Stay away from the poisoned mushrooms.
We need to introduce him to Jared the Artist.
riogrande5761Reading this forum.
To the OP, better start saving for a huge building and lots of locos
Have a great Labor Day!
Mike.
My You Tube
Reading this forum.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
If anyone tries to build this, I hope you have a large area to house it. 12,000 condensed to 1000 feet, and divided by 87 gives an eleven and a half foot rise. At a 4% grade, this requies close to 100 feet of sloped track. Hope you have a large club to do this.
Ok folks, this may be easily the most bizarre railroad story you have ever heard. I don't actually plan on building this--more of a thought experiment. Not even sure it COULD be built, but I think MR would have a field day covering it if it did. I put it here because I envisioned it as a model railraod, and just to see what the community's reaction is. The setting is entirely fantasy, though realistic (no unicorns, giants, etc.). Equipment (where real equivilants exist) is based on North American railroading in the 70s and 80s. These would be used on the layout, so that I wouldn't have to scratchbuild everything.
Inspirations: D&RGW, CMStP&P, Tibet Railway
Premise: The railroad would be set in a landmass consisting of a subtropical coastal seaport, and a Colorado-like plateau, seperated by a Himilayas-like mountain range. While the two kingdoms initally founght, they later merged into a single state, due to economic strategy. There are only two ways through the mountains: a severeral-hundred-mile detour, or a strait shot over what is accurately called "Bandit Pass". The latter is chosen to avoid the higher elevation, steeper grades, etc. of the alternative. The grades are still steep, trains run slow, and due to the rough terrain and hostile conditions the area is only lightly patrolled, making it ideal for train robberies. All freight trains are equipped with armed cabooses for this reason. In order to get military escorts on frieghts, the railroad is largely government owned.
Equipment: Climbing out of both major cities, a fleet of EMDs would be used. Electric helpers would tack on to carry the train up the steepest grades, but due to concerns of winter icing on the catenary, the electrics cut off and are replaced by Gas Turbine locomotives to haul the trians over the 12000-odd-foot summit of the pass. Turbines are chosen since they don't require catenary and do better in lower-oxygen environments. The turbine locomotives may or may not have gun ports as well due to the bandits.
Ok...thoughts? Honestly I just want to see what everyon's reaction is. DOn't worry about offending me, I know this premise is as solid as a brick of swiss cheese. Though of course, if you ever build this thing, please do mention me
The Beaverton, Fanno Creek & Bull Mountain Railroad
"Ruby Line Service"