***Mr LMD, a Dam would be one heck of grand feature on any layout. Do you know of anyone who has tackled such a project?
Cheers! Rob
Hahha! Mine is beyond freelanced!
Large scale 1/22.5 scale, basically the remains of a larger more established western mining tram themed narrow gauge G layout that got dismantled and reconstituted into a smaller space, now its more of a switching layout, same theme, sort of, only now its a western border hopping urban-ish layout where the small broken down trains on the small broken down line line serves several broken down industries in a small broken down southwestern city of Borracho Springs.
Think of it as a cross between the SP Rat Hole and the Mine RIde at Knotts.
Have fun with your trains
Cederstrand ***Mr LMD, a Dam would be one heck of grand feature on any layout. Do you know of anyone who has tackled such a project? Cheers! Rob
I know no one who has a dam, but since my layout is N scale and I am a creative person putting a dam in my layout wouldnt be a problem.
Mr. LMD, Owner, founder
The Central Chicago & Illinois Railroad
vsmith Hahha! Mine is beyond freelanced! Large scale 1/22.5 scale, basically the remains of a larger more established western mining tram themed narrow gauge G layout that got dismantled and reconstituted into a smaller space, now its more of a switching layout, same theme, sort of, only now its a western border hopping urban-ish layout where the small broken down trains on the small broken down line line serves several broken down industries in a small broken down southwestern city of Borracho Springs. Think of it as a cross between the SP Rat Hole and the Mine RIde at Knotts.
What scale are you modeling?
Mr. LMD vsmith: Hahha! Mine is beyond freelanced! Large scale 1/22.5 scale, basically the remains of a larger more established western mining tram themed narrow gauge G layout that got dismantled and reconstituted into a smaller space, now its more of a switching layout, same theme, sort of, only now its a western border hopping urban-ish layout where the small broken down trains on the small broken down line line serves several broken down industries in a small broken down southwestern city of Borracho Springs. Think of it as a cross between the SP Rat Hole and the Mine RIde at Knotts. What scale are you modeling?
vsmith: Hahha! Mine is beyond freelanced! Large scale 1/22.5 scale, basically the remains of a larger more established western mining tram themed narrow gauge G layout that got dismantled and reconstituted into a smaller space, now its more of a switching layout, same theme, sort of, only now its a western border hopping urban-ish layout where the small broken down trains on the small broken down line line serves several broken down industries in a small broken down southwestern city of Borracho Springs. Think of it as a cross between the SP Rat Hole and the Mine RIde at Knotts.
As I said, G, although there are many scales that all use the same gauge track, now I'm specificly modeling in 1/22.5 scale on 45mm or Gauge 1 track, IOWs LGB size trains. lt gives a "scale" track gauge of just about 3'-6" as the original LGB track at 1/22.5 was meter gauge. As I said, my layout is a freelanced narrow gauge line that will be primarily urban themed, partly based on lines in Mexico that used to thread through small factories and businesses back in the turn of the century before the automobile drove them out of business, the "idea" is that the RR was there first, serving the mines, and the town built up around it, leading to additional servicing of businesses there. I havent settled on a specific time yet, that usually gets sorted out once I start working on specific areas. I live in LA and am very familiar with the urban lines that criss-crossed the east side of the city, I wanted a change from the usual narrow guage "in the middle of nowhere" most people do, and wanted to combine the narrow gauge industrial stuff I like with the urban "Rat Hole" idea. The layout is currently track only but operational, been cleaning out the garage of excess "stuff" to make working on it easier.
