sidetracked and never happened on my layout until after 1980. I also wanted to run a steam engine so I have an excursion train with steam.
Why not?
Paul D
N scale Washita and Santa Fe RailroadSouthern Oklahoma circa late 70's
I figured it was time to start a new thread as opposed to adding to the old one about location. Some decisions have been made and I believe I'm ready to start the design process. I plan to model the mid-70's so I can run the diesels I like and still be able to use a steam locomotive or 2. I have a corner in our office in which to work with. Approxmately 8' along one wall and 4' along the adjacent wall. The scale will be N for several reasons 1 of which being I can fit more railroad in a smaller space plus I have more N scale equipment than I do HO. I would like to model an industrial area and possibly a small yard, not sure if I will have enough room to do both. I have been drawing some inspiration from the track plan database and I do like the Pennsylvania RR Juniata Division that was in Great Model Railroads 2014. It's a little bit large for my space so I would have to make the yard smaller. I also always liked th Back Alley & Wharf from the Jerome & Southwestern project layout from back in the 80's. I'll have to look around and see if I still have that issue.
I know there are a million more possibilities & options but now I feel like I have a starting point.