Freelance a railroad is the best way to let play Your imagination.
That's the way I followed more than thirty years ago and I am still so happy whith You must also know I am Belgian and never had the chance to travel to Us.
However, works go slowly since a few years, because of a bad ending divorce.
But all in all I never stopped to work on my Maclau River RR in N scale.
Since the beginning I set the time in 1935-1945.
My first vision for this fictitious line, was a freight hauler using the valley of the Maclau river as a route whith some small tow alongside. This give me the opportunity to have a good port on the line and modeling some ship facility along the river. I love cargo's of this period.
But this vision changed whith the years, I became a N&W fan, read a lot about Georges Sellios work and acquired the book of Howard Zane about his Piermont division; in the same time I also read some books of Tony Koester about operation.
All these things married togheter ended whith a new vision for my Maclau River.
Because some big parts of the layout were already build, I didn't want to start again, so I included these finished parts in the new vision.
The history tomorrow:
The Maclau River is a connecting line between Norfolk and Cincinati like the N&W somewhere, the line started as a small private branchline running along the Maclau River, this river reach the sea near Norfolk and start somewhere in West Virginia in the hight hills, there it connect whith the C&O network.
The N&W and C&O have both some rights on the line which allow me to use some equipments of these companies.
The line is first a big coal hauler servicing numerous mines and some local industries all set in the Virgina scenery. The connecting point between these mines and town is the valley of the Maclau River.
Most of the bridges and tunnel are largely inspired by the N&W and Virginian.
The train start at a big town, inspired by Manchester on the FSM run trough tunnels and hills, servicing numerous mine and small town, reach a connecting town in the hills were it interchange whith the C&O and come back dow to a port where it connect whith the N&W. Both end offer staging.
Most of the car are 33 tons hopper and steam is king on the line. The line transport "real scale coal" charged in working tipple and charged in ship at Norfolk; this mean I am in the way to scratchbuild a hight lift rotary dumper as he appeared on a famous picture of the N&W historical society.
So, whith a freelance railroad I am able to operate the railroad like a coal hauler, whith interchange whith the real network.
As mentionned before only port, the steam terminal, 80% of Corinnesburgh town, and 90% of alexander Yard are finished. A part of the hills and a town whith mine is under construction and will serve as a three module layout for future train show, I hope finish it for october when the US train convention will take place in Deutchland here in Europe.
You can see more of it on www.Nscale.org, personnal album, letter M, Marc Magnus.
And as a conclusion N is far for me the best choice!
I'm modeling a freelance Milwaukee Road branch coming out of the Mississippi River valley into Iowa in HO. Kind of a continuation of the last narrow gauge the Milw owned in Iowa if it would have been standard gauge instead of abandoned. My year is 1966 and will have s1 (s2's another thread) H10-44s and maybe an older F unit all in a well used condition. Kind going for the narrow gauge look without the slim rails.
I'm currently planing , then building my next layout, the"Western Maryland Midland Railway". Basically, its the WM Eastern Sub, From Baltimore to Hagerstown (staging) with selected scenes along the way. The main layout will occupy a 21 x 18 ft area, then follow a wall to a separate 10 x 8 area the back again, gaining altitude to a second level before returning to the main layout.
I started as a Western Maryland modeler when I rejoined the hobby after the kids started coming. Then for 2 years, I worked on the Midland as a dinner train conductor,(part time) so I started modeling the Midland. Since the MMID runs on old WM right of way, I thought I would run both.
Rocky Horror fans, "Let's do the Time Warp again!"
For a taste of what it's like, here's a shot from my FCSME modules (soon to be dismantled) as a MMID cement train passes WM engine at the shops!
To make things even more confusing, at one point, the MMID painted some of their engines in a pseudo WM paint scheme!
Should be fun!
Karl
NCE über alles!
`Evening, It's Thursday evening and I am looking forward to Friday evening to finish a long over due mural or backdrop on my layout which is HO scale; the COAL BELT and Subsidiary Systems, aka, COAL BELT LINES (CBL). I am modeling the anthracite region of Pennsylvania, Allentown to the White Haven area. It runs along the wall of the basement, 25x35 in what looks like a capital U. I pulled the the town names off a highway map of Pennsylvania. Yet, the CBL is not all about coal hauling. I have a lot of industry which needs import/export services to other industry on line and off. I pretty much follow the LV practise which states: Loaded coal trains have priority over other trains to include manifest freights.
Most coal drags measure up to 18 feet minus the engines, all six axle monsters except for four GP40-2's which pull yoeman's duty once in a while. I run a mix of first and second generation power
One yard I have takes up to an hour (regular 1:1 time) to switch out. Another about as long, the local delivers to a paper plant which paper is redone for stationary and other paper products. I also have a steel fabrication mill which sees a lot of coil cars and gondola action, and once in a while a flat car with a steel load.
Right now the backdrop is taking up a lot of my operating time. My goal is to get it done sometime this winter. # # #
do you have pictures uploaded yet up by any chance?