vsmith Mr. LMD: vsmith: Hahha! Mine is beyond freelanced! Large scale 1/22.5 scale, basically the remains of a larger more established western mining tram themed narrow gauge G layout that got dismantled and reconstituted into a smaller space, now its more of a switching layout, same theme, sort of, only now its a western border hopping urban-ish layout where the small broken down trains on the small broken down line line serves several broken down industries in a small broken down southwestern city of Borracho Springs. Think of it as a cross between the SP Rat Hole and the Mine RIde at Knotts. What scale are you modeling? As I said, G, although there are many scales that all use the same gauge track, now I'm specificly modeling in 1/22.5 scale on 45mm or Gauge 1 track, IOWs LGB size trains. lt gives a "scale" track gauge of just about 3'-6" as the original LGB track at 1/22.5 was meter gauge. As I said, my layout is a freelanced narrow gauge line that will be primarily urban themed, partly based on lines in Mexico that used to thread through small factories and businesses back in the turn of the century before the automobile drove them out of business, the "idea" is that the RR was there first, serving the mines, and the town built up around it, leading to additional servicing of businesses there. I havent settled on a specific time yet, that usually gets sorted out once I start working on specific areas. I live in LA and am very familiar with the urban lines that criss-crossed the east side of the city, I wanted a change from the usual narrow guage "in the middle of nowhere" most people do, and wanted to combine the narrow gauge industrial stuff I like with the urban "Rat Hole" idea. The layout is currently track only but operational, been cleaning out the garage of excess "stuff" to make working on it easier.
Mr. LMD: vsmith: Hahha! Mine is beyond freelanced! Large scale 1/22.5 scale, basically the remains of a larger more established western mining tram themed narrow gauge G layout that got dismantled and reconstituted into a smaller space, now its more of a switching layout, same theme, sort of, only now its a western border hopping urban-ish layout where the small broken down trains on the small broken down line line serves several broken down industries in a small broken down southwestern city of Borracho Springs. Think of it as a cross between the SP Rat Hole and the Mine RIde at Knotts. What scale are you modeling?
Cool. Currently my N scale layout is based in present day Illinois. The fictional railroad Central Illinois Railroad, also known as "Blac Rail", is made up of the SP, D&RGW, IC, CNW, CGW, RI, PRR, and certain parts of the Conrail system. The Lumber yard steel mill will be based in Chicago, the logging camp and mill based in Oregon, and the mining based somewhere in West Virginia. It will have 2 or 3 towns and one big city.
I'm modeling modern minnesota.
The line hauls Grain, Grain, fertlizer, Grain, this and that, and grain.
weeds hold the rails down.
Quote from the CEO "Railroads have their own Paint schemes?"
A train with 4 or more cars is rare(at least on my northern branches)
From, Gabe
CEO of MINRail( or Minnesota Rail Corp, aplogies to Tom Johnson)
"Mess with the best, die like the rest" -U.S. Marine Corp
MINRail (Minessota Rail Transportaion Corp.) - "If they got rid of the weeds what would hold the rails down?"
And yes I am 17.
gabeusmc I'm modeling modern minnesota. The line hauls Grain, Grain, fertlizer, Grain, this and that, and grain. weeds hold the rails down. Quote from the CEO "Railroads have their own Paint schemes?" A train with 4 or more cars is rare(at least on my northern branches) From, Gabe CEO of MINRail( or Minnesota Rail Corp, aplogies to Tom Johnson)
Any high demands for grains? :)
Mr. LMD gabeusmc: I'm modeling modern minnesota. The line hauls Grain, Grain, fertlizer, Grain, this and that, and grain. weeds hold the rails down. Quote from the CEO "Railroads have their own Paint schemes?" A train with 4 or more cars is rare(at least on my northern branches) From, Gabe CEO of MINRail( or Minnesota Rail Corp, aplogies to Tom Johnson) Any high demands for grains? :)
gabeusmc: I'm modeling modern minnesota. The line hauls Grain, Grain, fertlizer, Grain, this and that, and grain. weeds hold the rails down. Quote from the CEO "Railroads have their own Paint schemes?" A train with 4 or more cars is rare(at least on my northern branches) From, Gabe CEO of MINRail( or Minnesota Rail Corp, aplogies to Tom Johnson)
Well actually on the unmodeled part of MINRail, there is a Ethonal plant. Also there is some law thingy (not that I think its a good idea) that a large percentage of corn has to be used for Ethonal prouduction.
