Make up your own class 2/3 railroad

[ThamasTehTrain]

Mine: Michigan, Ohio & Indiana Railroad

Fleet

16 EMD F3s

26 EMD GP9s

7 EMD GP7s

14 GE U30Cs

4 GE C30-7s

1 Alco RS-1

2 EMD SD-38s

Total locomotives: 70

Rank: Class 2

[Ulrich]

Mine would be the the Sept Isles, Montreal,  and Western.. motive power would be 30 ES4400 CWs.. single track with  passing sidings.. only iron ore cars.. boring to watch but great for making money. 

[diningcar]

Recreate the Apache RR in Arizona - South Holbrook & Indian Territory.

[mudchicken]

[zardoz]

ThamasTehTrain

Mine: Michigan, Ohio & Indiana Railroad

Fleet

16 EMD F3s

26 EMD GP9s

7 EMD GP7s

14 GE U30Cs

4 GE C30-7s

1 Alco RS-1

2 EMD SD-38s

Total locomotives: 70

Rank: Class 2

 

You'd need a football field-sized warehouse just to store all the spare parts needed for repairs and maintenance for all of those models of locomotives; nice for train-watching, miserable for cost-control. Ulrich's idea of only one type of locomotive would be best.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

Since we're dreaming, I would revive the Chicago & Calumet River RR in my old neighborhood with some additions.  It would serve the Ford Assembly Plant and the auto-rack platforms plus the rapid transit assembly plant at the site of Pressed Steel Car Co.  Power would be three or four secondhand MP15's.