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The advice from other modelers on this thread is excellent - If you understand how prototype railroads overcame obstacles in order to move people and goods from one location to another, and how they operated over those railroads you'll have a much better foundation on which to select, research and construct your model railroad. And the more you'll be satisfied with it over the long haul. Resist the urge to buy models not of the same era , motive power w/ different road names, or try to model all of the UP or N&W in their entirety, and buy the best stuff that fits your budget. The two books mentioned by IRONROOSTER are invaluable; mine are many years old, all dog-eared, and should be on your short list of things to buy first. If I can recommend a few prototypes to consider: Southern's Murphy Branch (in western NC), South Pacific Coast (SP branch -SF Bay Area thru Santa Cruz Mtns to coast), joint NYC & PRR Elmira Branch (upstate NY) & CP/Kettle Valley Railway in western Canada. Each one of these offers lots of potential 'that's something I gotta model' and there is sufficient background material for researching each of these examples, Short trains were appropriate on each, geography played a major factor in their route selection and subsequent operating struggles Tight curves, steep grades and some tunnels and small, scenic towns and diverse industries make them more like what most model railroads incorporate to increase the apparent distance from point A to point B. If you're interested in any of these I can provide list of publications that will fill in the details. Let me know.
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