Anyways I love grain elevators and covered hoppers
gabeusmc Mr. LMD: gabeusmc: I'm modeling modern minnesota. The line hauls Grain, Grain, fertlizer, Grain, this and that, and grain. weeds hold the rails down. Quote from the CEO "Railroads have their own Paint schemes?" A train with 4 or more cars is rare(at least on my northern branches) From, Gabe CEO of MINRail( or Minnesota Rail Corp, aplogies to Tom Johnson) Any high demands for grains? :) Well actually on the unmodeled part of MINRail, there is a Ethonal plant. Also there is some law thingy (not that I think its a good idea) that a large percentage of corn has to be used for Ethonal prouduction. Anyways I love grain elevators and covered hoppers
Mr. LMD: gabeusmc: I'm modeling modern minnesota. The line hauls Grain, Grain, fertlizer, Grain, this and that, and grain. weeds hold the rails down. Quote from the CEO "Railroads have their own Paint schemes?" A train with 4 or more cars is rare(at least on my northern branches) From, Gabe CEO of MINRail( or Minnesota Rail Corp, aplogies to Tom Johnson) Any high demands for grains? :)
I order some undecorated covered hoppers for my logging camp to collect sawdust.
VSmith -
That's terrific, imo!
- Harry
I belive there was a super-narrow gauge layout called" A Dam fine layout" or "train" or somthing like that. I think I saw a video on youtube about it.
Hi!
I am from Sweden and i love the american railroads. I´m trying to model the us i the 50´ 60´ and the 70´ and maby a little from the 80` The scale i´m modeling in is n scale.
Kristensen Hi! I am from Sweden and i love the american railroads. I´m trying to model the us i the 50´ 60´ and the 70´ and maby a little from the 80` The scale i´m modeling in is n scale.
N scale is the great way to go. I hope you have a small amount of steam because is still king.
pastorbob My Santa Fe in Oklahoma follows the Okla Div and the Enid district with all the grain elevators in 1989..... However, I removed the old ATSF Orient line that ran from central Olahoma into Cherokee OK and in its place sold the track and assets to the "Oklahoma Northern" railroad. Now I have the best of both worlds..
I found A dam, not the one I was looking for but thats ok. http://mrr.trains.com/Videos/User%20Videos/2011/09/Modeling%20an%20HO%20scale%20dam.aspx
That dam is mighty fine. Would love to see the finished results. Thanks for posting the link.
gabeusmc I found A dam, not the one I was looking for but thats ok. http://mrr.trains.com/Videos/User%20Videos/2011/09/Modeling%20an%20HO%20scale%20dam.aspx
i will be making mine better muahaha :)
Can't wait to see it , please post pix!!!!
'Diamond Jim' does some pretty nice work..
Show us some "In Progress" shots of what you are workin on!!! Please!
Back to the Thread Title:-Although I am more quazi prototype, I guess you could call this (An April Fools 2011 JOKE) the Freelance forecast of 'Signs of things to come!!!'
This is my inventory as of today. I have more coming since they didnt come in for christmas.
I am in to prototype freelance modeling. I am using the N&W in 1957 as the prototype and West Virginia, and North Carolina as the area, I also have a few Southern FT's and a MS4 mike just for good measure. I am roughly modeling the Pocahontas Division of N&W that ran from Bluefield, WV to Williamson, WV. However, the Southern crossed the N&W in Lynchburg, VA, so that is part of my influence. Also, the Southern Railway ran The Tennessian on N&W tracks pulled by N&W class J's.
I model in HO scale and have a 20 foot x 30 foot area for my layout. I love superdetailed models such as Fine Scale Miniatures by George Sellios. His buildings are not exactly West Virginia, but they look great which is another reason to freelance. I am scratchbuilding several N&W stations.
