Prototype or Freelance? What's better

[Anonymous]

I am curious as to what most of you enjoy more or most of all about this hobby. Do you like freelance collecting or modeling what you want to for your own purpose, maybe fun and enjoyment. Or do you enjoy prototype operations, operating like the real railroads, researching real situations and applying the actual details from real life situations. Or do either of these terms matter to you.
I enjoy freelancing I'd say. I live in Seattle & model modern era trains. BNSF & UP both operate here. I take pictures & notes of the railroads in my area for fun & recreation. I see trains all day long at work which is fun. I collect equipment that I see in my area that I like, but I don't worry about the exact engine numbers and exact operations of the equipment. I enjoy building scenes, detailing buildings, weathering locomotives and rolling stock as I see fit. I have a small 4' x 8' layout and sometimes run the trains while I work on kits and painting. I just do what I enjoy. I hear so much these days about prototype, prototype, prototype? I'll admit the model railroad equipment is getting very well detailed these days, more prototypical equipment looks great on a layout. The price for some of this stuff is getting getting more prototypical too though, although plastic is a lot cheaper than brass. I thought this was a hobby. It sounds like people are getting too uptight sometimes, let's have some fun here. I read magazines and see some ridiculous things written. Sometimes I wi***hey would just fill the magazines from cover to cover with nice detail pictures from peoples layouts across the country and not write a word, I'll read the ads instead. Let me know what you feel about this, voice your opinion.

[thirdrail1]

Some of us enjoy learning more as part of the hobby. I worked for railroads my entire career and can say there wasn't a time I was not learning more about this fascinating industry and still haven't scratched the surface. I personally think far too many people think "model railroading is fun" and that they can't have fun if they are learning something or improving their skills. These people do not know what they are missing by not trying to make each model they build better and more prototypical than the last.

[Anonymous]

I think you've actually asked two different questions. Let me start with the first. Prototype or Freelance? Actually, there is a third option; Protolance, which is what I do. A prototype modeler takes a real railroad, and tries to duplicate it in exact scale dimensions. The freelance modeler simply makes up or creates whatever they want without any boundries or limitations. The third option, Protolance, takes a real railroad (in my case, the Missouri Pacific) where you can draw off of a rich history, but you can freelance the future part. For example, in my world, the Missouri Pacific became the dominate partner in the 1980 merger, and the UP disappeared as part of the new MOPAC. Now I have history, and paint schemes as a base, and can take the new railroad anywhere I want. I think this is the easiest of the three, but not always the "best". After reading your post, you also seem to ask the question of playing trains or operations. I have noticed there have always been three types of model railroader; modeler, railroader, and collector. The modeler tends to build things either from kits or from scratch. Their enjoyment comes from the construction phase, and I've seen people tear-down beautiful layouts because they feel they are "finished" and they can begin construction again. Then there is the railroader. These people like to run trains. Sometimes just in circles, or all the way to full-blown operations. To them the scenery and added details tend to be secondary. Then you have the collector, a person who neither builds much, or runs much. Mostly their trains are in display cases, and they search for unique items to add to their collection. I would have to fall into the railroader catagory. My layout is almost completed as far as track work, but not much scenery. I do operating sessions almost nitely. This is too intense for most, so I only invite others over sparingly. Which is best? All. None. The best part of this Hobby is that fact that we can all participate, at what ever level we choose. It's strictly up to you. You can challenge yourself to achieve higher levels (I never even dreamed of scratch-building turnouts when I started), or you can choose not to do so, and use the time simply to relax. It's a wonderful, and perhaps the "greatest" hobby!
MOPAC 1

[BRAKIE]

Pete, Both gentlemen have offered excellant advice.Now, I will throw my hat into the ring.The real question is this What do you enjoy doing? There are many ways to enjoy the hobby.One can model to the Nth degree or he can be more relax in his modeling both ways have their merits. Then there is "good enough" modeling that is where you model a given rail road engines to the point where they look right,but not overly detailed.I model the C&O /Chessie(c&o) my engines are not greatly detatiled but do have the C&O look.(bells on the short hood of the GP7/9s Bells mounted on the side of the hood on the low nose geeps my GP30 have both sets of horns on the cab.)You see,you have no need to count every bolt and nut to have a passible locomotive. now, if that is what you enjoy then by all means do it.I also model my own free lance short line set in 75.When you freelnce you can have the locomotives that say,the C&O didn't have but,you just happen to like.Now,you should NEVER worry about what other modelers do or think. I fell into that trap once never again.I was so worried about what others thought that I lost the most importent thing in the hobby.That is the enjoyment I got from the hobby for myself.so,I urge you not to fall into that trap.Enjoy the hobby for what you want,not what others think or do.Yes, modelers do get uptight over nothing,but,some fail to see this as a hobby to be persue differently by different folks.Their way may not be the way for others to enjoy the hobby.Could you imagine how boring this hobby would be if it wasn't different? As I have stated time and again there is room for all types in this hobby.Thank goodness there is no right/wrong way to enjoy the hobby.

