Of dream and Reality!

[on30francisco]

I'm modeling the Tres Arboles Railroad. It's a freelance narrow gauge railroad that runs through the hills of the eastern part of the country around the mid to late 1920s. Its principal industry is logging but it shares some trackage with another narrow gauge line that provides limited passenger service and hauls freight. The equipment is a mixture of Maine two foot and Western three foot railroads (the best of both worlds).

[leighant]

I am interested in the Santa Fe and I grew up in Houston. I would like to have a railroad similar to several aspects of the Santa Fe within 50 or 75 miles of Houston, and came up with a kind of simplified schematic-- The Santa Vaca and Santa Fe.
It is not exactly like the real Santa Fe and I have ficticious names for the stations. Santa Vaca is a big city like Houston, with interweaving schedules of the Texas Chief, california Special/Texan and the Ranger. But whereas the real Houston is at the end of a branchline of the Santa Fe, and the downtown station (now a baseball park) was a stub on a wye, my city would be through line and a through station in the mission design.
I also want to model something like Galveston. My version would be Karankawa, and island seaport, very closely patterned on Galveston except that it would have a few interesting neighborhoods and architectural areas that the real railroad doesn't pass.
I have actually modeled a segment based on the Santa Fe's secondary main through the Piney Woods to Silsbee and Beaumont on a small 3'x7' layout.
Would like to have a big dream layout that has all three features-
piney woods line
big metropolitan city on the mainline
island seaport

I recently figured out on paper-- rather in cyberspace- how to fit all these into a reasonable size room, when someone in this or a similar forum complained that their 14' x 28' space was too big and they didn't know what to do with it. But having such a room available is for me right now only a dream.

But at least I have one part of my dream, and my operation railroad has traffic connections to industries on the part of the overall layout that are as yet only a dream. My piney woods town with its creosote treating plant routes treated pilings to the island seaport,
my lumber mill ships finished lumber to retail lumberyards in the big city of Santa Vaca, and tetraethyl lead antiknock compound produced in Santa Vaca is shipped ACROSS my modeled scene to the staging track representing refineries in the unmodeled city of Lost River (my version of Beaumont).

Kenneth L. Anthony, Santa Vaca & Santa Fe Rwy, Corpus Christi Texas

[lupo]

QUOTE: Originally posted by 4884bigboy

I'm going to be modeling the UP (gasp!) in 1940-50 in Cheyenne, Wyoming between Odgan, Nevada or someplace over there. Prototype equiptment, fictional track layout. I want to have some sort of fictional RR on my layout ,too, but I can't think of a good name. Anyone want to help me out?

Same for me, only 1950 - 1960, a place with much open space, less trees ( good model trees are expensive) Prototype equipment and fictional steam and diesel Locomotive Servicing Terminal - I got a great MR book about that by Marty McGuirk-
and offcourse a " wrong side of the tracks scene" [:I]
the Servicing Terminal is also a good excuse to put in all the UP locomotives I got: steam and diesel and maybe some deisel [:D] must checkout roster for that[:o)]
for the fictional railroad: what about the Utterly Pathetic, if the Union Pacific insists in charging us too much for use of their name and stuff you only need to change or rub off the roadnames on the locomotives but keep the colorscheme.

[Anonymous]

OK, I kind of forgot this topic, so I now decided I need to make some kind of comment:

QUOTE: Originally posted by IRONROOSTER

My line is named the Virginia and Lake Erie - the "Vale Route". The V&LE runs from Norfolk Va thru Winchester/Harper's Ferry area and Pittsburgh to Erie, Pa. with a branch to Chicago. Of course only part of that will fit in the train room. But I like PRR so it has running rights over the line. Am planning a narrow gauge line based on the Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington, but haven't decided on a name for it yet.
Enjoy
Paul

OK, I live 8 miles from Harpers ferry, so if you want some photos let me know. Second of all, how will you have Harpers ferry and all involved? will you model existing line or have your own. The current line branches with one fork going to winchester, and one following the river towards Martinsburg to Chicago. The only way that I know of right now to get there from Norfolk is to take the line to DC, then go up the old B&O line from there (Through my home town of Brunswick of course, once home of the largest yard in the country..ahem.. for at least year) and on eight miles to Harpers ferry, where the past mentioned split in the line is (without a "Y").........can you tell I am very Accuracy specific about my area? Does NS connect with Winchester?

and now:

QUOTE: Originally posted by ebriley

Taking a cue from the Pennsylvania Reading Seashore Lines (a real fallen flag!) I have considered doing a "Pennsylvania Santa Fe Midwest Lines" layout. So far I have not done so, however.