Good Luck
Craig North Carolina
Aikidomaster I am in to prototype freelance modeling. I am using the N&W in 1957 as the prototype and West Virginia, and North Carolina as the area, I also have a few Southern FT's and a MS4 mike just for good measure. I am roughly modeling the Pocahontas Division of N&W that ran from Bluefield, WV to Williamson, WV. However, the Southern crossed the N&W in Lynchburg, VA, so that is part of my influence. Also, the Southern Railway ran The Tennessian on N&W tracks pulled by N&W class J's. I model in HO scale and have a 20 foot x 30 foot area for my layout. I love superdetailed models such as Fine Scale Miniatures by George Sellios. His buildings are not exactly West Virginia, but they look great which is another reason to freelance. I am scratchbuilding several N&W stations. Good Luck
I hope it turns out great
AikidomasterI am in to prototype freelance modeling. I am using the N&W in 1957 as the prototype and West Virginia, and North Carolina as the area, .... I am roughly modeling the Pocahontas Division of N&W that ran from Bluefield, WV to Williamson, WV.
My ho scale /1/64 scale layout is set in fictional county of Hazzard Range county in southwest NM long the Rio Grande . The county seat is Sparta witch is one side of the layout. with a small farm on the other . I mostly prototype freelance modeling having my layout set in 2009 -? time frame .I just run a single loop and one siding so the history I wrote below is for the whole railroad I just model a 10 by 8 part . This is history of Fictional Inter county railway or ICR. The ICR can trace it's roots back to 1888 when a short line was build from the town of Sparta NM to Phillipsburg NM 90 miles away from Sparta the railway was called the Sparta Creekdale and Phillipsburg Railroad. or S.C &.P RR. The S.C &.P RR served the mining towns of Phillipsburg and Creekdale NM . Ore .passengers and freight were hauled from Pillipsburg and Creekdale to Railroad interchange with Atchison ,Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad in Sparta . The S.C & P RR thrived from 1888 to about 1921 when a road was built from Sparta to Phillipsburg and three other ones from other county's so Phillipsburg was not so append on the S.C &.P RR. The S.C &.P RR took a further blow when in when the great depression hit .By 1960 the S.C &.P RR had hit the end of the line . the mines closed and the last train pulled into Sparta on June sixth 1960 the S.C &.P RR was abandoned. In the 1985 the Atchison ,Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad sold it shops and yard in Sparta to a company called Desert land development. which in 1990 sold it to Mr Thomas Falls a wealthy businessman form Albuquerque NM . He saw a need for a railroad to serve the counties of Chickasaw Hazzard Range & Sweet water . With Atchison ,Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad just passing through the counties and not serving them . With in two years of working with the Atchison ,Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad the local,state and federal government . Mr Falls got tracks rights Finance backing and equipment on DEC 1 1992 ICR ran its first train. Ten year later the ICR was on the brink of bankruptcy that when Mr Falls step down as president of the ICR Mr Mark Paso took the over . When its Parent company White out Industries bought ICR IN 2004 it has did a 360 Since then . Aside from picking up and dropping rail cars from tri counties business then Interchanging them with BNSF .They rebuild and restore locomotives , freight and passengers cars . As most other railroads in this economic times in US it has felt it too, but being crafty ICR has stayed in the black and without laying off no one . Mr Paso took a 40 % pay cut as long with other three in management the ICR has stayed in the game . With ICR being in all most 20 years of business it is working on starting passenger serves and reopening the line to Phillipsburg. ICR future looks bright
You can see photos on my flickr page http://www.flickr.com/photos/icr140/sets/72157627398297952/
~ Tim .
