I'm looking for a railroad to use as a basis for a freelanced layout. What are some present day shortlines or regional railroads that would be good to research? I need a line that is primarily a grain hauler. I don't want to model a "broke, busted, and disgusted" company, but rather one that has good infrastructure, well maintained locomotives, and some six-axle power. Any suggestions?
Dakota
Kankakee, Beaverville, & Southern would be one.
Looking at the website, I guess it doesn't have six axle power, but its converted GP40s into GP38-2Ms are well maintained.
http://www.kbsrailroad.com/
- Douglas
Up until recently, it was an all alco opperation. Atlas has a couple models painted for kbs too. You could say a holdings company that holds the kbs holds your line as well. Explaining the alcos and the manicured mainlines. As for the six axle, not sure of any grain haulers that use six axle. With all the sd40-2 s. On the market now, it is not out of the question for a grain hauler to six axle. Just not common.
A pessimist sees a dark tunnel
An optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel
A realist sees a frieght train
An engineer sees three idiots standing on the tracks stairing blankly in space
Iowa Interstate RR might be considered a grain hauler. They have some recently acquired six axle wide cabs. Not sure of the heritage.
Look at the Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern. Lots of grain, cement, and bentonite traffic. SD40-2 and GP38-2 locomotives...
Jim
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
Some past and present regionals. (Some have been re-acquired by class 1 carriers.) I know there are probably a few more out there.
Iowa Interstate (operates mostly exRI trackage in Illinois and Iowa)
Kyle (operates mostly exRI trackage in Kansas and eastern Colorado)
Dakota Minnesota & Eastern (exCNW in Minnesota and South Dakota, now part of CPRS. The RCP&E Jim mentioned is the west end of the old DM&E)
I&M Rail Link (exMILW lines in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri and a bit of Minnesota spun off by the Soo Line. IMRL ran into money problems and sold to DM&E and became the Iowa Chicago & Eastern. Now part of CPRS also)
Chicago Central and Pacific (exIC Iowa Division lines, Chicago to Omaha/Sioux City and some branches. spun off by ICG and bought back by IC, now part of CN)
If I were going to freelance a regional, I would (because I live in Iowa I'll use this as a location. I'm sure there are other locations in midwestern grain states that could be used, too.) probably rewrite history a bit and use for a location one of the abandoned class 1 lines. For me that would probably be the exMILW across central Iowa. Most is abandoned, but the western 100 miles or so is still operated, due to grain. On the abandoned portions there also was grain, and tweak history a bit, they could still be railroad served. (you'ld be surprised at how many large concrete elevators are abandoned now because of the consolidation of agri-industries) The old CGW is also another possiblity. Lots of grain where it used to run, but the large class 1 carriers only want 75 or 100 cars at a time. A regional would be more inclined to deal with smaller volumes and build that 100 cars from 4 or 5 elevators.
Jeff
You could always find a long since closed route and bring it back to life in the era you want to model.
Thanks for the info, good stuff. Too bad there's not a book containing all the abandoned Midwest lines haha
Another candidate - the Nebraska Central. A fairly active regional that operates several "spin off" ex-UP branches in Nebraska, the NCRR is a subsidiary of the Rio Grande Pacific system. Products include grain and ethanol, plus some steel products out of Norfolk, NE (NuCor Steel). For a while they were using some ex-GTW Geeps and miscellaneous other stuff, but in the last few years they have been running some nce looking units in their red scheme. Some nice looking SD40-2s, GP38-2s, and some oddities (and in the early 2000s they operated some ex-DRGW SD45s). The railroad looks good. Another plus is their relationship to UP. To move big grain tains they often use current UP units (which allows you to run big new units on your layout). See their website at: http://rgpc.com/railroads/nebraska-central-railroad/
Lots of photos are posted online, a quick Google seach will get you plenty.
Gary B.
Central Montana Railroad
You can model prosperous to almost busted. Trestles, tunnels and wonderful scenic elements.
Pics here
"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."-Albert Einstein
http://gearedsteam.blogspot.com/
Check out the Red River Valley & Western. They operate using rebuilt EMD GP20's, CF7's and a few switchers. They are up in North Dakota, and have their own trackage as well as running on BNSF with trackage rights.
Modeling whatever I can make out of that stash of kits that takes up half my apartment's spare bedroom.
These are some really interesting lines. As mentioned above, I think it would be fun and plausible to find one of these lines and use its paint scheme, etc. to represent ownership by the same parent company.
Has anyone heard of the Southwestern Railroad in the Texas Panhandle? I had an old MR issue from 1997 that advertised a VHS about the shortline and included info on building a 5x9 layout modeling it. I think the line has been abandoned, but I've never been able to find hardly any info of it at all. I do think the railroad of the same name in New Mexco was affiliated with it in some way, which is still in operation. I believe the Texas version was called the Shattuck Branch. I think I remember them having a couple SD45s.
Surprised the obvious one wasn't mentioned yet. :P
Beat me to it on the Farmrail suggestion. Google Farmrail.com and you can get info and rail maps.
Paul D
N scale Washita and Santa Fe RailroadSouthern Oklahoma circa late 70's
InterMountain was supposedly going to produce the chop nose GP in Farmrail paint too.
While not technically a shortline or regional...
I'd like to nominate the C&NW's cowboy line across Northern/Northwestern Nebraska. Towards the end, it saw little traffic and took on the appearance of a regional/shortline.
I've always loved the Sandhills of Nebraska and thought it would be fun to model the region.
bmikes9900 While not technically a shortline or regional... I'd like to nominate the C&NW's cowboy line across Northern/Northwestern Nebraska. Towards the end, it saw little traffic and took on the appearance of a regional/shortline. I've always loved the Sandhills of Nebraska and thought it would be fun to model the region.
Never thought of that! It's a neat idea, and the C&NW's green and yellow made for some sharp locomotives in my opinion. Any idea what types of power was used during that time?
Ive never been good at identifying motive power. There are a handful of video's on youtube if you search for "C&NW Cowboy" that might help answer your question. I know the regional/shortline spinoff NEBKOTA has a GP7 and/or SD7.
There was, and still is, a place just west of Chadron, NE call Dakota Jct, where the line split off and went up through Rapid City towards Colony WY. Otherwise the line continued west and crossed the BN(SF) at Crawford NE.