Actually, if I had UNLIMITED money - the ultimate daydream I have requires LOTS of land. On this land would be a replica village thing sort of like Greenfield Village. Powered with an era appropriate power plant. Trolley down the main street. There would also be a large 'scale' train - I've analyzed it a little and it would probably need to be around 24" gauge. But not like the Maine 2-footers, rather SCALE locos and cars where the track gauge works out to 2 feet. Also on the proerty would be a large building for a huge HO scale layout, and another for a large N scale. For atmoshpere the buildiings would be heated by coal stoves. The 24" gauge railroad would be used to haul passengers to the different areas, and also haul coal and supplies to each section. The entrance would be away from all 3 primary sections, visitors take the train to get to each display. Another line would go to a siding off a real railroad which is where coal and supplies would be delivered and transloaded to the smaller scale cars. I THINK something to that scale would be large enough that instead of riding ON the cars and locos, you could actually fit inside.
That's a somewhat recurring daydream I've had for years.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Something like this, Randy?
Have any model railroaders actually ever won a lottery?
Dave
Just be glad you don't have to press "2" for English.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ_ALEdDUB8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hqFS1GZL4s
http://s73.photobucket.com/user/steemtrayn/media/MovingcoalontheDCM.mp4.html?sort=3&o=27
steemtrayn Have any model railroaders actually ever won a lottery?
Too busy playing trains to play the lottery, alternately, spent all the lottery ticket money on trains.
Whoa! Yes, just like that Ulrich - where's that from?
rrinker Whoa! Yes, just like that Ulrich - where's that from? --Randy
Methinks tha be the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch, the world's narrowest (15" gauge) common carrier railroad.
Still running, BTW, supported in part by the local school district. The line's diesel pulls the school train, but I'd bet one of the steamers does the honors if the diesel is indisposed.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Sir Madog Something like this, Randy?
Now THAT'S a toy!!!!
Trains, trains, wonderful trains. The more you get, the more you toot!
Not really a toy, but the Romney, Hythe & Dimchurch Railway in southern England!
The RH&DR is the culmination of the dreams of two men; Captain J. E. P. Howey — a sometimes racing driver, millionaire land owner, former Army Officer and miniature railway afficionado and Count Louis Zborowski — eminantly well-known racing driver of his day (famous for owning and racing the Chitty Bang Bang Mercedes) and considerably richer, even, than Howey. Both men teamed up in the 1920´s and had this line built. It is in service now for more than 80 years!
Some more pics:
You should limit the size and complexity of your layout to something you alone can maintain. Having friends to help is great, but remember their interests and activities may make them unavailable at times. This can be a problem if one is the expert on whom you rely to repair electonic controls, or do trackwork or scenery, and he isn't available when something needs work.
Use the rest of the space for comfortable seating for spectators, refreshments, a shop to work on models. Use the rest of the money to invest, as long as that doesn't supplant model railroading as your hobby.
Whatever you want to call it it's AWESOME!!!!! And I'd love to have it my back yard! : )
Whatever you want to call it it's AWESOME!!!!! And I'd love to have it in my back yard! : )
I don´t know your backyard, but it must be a sizable one to accommodate the RHDR - it is 13,5 miles long!
Sir Madog Not really a toy, but the Romney, Hythe & Dimchurch Railway in southern England! The RH&DR is the culmination of the dreams of two men; Captain J. E. P. Howey — a sometimes racing driver, millionaire land owner, former Army Officer and miniature railway afficionado and Count Louis Zborowski — eminantly well-known racing driver of his day (famous for owning and racing the Chitty Bang Bang Mercedes) and considerably richer, even, than Howey. Both men teamed up in the 1920´s and had this line built. It is in service now for more than 80 years!
I think I saw that one in a documentary once. Very cool.
A. Wallace You should limit the size and complexity of your layout to something you alone can maintain. Having friends to help is great, but remember their interests and activities may make them unavailable at times. This can be a problem if one is the expert on whom you rely to repair electonic controls, or do trackwork or scenery, and he isn't available when something needs work. Use the rest of the space for comfortable seating for spectators, refreshments, a shop to work on models. Use the rest of the money to invest, as long as that doesn't supplant model railroading as your hobby.