To see photos of my HO scale / 1/64 scale layout and diorama photos base in the present day . http://www.flickr.com/photos/icr140/
caballorr My ho scale /1/64 scale layout is set in fictional county of Hazzard Range county in southwest NM long the Rio Grande . The county seat is Sparta witch is one side of the layout. with a small farm on the other . I mostly prototype freelance modeling having my layout set in 2009 -? time frame .I just run a single loop and one siding so the history I wrote below is for the whole railroad I just model a 10 by 8 part . This is history of Fictional Inter county railway or ICR. The ICR can trace it's roots back to 1888 when a short line was build from the town of Sparta NM to Phillipsburg NM 90 miles away from Sparta the railway was called the Sparta Creekdale and Phillipsburg Railroad. or S.C &.P RR. The S.C &.P RR served the mining towns of Phillipsburg and Creekdale NM . Ore .passengers and freight were hauled from Pillipsburg and Creekdale to Railroad interchange with Atchison ,Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad in Sparta . The S.C & P RR thrived from 1888 to about 1921 when a road was built from Sparta to Phillipsburg and three other ones from other county's so Phillipsburg was not so append on the S.C &.P RR. The S.C &.P RR took a further blow when in when the great depression hit .By 1960 the S.C &.P RR had hit the end of the line . the mines closed and the last train pulled into Sparta on June sixth 1960 the S.C &.P RR was abandoned. In the 1985 the Atchison ,Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad sold it shops and yard in Sparta to a company called Desert land development. which in 1990 sold it to Mr Thomas Falls a wealthy businessman form Albuquerque NM . He saw a need for a railroad to serve the counties of Chickasaw Hazzard Range & Sweet water . With Atchison ,Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad just passing through the counties and not serving them . With in two years of working with the Atchison ,Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad the local,state and federal government . Mr Falls got tracks rights Finance backing and equipment on DEC 1 1992 ICR ran its first train. Ten year later the ICR was on the brink of bankruptcy that when Mr Falls step down as president of the ICR Mr Mark Paso took the over . When its Parent company White out Industries bought ICR IN 2004 it has did a 360 Since then . Aside from picking up and dropping rail cars from tri counties business then Interchanging them with BNSF .They rebuild and restore locomotives , freight and passengers cars . As most other railroads in this economic times in US it has felt it too, but being crafty ICR has stayed in the black and without laying off no one . Mr Paso took a 40 % pay cut as long with other three in management the ICR has stayed in the game . With ICR being in all most 20 years of business it is working on starting passenger serves and reopening the line to Phillipsburg. ICR future looks bright You can see photos on my flickr page http://www.flickr.com/photos/icr140/sets/72157627398297952/
That seems like one amazing bio for your layout.
Look at mine
MINRail
Northern Branches
Lakeforest Spur
Minnesota Rail’s, or MINRail, is a newly formed short line in Mid Minnesota. After BNSF abandon its line in 2010 from Mann Lake to Cripple Creek it isolated two small short lines, The Grain Belt (GBRR) and the Lakeforest Central (LC). These two short lines banded with the Mann Lake Southern (MLS) and bought the branch line and continue to operate it. MINRail interchanges with the BNSF in Mann Lake and Cold Springs (southern terminus of the Mann lake Southern)and the CN in Ashton.
The Northern Branches were two small short line railroads that were owned by the grain elevators that they served. The Lakeforest Central ran from Lakeforest where it served a grain elevator and a fertilizer dealer. It ran to Cripple Creek to interchange with BNSF. Then the Grain Belt that ran from Cripple Creek to Lewiston to Wexford. When these two railroads merged with the MLS they were labeled the northern branches, the Grain Belt the Wexford spur and the Lakeforest Central the Lakeforest spur.
