Freelance Railroad History

[E-L man tom]

My Toledo Erie Central RR history reads as folllows (copied and pasted from a word doc).

 

The Toledo Erie Central Railroad History

The Toledo Erie Central Railroad (TEC), set in northwestern Ohio, was started when the railroads were deregulated back in the early 70's, prompting many class 1 railroads to abandon lines that weren't profitable to them that they previously were, by law, required to operate. This approximately 17 mile stretch of trackage east of Toledo was a "bridge" line formerly owned by the Norfolk and Western railroad, with trackage rights granted to the B&O, the Pennsy and the Erie Lackawanna during that time. This segment of the N&W did not carry enough revenue service to pay for itself and so the original intent was to abandon the line. The local businesses along the line still considered rail service to be of vital importance to them. A meeting was convened of the local businesses, most notably the West Sandusky Co-Op and the Toledo-based Mud Hen Brewing Co. among others. The decision was made to submit a petition to the N&W to purchase the 17 mile segment. A few months later the N&W replied with a request for a proposal for purchase. The business consortium drew up a proposal and the N&W accepted it and the sale of the line was executed in 1972. The railroad, therefore is collectively owned by the local businesses along the industrial corridor. Revenue for the railroad includes grain, coal, beer and ale, scrap metal, fabricated metal, car parts, food additives and other assorted freight. The general offices for the railroad are located in the old depot in West Sandusky.

Shortly after the purchase, the new railroad proceeded to buy an old SW9 from the Erie Lackawanna as well as a caboose from the Wabash. The engine and the caboose, which are presently the only rostered rolling equipment, were lettered for the TEC. The caboose was completely repainted prior to lettering, as well as being re-numbered. The SW9, still in the old pre-merger Erie black and yellow livery, had its logo and number painted over and was re-numbered along with the TEC lettering.

The railroad operates in the 1970's era, interchanging cars with both the Chessie System and the Erie Lackawanna.

 

[cjcrescent]

My railroad's based on a prototype that was just northwest of Jasper, Al. You can read the "history" and see current progress on the layout by clicking the link in my sig. I have added parts of the final upper level to the layout now, will be taking pictures of it as the layout progresses. Please note, that there is no scenery as yet. I prefer to finish installing and debugging the track to insure smooth operations and minimal problems.

I believe that any modeler should have a history as part of the concept of the RR. It really helps focus the modeler on the development of his/her trackplan. With a concept and history written down, your idea of a RR goes from "I want Techatchapi Loop, Horseshoe curve and Saluda grade on my layout. It's only going to be 6 x 12'." To a well thought out possible freelance road, that can be it's own prototype.

Do pay us a visit!

If you do visit, please leave a comment in the contact form.

[gmcrail]

I posted mine on one of the other threads several years ago, so I'll just provide a link to the Official Short History of the Flint Hills Northern Railway Co.:

http://fhn.site90.net

Enjoy!

 

[Mr. LMD]

I'm about to read it and i can already tell it will be a good read :)

[gmcrail]

Thanks Mr. LMD - let me know if you liked it.

[Marc_Magnus]

My Maclau River in Nscale is set in Virginia; this is a fictitious river going from Norfolk to Cincinati, Ohio. Time is 1930-1942.

This is quite a big river which allow navigation far from the sea,(Norfolk) there are a few port, the biggest is Port Allen.

There are in fact two roads on my layout, a bottom line which follow the riverbed and a "mountain line, climbing in the hills and visiting the coal mine of Virginia ending at Aegiahills

The mine will be scratchbuild from prototypical pictures of N&W serviced mines.

Port Allen,

Port Allen is the bottom end of the line and Aegiahills the summit.( the name Aegiahills come from the village of Aegialis set on the island of Amorgos in Greece in the cyclades were I spend most of my hollydays).

Because this company is set in Virginia, The Maclau River RR has rights on the N&W trackage, which allow me to model some place used by the N&W and have an interchange (staging) at Elisabethtown whith the N&W; this allow me to run N&W steam on the layout.