Ed

Hey ed- you'r modeling close to me, "Pennsylvania Santa Fe Midwest Lines" and "Pennsylvania and Santa Fe Railroad" are almost one in the same. (When's the merger? ha ha ha, had to put some humor in somewhere) What would really be hilarious would be if our logo designs were the same.

and finally, I guess I'll get off now and make my layout a website, the url will be: http://trainheartedguy.tripod.com/psfrr/index.htm

[Hawks05]

7 kids? wow. kind of a cool way to get your children involved in the hobby.

[joecool1212]

My Railroad is the Hartville RR. It takes place sowhere in Pa. I run all kinds of motive power. This could be a present day RR. Somthings are different like CSX still runs SCL and Chessie names and BNSF still runs BN in green and Santa Fe in warbonnet with proper lettering. The name of my railroad comes from my wife liking harts and it was the only way to get her interested. I also let each of my children own there own railroads. I am president of CSX my 2nd son is VP Seaboard systems. Oldest daughter is VP Chessie System. Next daughter President UP, Next daughter Norfolk Southern. next son President BNSF, Next daughter VP Santa Fe Division. And youngest daughter President KCS. They all feel like there a part of it and i even talk about whats going on with the real railroads with each kid. When we train watch they all look for their locos or even old cars like Chessie. My oldest daughter even named her first cat Chessie. All their RRs visit our servicing faucility. They like to see their own engines on the track. Its fun for the whole family . We all work together learning different parts of modeling and with such a big group we all like somthing different. Im not much into scenery but my wife and girls love it. I like to lay track and wire it. So its a little of a dream and reality all in one. Joe

[Hawks05]

take 2 local towns and add Western to it. thats what Greyhound told me. and i did that. sounds pretty cool. i'm debating between Baldwin Rail and Baldwin-Woodville & Western. i'll have to come up with something.

[Anonymous]

I'm going to be modeling the UP (gasp!) in 1940-50 in Cheyenne, Wyoming between Odgan, Nevada or someplace over there. Prototype equiptment, fictional track layout. I want to have some sort of fictional RR on my layout ,too, but I can't think of a good name. Anyone want to help me out?

[Hawks05]

i'm going to model mainly BN and its subsidaries (GN and CB&Q mainly). i'm also going to have some Rock Island stuff floating around. and some freight cars from different road names.

with the help of Greyhound Challenger i came up with the Baldwin Rail. i figure it should be to hard to put that on a locomotive or something like that. the first thing i'll paint will be a piece of junk caboose i have. just to see what it looks like. then if i like it i'll move onto locomotives or something.

[Anonymous]

Just read my profile. I cover this topic with great detail.

James.

[NevinW]

I model the B&O FM&P branch (also known as the Sheepskin) in Morgantown WV. Back in the early 50's it was a heavily traveled coal route with Western Maryland trackage rights. Many glass factories. I model the town of Morgantown. It is now a rail trail, but many of the buildings still exist. Eric Hansmann described the area in Model Railroad Planning 2001. My trackplan is similar to his but mine is in a 10 X 20 room. Despite being friends, we came up with our trackplans competely indepedently. My version is now about 85% complete. - Nevin

[joseph2]

I model a fictional merger of the Erie and the Milwaukee because I like the Erie Lackawanna's paint scheme and western scenery.I haven't decided on a era,sometimes I run1920s other times 1980's.

[dragenrider]

My railroad is the Cedar Branch & Western. It's time period is "a few years back". The railroad location is vague, rumored to be around the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas. It's a shortline sporting a few black over yellow engines, mostly older GPs and some SW's. The line happens to connect at each end with a Missouri Pacific division, so run throughs by the Mopac are common. [:D]

The CB&W is based loosely on the current Missouri and Northern Arkansas RR, Arkansas & Missouri RR, and the long defunct Arkansas and Ozarks. [:(]

It's a fantasy layout as far as existing, but the Mopac part is prototypical. As the Outback Steakhouse ad says, "No rules, just right!" [^]

[Anonymous]

I my line is the Endsville Milling railway with CNW having trackage rights.

[Anonymous]

I'm modelling a fictional museum line vaguely inspired by the Illinois RR Museum - this means I can run pretty much anything that will fit!

[Anonymous]

My line is a fictional line called Delaware Central. The Central inter-changes with both PRR and B&O. Its late 60’s - early 70’s. PRR never merged with NYC. The scene is city based with some industrial switching. Both PRR and Amtrak serve the city. Yes PRR is still running passenger trains.

