After writing my last post on how plausible a trans-Oregon Regional would be, I came up with a fictional story for my Oregon Midland RR:
The Oregon Midland RR System of today was formed in 1970 by the merger of a number of shortlines in Oregon and the Southwestern corner of Washington. The Newport Terminal, a small shortline serving the industries in Newport, and logs from the surrounding hills, The Willamette Valley Central, a larger shortline operating a secondhand line running between Portland and Douglas Junction, and the Washington Pacific, a shortline serving industries along the Washington Side of the Columbia River. The new regional aquired trackage rights over the Southern Pacific, (which later became the Willamete & Pacific) to Toledo, to access the Newport Terminal, and Trackage rights over the BNSF to Kelso to reach the Washington Pacific. It interchanged with the SP (later UP and Willamette & Pacific) in Corvallis, the Burlington Northern Portland and Kelso. It also interchanged witih a shortline, running from the Willamette Valley to Bend, The Keizer, Bend, and Corvallis. The new system carried forest products to the KBC interchange, where it was taken to a sawmill in Bend. From there, it was returned ot the Oregon Midland, and taken to interchange, and lumber yards. The saw dust was taken to a paper mill along the Washington Pacific. It also carried Grain, it picked up from the KBC to ports along the Washington Pacific. Another shortline merged into the Oregon Midland, was the Boise and Central Oregon railroad, which served the industries of the Boise River Valley, especialy barley, which it carried to a brewery in Burns, and, the other goods from Boise westward to the Willamete Valley, and Columbia River Ports. Meanwnhile, the Keizer Bend and Corvalis had expanded in the early 20th century, eastward, and made it as far as Burns where it conected with the B&CO, which, in 1970 was merged into the ORM. THe KB&C interchanged with with the B&CO, and operated as a bridge line between it and the main ORM system. To streamline matters, the Oregon Midland bought out the KB&C in 1992, to gain complete control of the line from Corvalis to Boise.
Well... Comments?
If you want to see my previous post, read it here: http://cs.trains.com/trccs/forums/t/153459.aspx
The Beaverton, Fanno Creek & Bull Mountain Railroad
"Ruby Line Service"
Now this is only my opinion, but I personally do not care for long and drawn out "how the railroad was created stories". They just always seem to be contrived and remind me of all the begatting and begetting that was described in the first chapter of a Book I started to read once.
Well, I guess it's promising that the only criticism I get is literary criticism
Well then, that's the story I'll use.
KBC, It's good that you are enthusiastic about this and it deserves to be checked out. You remind me of myself in that I'll have a line of thought loaded with a lot of information. I've learned over the years to break them up when behind a keyboard. Let's try that here. Hope you don't mind .
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From KBCPresident,
The Oregon Midland RR System of today was formed in 1970 by the merger of a number of shortlines in Oregon and the Southwestern corner of Washington.
1.The Newport Terminal, a small shortline serving the industries in Newport, and logs from the surrounding hills.
2. The Willamette Valley Central, a larger shortline operating a secondhand line running between Portland and Douglas Junction.
3. The Washington Pacific, a shortline serving industries along the Washington Side of the Columbia River.
This new regional aquired trackage rights over the Southern Pacific, (which later became the Willamete & Pacific) to Toledo, to access the Newport Terminal. It also acquited trackage rights over the BNSF to Kelso to reach the Washington Pacific.
Interchanges include:
1. SP (later UP and Willamette & Pacific) in Corvallis.
2. Burlington Northern Portland and Kelso.
3. A shortline, running from the Willamette Valley to Bend, The Keizer, Bend, and Corvallis.
Shipments:
The new system carried forestry products to the KBC interchange, where it was taken to a sawmill in Bend. From there, it was returned ot the Oregon Midland, and taken to interchange, and lumber yards. The saw dust was taken to a paper mill along the Washington Pacific. It also carried Grain, it picked up from the KBC to ports along the Washington Pacific.
Another shortline merged into the Oregon Midland, was the Boise and Central Oregon railroad, which served the industries of the Boise River Valley. A frequent shipped commodity was barley, which it carried to a brewery in Burns. Other goods are shipped from Boise westward to the Willamete Valley, and Columbia River Ports.
