why do you model that railroad?

[IRONROOSTER]

PRR because of the Belpair firebox and GG1's, Ma&Pa because I read Hilton's book on it and liked it, the Maine two footers because of Hayden and Frary's articles on HOn2 1/2.
Enjoy
Paul

[Anonymous]

I model the Maine Central, because I grew up close to one of it's branches. No..... Wait, maybe it was just those voices in my head[:D][(-D]

[Anonymous]

I model Chessie becuase I grew up right behind the mainline. I used to watch the trains so much when I was a kid that I got to know some of the engineer's and they even let me ride in the Chessie engine while they were switching cars. I'm now modeling the Lockland yard of Chessie's which sadly was just dismantled this month! I drove by there 3 months ago to take pictures so I could model it perfectly and just the other day went by there again and all the switches and track was gone. The only thing that remains now is the yard office(Not much longer I presume...)

[AggroJones]

http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=11537

Check this out.

[Anonymous]

i model a fictional csx branch line in Pennsylvania. A CSX main line runs near my house and I figure a Pennsylvania RR could provide a small coal railroad with some mixed frieght in it too.

[orsonroy]

I model the Nickel Plate Road because it's part of my family history (my mom grew up across the street from their Chicago yard), and because some of the first railfanning trips I can remember are of my dad and I chasing NKP 765 in 1979-1980. I'm a big steam fan because of those trips, and wanted to capture the history of those behemoths on my layout.

WHERE I model is another topic. I grew up in central Illinois, so I knew the flatlands would be my location of choice (although I've lived in PA for many years and once modeled a freelance WV coal line, it never got into my blood). The NKP had three distinct lines in Illinois: the mainline to Chicago, the ex-LE&W to Peoria, and the ex-Clover Leaf to St Louis. Chicago's too big to model, and it seems everyone models the NKP to StL these days, courtesy of Tony Koester. I wanted a layout that wasn't a rehash of something someone else was doing, so I chose Peoria. Peoria ended up being a good choice, since it's close to home and is small enough to be modelable. There's also a larger diversity of railroads around Peoria to model. Finally, I'm a trained historian, so I really enjoy the research work! (basically nothing's been published on the NKP to Peoria or Peoria railroading in general)

[n2mopac]

My first layout (still in existane) was a freelanced town on MoPac's Sedalia sub in west-central Missouri in 1983 (UP merger era) I modeled this location/era because it was the time and location of my childhood (I was a freshman in high school then) and because I love MoPac. My new layout (now unders construction) is BNSF's Wichita Falls sub in north Texas in 2000. I began modeling this location because I lived near Saginaw, Texas at that time and the area begged to be modeled with a nice sized flat switched yard, a large number of industries packed tightly together right along the right of way, and interchanges with 3 other railroads (UP and 2 shortlines). It was perfect for a layout and I am loving building it.
Ron

[Anonymous]

There's a couple reasons why I model what I do. The biggest is it's what my dad handed down to me. It's also the only class one to go through my Area and finally I like csx because it leases a lot of engines so i can have multiple different locos and still be prototypical.
Andy

[vsmith]

Because it exists solely in my own head!

Being freelanced and based on several small indy and mining lines gives me the freedom to do what I feel like and not be a slave to any specific locatio, just a slave to my own warped imagination!

[cwclark]

I model the Southern Pacific in Texas because i grew up with it...not only did an SP local freight run right by my house everyday, but my grandfather, two great uncles, two uncles and a distant cousin all worked for SP...My train family used to take me to the East Yard in San Antonio and take me aboard a locomotive consist pulling long freight trains before they went out on their run while it sat at on the siding, changed crews, and waited for a "highball "green light... I always wanted to work for the railroad but never got hired after numerous attempts with putting in job applications (something about affirmative action in the late 70's) ...so modeling is the next best thing..especially the SP....Chuck

[88gta350]

I'm modeling a short line that existed in the same rural farming valley that I grew up in. The line was long gone before I was born, before my dad was born for that matter, but the area has some of the most beautiful scenery in the world if you ask me, and the valley has some large industries that could easily be served by train. The Norfolk Southern main line passes within about 10 miles, so it would be an easy connection. And of course, you're always nostalgic for a little piece of "home". That's why I decided to model present day in the valley, as if the line has survived through the years and prospered. I've got the whole story on my website if anyone wants to read it.

[Anonymous]

i've seen plenty of posts asking what railroad you model but never any asking why. did you choose it because you grew up near it? because of its geographical location or rolling stock? it would be interesting to hear some reasons

i'm 20 and am just getting back to model railroading. i've always loved trains and started buying model railroader when i was 5. when i was 4 my grandfather won a tyco train set in a raffle and that was all i played with whenever i was out at the farm. my first HO loco was a baldwin sharknose painted in the rock island's red and yellow speed lettering. and he was forever listening to johnny cash records and one of the first songs i remember liking was "rock island line". i live in canada and when i started back to serious model railroading i bought transitition era CN equipment. ithen decided that i'd be different and model the rock island in the late 70's. people kept asking me why don't you model a canadian railroad or one of the better known US lines. because a lot of people do already and i would forever be comparing my layout to the ones on the pages of modelrailroader. plus i wanted to be different and at club meetings stand out. i soon discovered that it was slightly easier to find 1950's equipment and i had always loved steamers and early diesels more then modern stuff, but when i was younger the majority of my rolling stock and other stuff i recieved as a gift and good steamers where to expensive. thats changed now because there are high quality plastic models and i have disposable income. the majority of my steam will be the athearn genesis locos and i'll try my hand at building and detailing a boswer kit this summer.