[IRONROOSTER]

My line is named the Virginia and Lake Erie - the "Vale Route". The V&LE runs from Norfolk Va thru Winchester/Harper's Ferry area and Pittsburgh to Erie, Pa. with a branch to Chicago. Of course only part of that will fit in the train room. But I like PRR so it has running rights over the line. Am planning a narrow gauge line based on the Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington, but haven't decided on a name for it yet.
Enjoy
Paul

[ndbprr]

I have wavered over the years. First I started to model the PRR and then went the freelance idea based on a PRR controlled railroad - the Allegheny - that followed PRR practice but with its own paint scheme and gave PRR trains trackage rights. Now I am swinging back to modeling the PRR pretty much exclusively and working out the details to a large one mile stretch of the corridor in full scale. I have this idea that if I can model a stretch in full scale I can use a regular clock to operate and eliminate selective compression plus cut down on typical maintenance problems of larger layouts. Basically I am reversing what most of us do. I'm creating a railroad for a 30' by 40' space that could be done in a 10' by 20' space typically. I'll find out in a couple of years if I am correct in my thinking.

[Anonymous]

Taking a cue from the Pennsylvania Reading Seashore Lines (a real fallen flag!) I have considered doing a "Pennsylvania Santa Fe Midwest Lines" layout. So far I have not done so, however.

Ed

[Anonymous]

I created a partially fictional short line: the California Southern, a part of the Southern Pacific system in the Harriman period. I haven't worked out the details of the backstory yet. The time period is 1900-1915 in Southern California.

The line's bread an butter is: citrus produce, on the hoof beef, raw and refined petroleum products and borax...all historically accurate...and exurban passengers connecting with San DIego.

For rolling stock and motive power the road has castoffs from SP, UP, TP and the Southern Pacific de Mexico as well as some shop-built ( to my designs) light rail combines.

The line's livery is railroad roman in, (what else ;) ) avocado green and sunset orange.

Anyone who cares to comment feel free, I welcome ideas and criticism.

Randy

[CP5415]

All the above.
I'm modeling the Canadian Pacific (reality) that meets up with the MEC. (reality)
The MEC is still the MEC not Guilford. (one that existed)
They meet up in New York state. ( I believe fantasy )

Gordon

[GDRMCo]

The Great Dividing Range Mining & Manufacturing Company (GDRM&MCo) used to be the Great Dividing Range Mining Company until a recent merger with Mt. Isa Manufaturing Pty. Ltd. (MIMPty.Ltd.). The GDRM&MCo now mines minerals and makes products for rail, sea and land transport, and mining and domestic uses. Before the merger the GDRMCo traded all their EMD locomotives for GE AC4400CW, C44-9W and AC6000CW locomotives. The GDRMCo kept one SD70MAC for upgrading. This locomotive is now complete and has been reclassified as Special Duty 70 series Distibuted Power Alternating Current enhanced (SD70DPACe). Here is a pic.
[img.nr]C:\Documents and Settings\darryl\My Documents\My Pictures\SD70DPACe[/img.nr] And here is a pic of a GDRM&MCo AC4400CW.
[img.nr]C:\Documents and Settings\darryl\My Documents\My Pictures\GDRM&MCo AC4400CW[/img.nr]

[Anonymous]

My line the Santa Fe and San Diegan (SF&SD) represents the Santa Fe's route from LA to San Diego. It actually starts at Santa Ana through the Santa Ana Canyon. The era is the 50's to the 60's and includes long distance passenger trains such as the "Grand Canyon" and "The Fast Mail Express. There is also a SP line that continues east of Palm Springs. But.....Santa Fe will go all the way!!![:D][8D][:)][;)][swg]

[Anonymous]

I'm curious as to what everyone (who models) is modeling. Is it a existing railroad, one who had existed, or is it a fantisy line?

---

My line is the "P&SFRR", the Pennsylivania & Santa Fe Railroad. Its story: "The P&SFRR is what would exist if the AT&SF and PRR had merged in pre Penn Central days. The line would soon begin to take over other small lines, until it was the largest line in the country, running trans-contenentaly. Due to federal regulation, the line woul have to split into multiple, self governing rrs, under a larger corperation, thus running any era of scheme, depending on an area's original line."
This allows me to have CSX, B&O, WM, SF, BN, PRR, etc. running the same line. (Can you tell i cannot repaint my trains, and I aint gonna try again, ruined a few ok car appearances trying!)