At Aegiahills ther is an interchange whith the C&O which allow the same liberty as the N&W.(also a staging here)

The Maclau River is a big coal hauler using only steam for power, the company buy most of his motive power from second hand at the N&W and a few from the C&O like this 2-6-6-2.

Except a very few all the freight power is mallet steam locomotive.

Numerous mine will take place on the line and an operating high lift coal dumper at Alexander Yard (Alexandre is the name of my son) which is in fact Norfolk on the N&W, The dumper will be placed on a pier like pier n°5 in Norfolk. This will be the ending travel of the hopper before returning back in "Virginia"

The bottom line is more a general freight service line, less hopper here, more boxcar.

Alexander Yard is the big yard of the system were trains are made and interchanged.

Alexander Yard, east side,

 

West side,

The design of this yard is a modified Santa FE yard design published in MR a few years ago.

 

 

The Maclau River is a real coal hauler because I really use coal in my hooper fleet (only 55 tons), all the mine like this laser kit are modified to really charge hopper.

Here the device which charge the hopper.

Unfortunately work didn't go very fast and have stopped for a while; the Hight lift dumper is just beginning to take shape.

 

 

 

[Jimmy_Braum]

Well there is an update from me. I painted up a gp35 in my passenger scheme. Plus, the AVDC has now been placed under ownership of the Wheeling and Lake erie. But it will still remain a seperate road. They have also shown interest in purchasing a former conrail Jordan spreader for snow plow service

[WVWoodman]

My Western West Virginian started around the turn of the Century(1900) as part of the development of the B&O(actually the WV and Pittsubrgh) branch to Pickens WV.  The WWV started as a branch to Helvetia,WV for the purpose of gathering timber for the sawmills of Pickens.  The line eventually absorbed the Middle Fork RR and made a connection with the WM and Coal & Coke RR (eventually part of the B&O) near Elkins and also connected to the C&O on the east side of Elkins.  As the line moved north it connected to the West Virginia Northern.  You can see many 2-8-0's around the WWV terrirories plus a few articulateds on the B&O and the C&O plus the WWV also has a logging 2-6-6-2 which still sees some action.  The area has resisted diesels since the area has a abunant supply of coal/. 

[SPV]

I've decided to model a network of freelanced narrow gauge shortlines set in the Four Corners region in 1907, in order to allow me to combine a number of prototype influences in a plausible way.  None of these lines existed, but the fictional background I've been working on coming up with is largely rooted in historical fact.

It's pretty well known to fans of western rail history that when he started the Denver & Rio Grande, General Palmer's goal was to create a north-south transcontinental route linking Denver and Mexico City via El Paso.  This, of course, never came to fruition.  Setbacks, largely to do with a protracted battle with the Santa Fe system, resulted in the D&RG never making it south of its rival's namesake city.  Nevertheless, some other southward routes from Utah into Arizona were considered and even surveyed.  My San Pablo Valley RR picks up at that point where history left off.

General Palmer resigned as president of the D&RG in August 1883, but kept the same post at the Denver & Rio Grande Western Ry., the D&RG's sometimes-subsidiary, sometimes-enemy across the Utah border.  What my line presupposes is that the general kept his eye to the south for a few years longer, looking for a way to build his dream line into Mexico.

Meanwhile, as the Rio Grande mainline from Denver to Ogden crossed the Utah desert in the early 1880s, miners and investors in the territory's southern La Sal and Abajo Mountains saw an opportunity to tap the mineral and lumber resources there and connect them to markets, primarily in the capital cities of Utah and Colorado.  The D&RGW leadership became aware of these plans and provided significant assistance in financing the one they thought looked most promising.  This was the beginning of the San Pablo Valley RR, linking the La Sals with the Rio Grande mainline at Whitehouse via the canyon of the Colorado River and the San Pablo Valley.  (In actuality, the valley I've named San Pablo is called Spanish Valley, and is the location of Moab, UT).  This was completed by Christmas 1883.  Construction resumed in the spring of 1884 and the line was extended to Monticello by fall.  About the same time, the Rio Grande sent crews into northern Arizona to survey routes and raise money to build north towards the new SPV.  By the end of the year, the grandly-named Utah Arizona & Pacific was incorporated for this purpose, and construction began northwards from Esperanza, Arizona Territory, where a connection was made with a new AT&SF branch line.