Don't forget you have unlimited money. If your friends are unavailable, you could hire congress...
(... and probably cheaper than you'd think too...)
John
Penny Trains Sir Madog: Something like this, Randy? Now THAT'S a toy!!!!
Sir Madog: Something like this, Randy?
Honestly if I had room for THAT, I'd rather make room for THIS:
Why have a scaled down toy when you can have the REAL THING 1:1 in say 20" or 24" gauge, with full size stock , now THAT would be fun.
Have fun with your trains
Sir Madog I don´t know your backyard, but it must be a sizable one to accommodate the RHDR - it is 13,5 miles long!
Well it's not THAT big! But hey if I have unlimited funds I can just buy the city right!?!? lol
Becky
Hey Rich
What do you mean "IF" I had unlimited funds
Right nowi'm working on a layout plan with a large service area like the N&W Williamson yard.With the space I have now thats not going to happen without some of that darn selective compression. I would start with a plan something like the Franklin&South manchester were you have large service facilities and also city scenes with tall buildings and industries with rails servicing these areas and also winding around thru the streets. I would retain George Sellios to build these scenes. All buildings would have rooms and fully detailed interiors. All the buildings would have seperate lighting in each room tied to a computor controled lighting program which would also run the main layout lights.
In the city areas I would also like streetcars under overhead wires,animated city traffic,lights and audio.I would have different teams of professionals come in to build the majority of the layout. I would do it but i'm to busy typing,and I know from past experience if I did it there would never be any scenery.People would come once a month to do maintenance and cleaning and also to change something on the layout so I could try to find it i.e.a structure or people.
I would have all the rail custom made out of gold alloy and hire Tony Koester handlay it for me.I would replace that crummy little motor in my bascule bridge with something a little less noisy.
Finally,I would buy you a Ford GT-40 or a Ferrari Enzo (your choice) so you could come out and visit the layout.
Thanks, Philip
you know i have a nice sized layout measuring 34x16 and i would say that i would not want anything bigger because im up to my head with trying to build this thing. i start one project one day then start another one the next then get bored with the whole layout building process and stop messing with it all together. so to answer your question i would probably downsize to something more managable or start a round robin type group that works on the layout 24/7 with 24/7 access to all members to come and work when they have time.
just my thought
reggie
If I had unlimited space and funds I would still stick to something close to my 10' x 22' plan (perhaps a little larger to allow for broader curves and longer runs) and I would spend the rest of my time, money and space on classic British sports cars!!!
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
hon30critter If I had unlimited space and funds I would still stick to something close to my 10' x 22' plan (perhaps a little larger to allow for broader curves and longer runs) and I would spend the rest of my time, money and space on classic British sports cars!!! Dave
Good thing you'd have the unlimited funds, you'd need them to fight off Lucas, prince of darkness.
Looks like the Rod Stewart article posted earlier fits right in with this thread
Springfield PA
i would set aside a 20x20 area as a workroom to scratchbuild/kitbash the engines and rollingstock needed to run on the full length of the O&W. that would mean several large yards, even the Midway at Sylvan Beach. another 20x20 would be set aside for a crewroom where we can watch videos of historical runs as well as movies.
as for the weather, why not have all 4 seasons? that would of course mean plows to move the snow in the winter and washouts in the spring/summer.
get every copy of every magazine on railroading. all the relevent source material, builders blueprints so that i could build a class U 2-6-0 camelback or a 2-8-0 camelback. get every book written on model railroading, the O&W,NYC or Pennsy, throw in the L&H.
just for fun as a side project recreate the cog railsystem in the catskills.
I'm modeling "n" scale around the walls of a 11 x 25 ft. room, and while I'm very satisfied with that, if I had a 10,000 sq. ft. building, I would build a "g" scale modern switching layout with a perimeter continous run track.
With unlimited funds, one could buy a 1:1 scale shortline and play that way. I think both would be fun.