[Anonymous]

I guess you could say I do it both ways. I am modeling a specific place (UP line from Houston TX to Galveston TX and the yards on the island) but in my world there is much more traffic here. almost all of my equipment is Union Pacific, with some BNSF thrown in. I am trying to keep my railroad in the current time period, but i love to run some older locos sometimes. I am just getting ready to start my railroad. currently, I am basically a collector, especially passenger trains. what I really like to do is run my trains and watch long trains running through the scenery. if the train doesnt have at least 30 cars it does not look right to me, so my railroad will have long open streches of open track and broad curves. If I want a Rio Grande SD90MAC on my coal train. I put one. I am no rivet counter, If it looks good enough for me, it goes. I dont really plan any scheduled operations. but i do like to do switching. i'll just stick a car where it needs to be and go on. I hear all these people complaining about how a model loco sits too high or too low, or how a freight car has the wrong brake equipment etc.... that stuff i dont care about. as long as it looks good to me and it runs reliably, I will run it.


just another opinion...rambling on and on and on..

[Anonymous]

There is another variant to the "protolance" type of model railroading. The one that I subscribe to is having a railroad that didn't exist but could have. My Tioga & Great Lakes is what would be called a regionl railroad today. In my mind the T&GL was chartered and for the most part, built in the 1880s and early 1890s. It runs from a connection with the Reading and Pennsylvania railroads in Williamsport PA north to Rochchester NY and from a Lackawana and Erie railroads connection in Binghamton NY west to Erie PA. The area that I model on my layout(still under construction)will be the Williamsport branch circa 1956. By using equipment, vehicles, and scenery correct for the era and interchange with some run through power from the RDG, I can create a model railroad set in a definite time and place. Anyone seeing the layout will be able to have the feel of a real railroad at a real place in a real time in the past, even though it never really existed.

[Anonymous]

Charles,

My logging railroad is being created using that same idea. All aspects of the modeling are based on the reality of the time period being modeled which in turn makes the model railroad believable.

I liken layout modelers to authors. Authors write fiction or nonfiction. A good novel contains descriptions, settings, dialogue etc. that fit the time and place that the story takes place. If not, the story is not as believable.

Dogger Rog

[douginut]

Pete,
FREELANCE!
Why? becaust my best friends in the hobby are merciless nit pickers who look at my work and rub their chins thinking to themselves and then the next time I see them seem a little dejected because they could not find pics of the prototype and measurements to compare..
I also am nearly exclusively electric with the occassional steam or diesel that interested me.
These same nit pickers are DELIGHTED if I can find an error on their trains. I just find the exercise tiring so I freelance.
If I have a model from a prototype road I make sure that the numbers are one or two beyone the last one in the prototype series.
As everyone else has said this is for FUN, like whatever raised your pantagraph!

Doug

[Anonymous]

Thank you everyone for your posts. I was curious as to what most people thought about those modeling issues and wondered what everyone likes about the hobby. I've enjoyed reading and learned a few things, which is always fun. I think the thing I like most about this hobby is learning something new, it keeps things fresh and it's also alot of fun. Gives you ideas, sometimes changes the direction of your layout and model plans. When I was growing up, I was amazed at how my grandfather could pick out engine types just by certain details which I couldn't recognize, like steam engine wheel sets or the number of axles and hood details on a diesel engine, etc. I can agree that it's a great way to get more enjoyment out of the hobby. I like to build kits most of all, buildings in industrial environments most of all because I can get a lot of activity there. I think the main goal of my railroad is to get whatever new rolling stock I happen to find to fit into the layout, so I have a huge 3-bay carshop. I like BNSF equipment, mainly because I see it around home all day, but I have some other stray equipment that I like to use to change up the layout sometimes. My layout has mostly modern era stuff, but sometimes I'll pull off all the modern cars and kits and use 50-70's cars if I'm in the mood to show off the muscle cars & hot rods on my layout. Well, now I'm rambling on. Thanks for the replies everyone. I hope I didn't offend anyone. I keep hearing and reading about that stuff, and I was just curious about what you think. Thanks, Pete

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the replies. I'm not upset or anyting, I was just a bit curious. I've read alot about different types of layouts in magazines, but I never see any talk about or comparing the different issues. For the most part, I guess everyone just goes about their way and does what ever they fell like doing, whatever is fun for them. I was just wondering about how everyone felt about it. Thanks for the replies everyone.
Pete

[Anonymous]

Pete,
When I retire from the military, I plan on doing a grand layout based on the Norfolk Southern Railroad Kentucky Division. I cant see myself ever actually working on the railroad for real, and I feel thats the closest Ill come to it. But in the mean time, I am building that 4x8 layout featured in the Jan MR. Although I will make it modern instead of old west, I think it will be fun just to run trains. Building this layout actually inspired me to try my hand at handlaying track and scratchbuilding bridges. Thats fun to me. All in all Id probably go nuts without trains, its my little escape. Do what you want, have fun, and enjoy!

