There have been some threads lately about unprototypical models and paint schemes being sold and how some are irate about such things. Well this got me to thinking about the standards we all hold our model railroads to, and I'm wondering what everyone thinks is "close enough" for their line?
I'm currently designing and building a small side layout (Conrail in Boston in the 1990s) to work on for the next few years while I'm living in an appartment and finnishing college. This is the closest to true prototype-modeling I've ever done so I've made a new set of standards for this new pike. For mine there are a few hard rules I follow for my rolling stock and a few things that I deliberately let slip. I reciently had a bit of a decision to make regarding motive power that made my rules very apparent. The Boston line primairly used GE locomotives in the 1990s and Atlas has a great B23-7 in Conrail's more modern Quality scheme, however, my LHS had P2K GP38-2s on sale for less than half the price of the Atlas B23-7s. So being the frugal modeler I am (and showing my like of second-generation Geeps) I bought the P2Ks, and three freight cars for less than the price of one Atlas.
Now when I got home I learned that the prototypes for the models I bought were ex-Penn Central 81" nose GP38-2s that were retired by Conrail before 1994. Eh, I figure I'll let it slide, I'll take some modelers license and say that Conrail didn't retire them and if anyone asks why there were Geeps doing the work usually done by Dash-7s I'll just say the GEs are in the shop.
However, there are rules I won't bend, particularly regarding the federal rules. I try to match the propper trucks for any freight car on my line to the prototype, same with ladders and brake gear. On engines, since I model Conrail, they must have the prototypical classification lights and basic detailing including signal gear, snowplows and horns as prescribed by reality. Since Amtrak also runs over my pike I try to get as close to possible (including engine and car numbers) to what was used at that time in Boston.
So what standards do others apply to their lines, I'm curious to know?
Cheers!
~METRO
well they are several standard ive set and try to obey when it comes to car
correct time frame ( i.e built date from general era)
metal wheel
proper paint scheme and appropriate roster of cars ( in my case 10% home road, 60% local cars and 30% misc. road name)
proper couplers
weathering/proper weight
general safety rules when switching/ proper speed
no fouling road crossing when spotting car
setting standard i find is a good way to limit oneself, it also help improve the entire look and feel. layout might only have 4-5 cars on it but i know whats there will perform and look the way it should