In September 1885, the SPV and UA&P met near Blanding, UT.  By this point, General Palmer's hopes for a line to Mexico had finally faded for good, but the two 3' gauge lines served as a viable north-south bridge route, linking the transcontinental lines of the D&RG/D&RGW and AT&SF.  Several additional smaller lines were built in the years that followed, as mining boomed in the La Sal range.  First was the Castle Valley & La Sal, linking the SPV mainline in the Colorado River canyon with the new city of Castleton and the mines of the northern La Sals, built in 1887.  The next year, the Paradox & La Sal was built, connecting the SPV to Colorado's Paradox Valley.  Several lumbering lines were also constructed in the mountains to supply the growing towns along the new railroads.

In these years, the railroads flourished.  The SPV and UA&P even jointly operated an opulent pair of express passenger trains to include Pullman service - the northbound train named the Ute, and the southbound the Navajo.  They also carried agricultural products, including significant annual livestock rushes, as well as the raw materials for which they were originally founded and the many products necessitated by the expanding population of the region.

In 1890, what originally appeared as a major windfall became an existential threat to the lines - the standard gauging of the Rio Grande mainline.  Due to their close corporate relationship, it was first speculated that the SPV/UA&P system would also widen its gauge, but this was not to be.  Rather, in order to assist in financing its transition, the Rio Grande sold most of its shares in the shortlines and left them to fend for themselves.  As the only route of commerce into the region, they survived, but were never again as profitable now that it was necessary for bridge traffic to change gauges twice - once at each end.

The SPV would eventually gain a few miles of track with 4' 8-1/2" between the rails.  With the continued success of mines in the region, a smelter was constructed on the outskirts of Moab in 1895, and its founders helped raise money to add a third rail between their facility and Whitehouse, so that processed materials could be loaded directly into standard gauge boxcars.  Again, rumors flew that the entire railroad would be standard gauged, and again they proved false - only the line's northernmost 40 miles were converted to dual gauge, although the SPV did acquire one new standard gauge engine to serve it.

And that's roughly where October 1907 finds the railroads - the UA&P is currently emerging from receivership to the SPV, which is doing reasonably well.  The CV&LS and P&LS are still profitable and keep their small rosters of second-hand engines in excellent condition.  The Ute and Navajo continue to run, although less frequently and with shorter consists.  The fall stock rush is in full swing.  Over the next few decades, much will change, and by midway through the century, all these rails will be torn up and few will remember that narrow gauge trains ever even ran here.  But for now, 3' gauge teakettles jacketed in Russia Iron proudly roam the mountains and desert of the American Southwest, and most people seem to think they always will.

[SeeYou190]

caballorr

Does any one written history on their freelance rr , if  you have what is the history ?

There was a time when I had written a very specific history of the STRATTON AND GILLETTE. As time went on, the railroad has switched eras, scales, and location. It has also gone from being a run-down backwoods line to a well maintained Class A system.

So, the fictional history of my fictional railroad was once very well researched and thought out, now it is just a vague idea.

-Kevin

[Southgate 2]

An older thread, but still you bring up an interesting subject. (Kevin) 

I never wrote a history, just kind of figured out a number of plausable scenarios in my mind to work with. Some are based on true history. I even struggled with it some, to make it really a true possibility, but c'mon, I'm a guy playing with HO trains in a room.  So I lightened up.

It's easier and more fun to just say it's a fictitious extension of an existing real deep water harbor in Oregon. Could have been real but I chose to add some scenery features not existing in that immediate area. They do exist not far from there though.

So unwritten and freelanced it is, and the hands are untied to "drag and paste" whatever scenery features or noteworthy structures I want from other well known locations into my little ISL, as well as my own freelanced scratchbuilt structures. 

There it is! Dan

[SeeYou190]

Southgate 2

I'm a guy playing with HO trains in a room.  So I lightened up.