Meanwnhile, the Keizer Bend and Corvalis had expanded in the early 20th century, eastward, and made it as far as Burns where it conected with the B&CO, which, in 1970 was merged into the ORM. THe KB&C interchanged with with the B&CO, and operated as a bridge line between it and the main ORM system. To streamline matters, the Oregon Midland bought out the KB&C in 1992, to gain complete control of the line from Corvalis to Boise.
"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"
The story sounds good enough. I bet if you check RR maps from about 1915-1930 you'll probably find actual trackage and place names already in place. Seems there was a myriad of shortlines in the southern WA and Northern OR areas along with steamboat operations on the Columbia ans Snake rivers. BILL
KBC, hopefully you're still monitoring this thread that you've posted. Have you developed any ideas regarding your layout, its trackplan, and portion of your storyline that you might incorporate with your layout?
maxmanI personally do not care for long and drawn out "how the railroad was created stories".
They just always seem to be contrived and remind me of all the begatting and begetting that was described in the first chapter of a Book I started to read once.
AntonioFP45 KBC, hopefully you're still monitoring this thread that you've posted. Have you developed any ideas regarding your layout, its trackplan, and portion of your storyline that you might incorporate with your layout?
Only 11 years late!
Teh Oregon Midland got me through one of the most difficult years of my life when I was in and out of the hospital. It lasted a couple of years past that, but then I lost interest in model railroading to the same degree as i had and took up building other models, explorign, painting, etc.
THe railroad was a 5x10 tabletop. Since this, I haven't given an Oregon Midland expansion much thought. I've written a bit on here about my newer concept--the Greenway Road--which would be the subject of my next layout if i ever decide to build one.
That said, while the ORM is no longer operating, most of its equiptment still exists and its freight cars still make their rounds on my Dad's layout. I keep bugging him to run an ORM locomotive as run through power. but it hasn't happened yet.
If I may offer my
I like the idea of the growth of the railroad company.
Putting that onto a model railway would (I feel) need condensing to what you are going to build. As mentioned by others, other railroad companies are in the area.
Look on a map and find a possible rail route not covered by anyone.
I did a similar thing with my layout, Leeds Sovereign Street & Clarence Dock.
The beauty (I find) of choosing a route nobody else has chosen, you can research the area (the buildings, landscape, the people and other transport) and model it. You run 95% of railway vehicles are of the associated railway companies you choose. Keep on researching the area you model and you will find you have a 'living model railroad'.
Happy modeling.
David
To the world you are someone. To someone you are the world
I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought
KBCpresident AntonioFP45 KBC, hopefully you're still monitoring this thread that you've posted. Have you developed any ideas regarding your layout, its trackplan, and portion of your storyline that you might incorporate with your layout? Only 11 years late!
When I first looked in on this thread and saw that it was started 11 1/2 years ago, I broke into my usual anti-revival rage. Then, I realized that it was the OP responding 11-some years later. Welcome back, KBCpresident!
Rich
Alton Junction
richhotrain Welcome back, KBCpresident! Rich
Welcome back, KBCpresident!
Thank you! It's good to be back.
I wrote and re-wrote the history of the STRATTON AND GILLETTE so many times I lost count. I never found anything that was satisfying. I even created a whole new land mass and positioned the railroad there.
Now I am just as vague about the SGRR as I possibly can be. It isn't anywhere, but it is everywhere.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
SeeYou190 I even created a whole new land mass and positioned the railroad there.
I even created a whole new land mass and positioned the railroad there.
I have one similar--The A'ytaro Pass & Lemming RR Co. It's also set on a fictional landmass stradling a Himilayas-like mountain range. Theres a whole wacky background story for another post, but the brainstorming has included armored cabooses (for bandits), diesle, electric and turbine-powered locomotives for different elevations, and draws inspiration from the Milwaukee Road, Tibet Railway, Union Pacific among others.
NO idea how I would even begin to model that (any ideas) but I think I can relate...
KBC, Where in Oregon are you from?
I live in Bend, grew up in Coos Bay, and have included 2 landmark structures from Bend on my layout, even if it is liberally set in the south Coos Bay area.
All those names and locations are very familiar. Dan
I live in the Portland area, but I spent part of my childhood in Philomath. Ive been to Bend though. It seems lovely--during the summer anyway.