Would You Model Overseas Railroads?

[METRO]

Most of the pikes I have seen in MR and in person have been United States, Canadian or Mexican lines. However, a recient trip to the LHS got me looking at Kato's N-scale lineup and how many Japanese models they offer, not just in rolling stock but in structures, figures and vehicles as well. This got me thinking and I looked around a bit: There have been, as long as I can remember, tons of German and British-line imports but with recient releases from Bachman and Kato, Asian raliroads are starting to be avalible too.

I am thinking about using Kato N-scale equipment to build a small shelf layout set in Japan, and I was wondering if anyone else has thought about setting their layouts outside of the Americas?

[lupo]

[:D] Well, I am modelling an overseas Railroad! [:D]
[%-)] but not from your perspective I guess [%-)]
I did a topic on this one some time ago would be interesting what new members
come up with!

LUPO

[Anonymous]

We do multi-national modelling. I'd encourage folks to consider it. Especially anyone working in tight spaces or wanting more apparent sense of space -- British equipment can be really short, and there's a good assortment of steam and diesel available and more on the way from Graham Farish.

Cheers,
Mo

[Anonymous]

There are so many other little side projects and such that I would rather do, that I've never considered something like that. And that's simply because you can't do everything.

---jps

[Anonymous]

sure, i'd be open to modeling a Hawian Railroad [:D][(-D][:-^]

jay

[Anonymous]

Prorably the TGV line

DOGGY

[Anonymous]

Jay,

Would a Hawaiian railroad have tighter curves and longer bridges? [:D]

[CP5415]

I'd want to model Great Britains railroads. Excellent opportunities for passenger travel with a bit of freight mixed in as well. Both steam & diesel.

Gordon

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Doggy

Prorably the TGV line

DOGGY

Sounds interesting 10 miles of dead straight line [:D]

For the rest, I'm with Lupo

[Anonymous]

A recent issue of Continental Modeller had an article on a Burmese RR. Now there is some amazing track side scenery. And all the buildings to kitbash out of corrugated metal.

--Mo

[simon1966]

My layout, while nominally in central Illinois will have a small town modelled for my birth place in the UK. I have a small roster of Hornby steam tank engines and a more recent model of the Mallard and a set of passenger cars. So I while the majority of the modelled scene will be US, I still have an excuse to pick up British rolling stock when visiting family back accross the pond.

[Anonymous]

I'm helping a fella in India get started in Model Railroading. So you could say I'm modeling a railroad overseas. After doing some research, I'm really tempted to buy a brass and metal kit of a 0-4-0 saddle tanker in OO scale and build a little mountain layout.

[Anonymous]

Yes- and I do. Om scale Swiss narrow gauge. Great prototype if you like lots of passenger trains, frequent service, sharp curves, disproportinate number of tunnels, bridges etc. for line length, mountains etc. Indeed much of Switzerland is like a giant model railroad.

[METRO]

lol a bit about Hawai'i, I have a friend who was born and grew up in Hawai'i and her relative actually worked for a Hawaian railroad. At least one actually did exist.

And about my little Japan project: I started the benchwork today, and I'll be featuring the Shinkansen line of JR West, and some of my favorite operation, commuter lines.

[Anonymous]

I do own some Tri-ang, Fleishmann and Marklin trains, but don't have a foreign model railroad yet (keyword being "yet"). For those of you who mentioned Hawaii, check out the website of the Hawaiian Railway Society. It has lots of good information and pictures. http://hometown.aol.com/hawaiianrailway/index.html

[BNSFNUT]

I have a small German prototype layout under constuction using Marklin and Roco brand equipment. I work on it when I need a change of pace from working on my main layout (BNSF prototype).

[AggroJones]

Hells no. Forign roads don't have the magic that the USA does. Nope, I'd never model any railroad outside the US and I don't even care about MR articles on forign modelled layouts. Just taking up valuble issue space. I guess some people find that stuff intresting.