Yep, when I "lightened up" I started enjoying the railroad a lot more.

I recently came across a box that had the two main histories for the SGRR. The first one I created in High School, when I had a small layout and it was in Appalachia. The second one was from when I had the dream house, and the railroad was relocated to the Pacific Northwest.

Instead of a history, I have just decided to have a system map. The SGRR is the red lines.

I work on the map every once in a while.

-Kevin

[Southgate 2]

I plead ignorance on geography. (Didn't have to plead in school, they knew) Where's your map's locale, Kevin?

[Overmod]

Southgate 2

Where's your map's locale, Kevin?

In a personal fantasy world of semi-plausible nonsense, of course. 

Interestingly this is in the mid-Atlantic part of that world, not the Pacific Northwest part of it, unless they have barrier islands to the east in that alternate Pacific Northwest.  Shows the 'roots' of the world-building.

[John-NYBW]

I've never actually written it down but I have a pretty firm idea of how my freelanced railroad, set in 1956, came into being. I also have in my head it's future. It became part of the Penn Central merger and later of course became part of Conrail. After Conrail broke up, I haven't decided whether my railroad became part of CSX or NS. I doubt I would ever move my layout forward into later years but I have that option. It would be cost prohibitive. I might back date it to the steam only era. That would be less expensive since I could keep running the steam I have and just replace the diesels with more steam. I'd have to replace a lot of rolling stock and most of the vehicles on my layout. 

[NorthBrit]

Like John-NYBW  I haven't actually written the history of my line down,  although have a map of the route it takes and why.  The history is  part fact and fiction.

The routes of two lines built by separate Companies - Calder Railway and Leeds, Scarcroft & Wetherby Railway.   Both Comapanies were backed by the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway as a way to get to York.  Because of The Great War the L&Y  never made it direct to York.

Both Companies were absorbed into the L&Y  just prior to WW1.  Another Company,  Kirkstall & East Seacroft Railway had running rights.  The K&ESR  was absorbed into the L&Y at the end of 1919.  The L&Y and the London & North Western Railway (LNWR)   had several agreements,  one being using what became Leeds Central Station  and the LNWR Goods Station next door. They merged in 1920.

Even in the 1970s most of the history was true and still existed.  Though I extended the life of Leeds Central into the 1970s.  The station actually closed in 1968.

Most of the factories I mention on the layout actually existed,  giving credibility and a reason to be there.

 

David

[SeeYou190]

Southgate 2

I plead ignorance on geography. (Didn't have to plead in school, they knew) Where's your map's locale, Kevin?

No where. I have not given the SGRR a location.

I like to think of it as along a large lake, bay, sound, or even a gulf.

This map shows the area that will be on my layout. The red star towns will be modeled, and the yellow star towns will be represented by staging.

The North/South mainline in and out of town will be staged as well.

-Kevin

[Southgate 2]

Well, the nonsense is plausible enough that I looked at a map of the east coast for those features!

[SD45M]

I have my own fictional, the Dustbowl & Eastern. It's a relatively new railroad compared to many of the others here, started in 1964 out of Albuquerque, NM, heading north to Pueblo. In the 1970s, it expanded to Denver, CO, and throughout the 1980s and 90s, it expanded north to Cheyenne and east to North Platte. In the 2000s, it expanded further out to St. Louis.

Now, of course, this line cannot co-exist with the Union Pacific and/or Santa Fe because of just how much of both railroads it occupies, including a portion of the well known Overland Route between Cheyenne and Council Bluffs.

Regardless, it owns about 600 miles of trackage, heading in a general northeast direction.

Here is the line circa 1996 (mainly because I'm too lazy to finish it for now)

And a photoshop of a Scaletrains Tier 4 with the D&E's paintscheme on it.

[SeeYou190]

Southgate 2

Well, the nonsense is plausible enough that I looked at a map of the east coast for those features!

Sorry to send you on a pointless search.

Out of curiosity, did you find any places similar?

-Kevin

[Overmod]

SeeYou190

Out of curiosity, did you find any places similar?