Matt

[Anonymous]

Pete,

This is an intersting question and you ha raised an intersting debate. I consider my self a freelance. I am currently builting my layout in a 13' x 22/ space in my basement and it is called the East River Belt Line. What make this a most enjoyable hobby to me is use your imagination. I lookk at model realroading as art form. The hobby gives us each the ability to create, learn and explore things that intrest us as individuals. I think it is a great way for us to explore and do the things we enjoy wether it is bulding the layout and equipment, running the trains or a combination of both. I think there is no wrong answer. I do think it gives each of us way of using our imaginations and creative talents.

My layout is set in currentt times. I have also set it up so i can run various different railroads. do switching and I even have a planned union station for commuter and passanger trains.

I think the biggest enjoyment comes from taking what you have in you mind and making it happen.

Good luck with you layout and thanks for giving us each an opprunity yo exprtess out thoughts.

Dave M Chicago IL

I live in near chicago, my layout is modeled for current times.

[MAbruce]

Dave,

I used to live outside of Chicago (Glen Ellyn), and grew up with a C&NW triple mainline running through the center of town. I hope to someday model something similar to it, complete with the old C&NW Bi-level commuter trains. Just curious, do you have C&NW running on your layout - maybe even a commuter train?

Bruce

[on30francisco]

I protolance. I'm modeling a fictitious eastern narrow gauge logging railroad in On30 that also has connections to freight and limited passenger narrow gauge lines. This way I can run all types of equipment. I use both two footer and three footer equipment but keep all the structures, equipment, and scenery within the time frame I'm depicting (approximately from 1900s to the 1930s).

[PennsyHoosier]

Protolance! In all honesty, no one of us could model our pike exactly like the prototype (though guys continually amaze me with their efforts). There is always an artistic element in all we do as we "massage" our layouts. On the other hand, I've seen few layouts that have successfully carried out the freelance ideal. In fact--and appropriately--most "freelance" layouts have strong debts to the real thing.

Which is all to say... What fits you best? Are you the creative, renegade type? Then emphasize freelance. Are you a rivet counter? Then emphasize prototype.

Our wonderful hobby is broad enough to embrace the full spectrum of approaches.

[Jetrock]

I think rather than being separate categories, there is a continuum between "prototype" and "freelance" style--even the most fanatical rivet-counter has to make some accomodation for the fact that they're building models, and even the most "hey, let's pull some 30' wooden boxcars with my SD70MAC" freelancer will have elements of real railroads (even if it's just some rolling stock painted in roadnames of actual railroads.)

Learning more about how real railroads operate can help a freelancer build a more convincing freelance railroad--just as a fiction writer will often do a lot of "nonfiction" research on topics related to the story they want to tell, to make the background convincing, realistic and satisfying. And prototype modelers can benefit from the perspective of freelancers--just because one chooses a specific prototype/area does not lock you into a slavish dedication to prototype practice and setting.

I model a specific prototype, but a certain number of anachronisms and freelance elements can and do pop up on my layout. Some are due to economic or convenience factors--I found some equipment painted in my railroad's colors that never ran on it, or has the wrong number, but bought them anyway because they were a good deal and it's almost impossible to find things in my roadname (Sacramento Northern) so I take what I can get.

Two things that push me in the direction of prototype modeling are my love of research and my love of history and place (the city where I live, Sacramento, CA.) I really do enjoy digging up obscure facts and sifting through old books for oddball details. Because I am very interested in the history of the city where I live, I have had the opportunity to learn more about the city and its people, and I get a big kick out of knowing what was where, as well as visualizing what things looked like when freight trains trundled down the middle of city streets now ruled only by cars!

[CP5415]

Protolance here as well.
If I had the time, I might consider going more prototypical, but since I'm still working on my first layout, I don't want to have to research everything before I build anything.
I've taken the CPR which in my world will include the D&H, SOO & Milw no matter what happens, & laid track to run some trains.
I'm attempting (hopeing) to make scenery that will be close to the US Northeast so that it looks realistic.
But for towns & industry, they'll be purely fictional.
So, for me, protolace is better.

Gordon

[FJ and G]

somewhere in the middle

[vsmith]

Holy Craparoni, this topic is older than I have been on this forum.!!!!! May 2001!!!!

There really is no answer to this Q. Its really about what YOU want. No two modelers will agree on what makes a correct approach, its too individualistic. Thats why most model RR clubs can take decades to finish a layout, everyone has a viewpoint or opinion. I say do what you find most interesting and go for it. My layout is a freelanced industrial tram line, not based on a specific prototype but influenced by many photos.

[tstage]

Are you talking locomotive or layout? If locomotive, then prototype. If layout, then neither is "better". The important thing is, is it believable?

My layout is freelance and not based on a particular section of actual trackage. BUT...I try to keep everything authentic to the time and era that I am modeling. In so doing. I have learned and am learning all sorts of interesting things about the model and real railroading.

The history and rationale of why things were the way they were is almost as fascinating to me as the hobby itself.

Tom

[Anonymous]

It is well up to to the modeler themself. It hard for someone else to say. I myself am a freelance, but use nothing but PRR locos on my Eastern RR.