Go American roads! [^]

[DSchmitt]

I like Garrett lomotives and have been tempted to model South Africa in N Scale. A lot of scatch building or bashing required.

I also have considered doing a pre-WW2 British branch line. Probably in OO Scale.

A WW1 2-ft gauge military operation in France (1/32 scale) would be neat too.

[Anonymous]

I lived in Europe for 11 years and traveled on several Euro-Rails. I've thought about doing a layout in my back yard and section it out to represent each country.

I just don't think the track would hold up well here in the hot AZ sun. [:D]

[orsonroy]

I've always liked Canadian and British steam, and have a couple Bachmann OO steamers in my collection. I don't think I'd ever actually model theose locations, though, considering how much time working on my home layout takes!

[Anonymous]

Like Lupo, I do model an over seas railroad!

It is good fun but significantly more work than modelling a local railway.

neil

[BentnoseWillie]

I have a couple of models of CSD (Czech) and DR (East German) equipment. The busier atmosphere of most European railroading has a certain appeal, with smaller trains running more often.

One of my "if time and money were no object" projects is to model a glass plant in Bohemia I once worked at that was served by CSD.

Alas, the forum doesn't support the right font to type CSD correctly...

[Anonymous]

Any more out there?

[Anonymous]

I have always modelled British steam but now I'm on this side of the pond I have no idea what I'm doing and don't care. I doubt any real RR would run the locomotives I own and I also doubt that any real RR would lay track up a mountain the way I did. I do have fun running all this strange looking stuff though. I guess I'm part of Lupo's gang.

[CBQ_Guy]

QUOTE: Originally posted by AggroJones

Hells no. Forign roads don't have the magic that the USA does. Nope, I'd never model any railroad outside the US and I don't even care about MR articles on forign modelled layouts. Just taking up valuble issue space. I guess some people find that stuff intresting.

Go American roads! [^]

Not to come off sounding like "the ugly American" here, but personally I feel the same as Aggro. I have never had any interest whatsoever in foreign trains as I think they're weird looking.

To be honest, though, I kinda like some of the Australian stuff I've seen lately, but that's probably because what I've seen seems more American looking, which, of course, is what I'm familiar with seeing.

[METRO]

Well CBQ_Guy, just think how weird our hood units must look to the Europeans (especially the British) who have a majority of their units with full-width bodies.

I actually think the future of American railroads will look more European, especially Amtrak.

[j1love]

I would love tomodel the shinkansen trains of today....but unfortuneately my small amount of research has not turned up any sources for the trains. Does anyone have a dealer,r mail order or website that sells the bullet trains of Japan???

[CBQ_Guy]

QUOTE: Originally posted by METRO
I actually think the future of American railroads will look more European, especially Amtrak.

You're probably right. Which could explain why I hate the looks of the Amtrak stuff. And what's with those butt ugly, downright weird looking Bombadier cars with exposed wheels <shudder>?

Now you know why I'm happily living in the past by modeling the 1960's, USA.

Best,

[METRO]

The Bombadier cars were designed originally for GO Transit in Toronto, and have since become one of the more common commuter cars in the country. I have tons of em for my pike, I model the area around Toronto, and I think they look kinda like big giant vitamin pills haha! I personally like em, but I also love the great old streamliners. I really do think that some countries do suffer from a lack of shined fluted stainless steel on their trains, that is something very American.

[Eriediamond]

I also would not model overseas railroads. I model steam in the 1940's early 1950's because I was growing up in that time frame and I hate to admit that I guess I'm trying to bring back memories of those days of carefree living of my youth. I'm not familiar enough with overseas trains and and for this reason only, seem a little strange to me ( not trying to offend our overseas friends here). Speaking of strange, I predict, that a few years down the road, trains here in the states will look strange compared to todays trains. I think the price of fuel will dictate more aerodynamic designs and lighter rolling stock and maybe even electrification replaceing diesel power. Time will tell.