Look at the Chesapeake/Delmarva south to Cape Hatteras; probably below. The rivers, the coasts, and the barrier islands are all very similar.

[Doughless]

SeeYou190

No where. I have not given the SGRR a location. I like to think of it as along a large lake, bay, sound, or even a gulf. This map shows the area that will be on my layout. The red star towns will be modeled, and the yellow star towns will be represented by staging. The North/South mainline in and out of town will be staged as well.

As I have previously disclosed, we will likely be retiring to SW Florida in about 4 years.  Keeping with my layout theme of modeling what tends to be near me, the current layout that I am building and which may make it partially intact to FL is now being based off of the Seminole Gulf Railway.

As is the case, the shortline upon which I base my layout will have to have a few shots of industrial steriods to get it up to where there is enough traffic generated to support the layout I want.

Berry Plastics, Publix grocery distribution, Suburban Propane, and a cement/ready mix industry (perhaps a concrete block factory...you guys use a lot of concrete block down there?) will be the plausibility base of the layout.  

Using likely the old Charlotte Harbor and Northern right of way from Arcadia to Charlotte Harbor or the current SGLR ROW from Arcadia to Punta Gorda to Ft Myers.

Stuff I've learned about over the past few months of research.

[SeeYou190]

Doughless

Based off of the Seminole Gulf Railway.

The SEMINOLE GULF (SGLR) has had two operational locations. One in Sarasota, and one in Fort Myers.

In Fort Myers, rail served industries include:

Raymond Building Supply (Bulkhead Flats)

L&W Supply (Bulkhead Flats)

Rosen Building Materials (Bulkhead Flats)

Rice Windows And Doors (Boxcars)

Suburban Propane (LPG Tank Cars)

Pondella Landscape (Open Hoppers)

Garden Street Recycling (Gondolas)

If you backdate the railroad just a few years, you get to add a lot:

Miller Brands (Insulated Boxcars)

Fort Myers News Press (Boxcars)

Florida Rock (Aggregate Cars)

Railhead Recycling (Gondolas)

Florida Power & Light (Oil Tank Cars)

Fowler Building Materials (Bulkhead Flat Cars)

Then you can use your imagination to add:

Oldcastle Products (Raw Materials In, Concrete Castings Out)

Bonita Grande Sand (Sand Out In Hoppers)

How does all that sound?

Dont forget the Dinner Train!

-Kevin

[Doughless]

SeeYou190

 

 

Doughless

Based off of the Seminole Gulf Railway.

 

 

The SEMINOLE GULF (SGLR) has had two operational locations. One in Sarasota, and one in Fort Myers.

In Fort Myers, rail served industries include:

Raymond Building Supply (Bulkhead Flats)

L&W Supply (Bulkhead Flats)

Rosen Building Materials (Bulkhead Flats)

Rice Windows And Doors (Boxcars)

Suburban Propane (LPG Tank Cars)

Pondella Landscape (Open Hoppers)

Garden Street Recycling (Gondolas)

If you backdate the railroad just a few years, you get to add a lot:

Miller Brands (Insulated Boxcars)

Fort Myers News Press (Boxcars)

Florida Rock (Aggregate Cars)

Railhead Recycling (Gondolas)

Florida Power & Light (Oil Tank Cars)

Fowler Building Materials (Bulkhead Flat Cars)

Then you can use your imagination to add:

Oldcastle Products (Raw Materials In, Concrete Castings Out)

Bonita Grande Sand (Sand Out In Hoppers)

How does all that sound?

Dont forget the Dinner Train!

-Kevin

 

Wow, for a self-admitted Plausible Nonsense fellow, you sure do know a lot of facts about a real railroad!

I think I can make something out of that list.

One thing, I don't care for the paint scheme (puke) or the equipment.  B39-8Es and torpedo tube GP9s aren't going to work.

But I like the ditchlights on the F unit.

I'll probably take a little from both of the lines and combine them into what I want, leaving out the stuff I don't want.

I'm hoping to take the next 20 or so years to get it right.

[SeeYou190]

I ran across this photo that I took in 1994 of SGLR 578.

-Kevin