Like the Wexford spur, the Lakeforest spur started as a Northern Pacific and Great Northern Railroad branch lines. There was a small interchange yard in Lakeforest. When the two railroads merged in the 70’s to form the Burlington Northern, the Great Northern’s branch was dropped due to the redundancy of the line. Part of the Great Northern branch was kept in Lakeforest in order to serve the grain elevator in town. In 1987 a fertilizer company was built in Lakeforest and in 1990 the branch line was abandoned past Lakeforest. When the Santa Fe railroad and Burlington Northern merged in 1995 they abandoned the branch (the same fate came to the Wexford branch). The next year the Grain elevator rented a locomotive and the abandoned branch and operated the line for the harvest season. It returned the locomotive in December 1996. They continued this operation until 2000
Then in 2001 the Fertilizer Company, CENEX, wanted to have rail service to their company. They, in agreement with the grain elevator, created a small short line to serve their companies. They leased a GP-15 locomotive from EMD leasing in fall 2001. They had as needed service, usually running a train twice a week till harvest season when the train ran 5 times a week. At one time there was a building supply company that the line served, but they stopped receiving by rail after the housing bubble burst. The Lakeforest Central merged with Mann Lake Southern and the Grain Belt in 2010 and bought a soon to be abandoned BNSF branch line.
The Lakeforest spur and Wexford spur, as MINRail labeled them, were in great disrepair when they merged. Over grown tracks characterized most of the two lines. In fall of 2011 MINRail spent some money revitalizing the two lines. A fill over Cripple creek was rebuilt, a switch in Lakeforest was replaced and some of the connecting track in Cripple Creek was rebuilt because it was in such disrepair.
Operations on the lines are done on demand. A train usually runs from Mann Lake to the interchange with the CN in Ashton, Minnesota, just south of Cripple Creek. In the winter, spring and early summer months a train travels up to Lakeforest, Cripple Creek or the Wexford spur, one to three times a week. During the harvest season, late summer and fall, trains traverse up the line anywhere from three to six times a week. Speeds on these lines are usually about 10 miles per hour due to the poor track, but the company does not have that much money to spend on locomotive repairs and maintain more used track let alone these two lightly used Branches.
The future is up for these lines, and for that matter MINRail. The railroad is attracting new customers, and with the high demand for corn and wheat (which comprise 80% of traffic) this short line railroad ought to be around for a long time
Mine is a "what if". In the mid 1800's an early steel mill existed on the banks of the Gunpowder River in Maryland's Baltimore County called The Joppa Iron Works. It operated for a while then shut down. The B&O runs nearby and Baltimore is about 13 miles away, giving me the chance for urban modeling and a steel mill. I entered the Joppa Iron Works post on Wikipedia since I lived in the area for 10 years and found slag from the furnace operations on my property occasionally. My web site has a general history at http://rail.habersack.com/?page_id=18
Since defunct things can continue on a "what if", the Northern Central Railroad operates nearby. Here are a few pics for you:
The approach to "B" Furnace. Furnace "A" is in the front silvered mirror...
Northern Central still up and running:
The plant's first box cab diesel:
Another shot of the box cab:
The mill at night:
~Mike~
Mike Habersack http://rail. habersack. com
Maryland - the land of pleasant living...
Mike in Kingsville Mine is a "what if". In the mid 1800's an early steel mill existed on the banks of the Gunpowder River in Maryland's Baltimore County called The Joppa Iron Works. It operated for a while then shut down. The B&O runs nearby and Baltimore is about 13 miles away, giving me the chance for urban modeling and a steel mill. I entered the Joppa Iron Works post on Wikipedia since I lived in the area for 10 years and found slag from the furnace operations on my property occasionally. My web site has a general history at http://rail.habersack.com/?page_id=18 Since defunct things can continue on a "what if", the Northern Central Railroad operates nearby. Here are a few pics for you: The approach to "B" Furnace. Furnace "A" is in the front silvered mirror... Northern Central still up and running: The plant's first box cab diesel: Another shot of the box cab: The mill at night: ~Mike~
In your first photo is that a 70-ton or MP15? Too bad they do not make boxcar locos for N scale :)
amazing pictures tho :)