Mr. LMD, Owner, founder
The Central Chicago & Illinois Railroad
LMD, the Leelanau County interchanges with Michigan Northern Rwy at hatchs in leelanau county and with Cadillac & Lake City Railroad (west extension) at Thompsonville in Benzie county. Leelanau County motive power is 3 GP15-1's, 2 RSC2s, 1 4-6-0 (52" drivers), 2-10-0 russian decapod, USRA 0-8-0, and 1 SW1. steam locomotives for weekend and holiday excursions.
gbwdude I model the Whiskey River Railway, which is influenced by the miniature railroad my "uncle" had at his amusement park but I decided to model it as a full size railroad set in the late 1930's and early 1940's in south central Wisconsin that runs north to south. Basically every town that the line goes through will be a small switching layout within itself, as my layout is modular/sectional since my job requires me to move a lot. All in all I should have seven modules for the seven towns. I had two modules built but tore them apart because I wasn't happy with the benchwork, either being too flimsy or heavy. Motive power is steam, mostly all hand-me-down locomotives from neighboring lines or lines that went the way of the Dodo bird. Currently the roster sports one two truck Heisler (for the future quarry), one Athearn 0-4-2T "Little Monster", two 4-4-0's, one 4-4-2, two Moguls, one 4-6-0, a Mikado and a custom contraption that has been on and off of the works, my 4-4-4-0 dubbed the "Super American". I spend most of my time over at the Zealot forums, so most of the story is over there along with boatloads of pics. Please stop by! Tyler attachment.php?attachmentid=92737&d=1283357132attachment.php?attachmentid=92735&d=1283356950
I model the Whiskey River Railway, which is influenced by the miniature railroad my "uncle" had at his amusement park but I decided to model it as a full size railroad set in the late 1930's and early 1940's in south central Wisconsin that runs north to south. Basically every town that the line goes through will be a small switching layout within itself, as my layout is modular/sectional since my job requires me to move a lot. All in all I should have seven modules for the seven towns. I had two modules built but tore them apart because I wasn't happy with the benchwork, either being too flimsy or heavy.
Motive power is steam, mostly all hand-me-down locomotives from neighboring lines or lines that went the way of the Dodo bird. Currently the roster sports one two truck Heisler (for the future quarry), one Athearn 0-4-2T "Little Monster", two 4-4-0's, one 4-4-2, two Moguls, one 4-6-0, a Mikado and a custom contraption that has been on and off of the works, my 4-4-4-0 dubbed the "Super American".
I spend most of my time over at the Zealot forums, so most of the story is over there along with boatloads of pics. Please stop by!
Tyler
attachment.php?attachmentid=92737&d=1283357132attachment.php?attachmentid=92735&d=1283356950
I remember that miniature railroad in one of the tracks ahead DVD. I love how that railroad is laid out and I would love to see pics of your model layout.
dehusman Mr. LMD This is a general question to the proto-lancing or freelancing modelers, but do you have a locomotive class for your railroad? If you are proto-lancing one would probably use the class system established by the prototype. So for example I would have class I-2, I-4 and I-5 2-8-0's on my current W&N branch. When I had my 1950's and 1960's era proto-lanced layouts I used class OE, DF1, DF2, DF3, RS1, RS2, RS3, RS4 and ERS14's (NW2, FT, FA, F3, RS3, AS16, GP7, H-24-66 and GP30/GP35's respectively).
Mr. LMD This is a general question to the proto-lancing or freelancing modelers, but do you have a locomotive class for your railroad?
This is a general question to the proto-lancing or freelancing modelers, but do you have a locomotive class for your railroad?
If you are proto-lancing one would probably use the class system established by the prototype. So for example I would have class I-2, I-4 and I-5 2-8-0's on my current W&N branch. When I had my 1950's and 1960's era proto-lanced layouts I used class OE, DF1, DF2, DF3, RS1, RS2, RS3, RS4 and ERS14's (NW2, FT, FA, F3, RS3, AS16, GP7, H-24-66 and GP30/GP35's respectively).
I know, but some people are strictly freelance and probably don't have locomotives classes, but if they do it adds some interesting fun.
caboose63 I model a what if shortline called the Leelanau County Railway which is set in Leelanau, Benzie, and Grand Traverse Counties of Northwestern Michigan.
I model a what if shortline called the Leelanau County Railway which is set in Leelanau, Benzie, and Grand Traverse Counties of Northwestern Michigan.
Is there any interchange?
Mr. LMD keithh9824 I am modeling railroads mostly in my area i have TP&W Iowa interstate, and my beloved Peoria and Western FP9 i have some mopacs in the armor yellow to fit into the up that runs through my area and some indiana harbor belt but mostly short lines i have a BN gp 50 and the GP 59 in the southern paint scheme thats my heritage unit mostly in central illinois Nice :) Are your prot0-lancing?
keithh9824 I am modeling railroads mostly in my area i have TP&W Iowa interstate, and my beloved Peoria and Western FP9 i have some mopacs in the armor yellow to fit into the up that runs through my area and some indiana harbor belt but mostly short lines i have a BN gp 50 and the GP 59 in the southern paint scheme thats my heritage unit mostly in central illinois
I am modeling railroads mostly in my area i have TP&W Iowa interstate, and my beloved Peoria and Western FP9 i have some mopacs in the armor yellow to fit into the up that runs through my area and some indiana harbor belt but mostly short lines i have a BN gp 50 and the GP 59 in the southern paint scheme thats my heritage unit mostly in central illinois
Nice :)
Are your prot0-lancing?
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
This is a general question to the proto-lancing or freelancing modelers, but do you have a locomotive class for your railroad? I for one used a baby named site where I looked up names that would work perfectly with my locomotives. However, I cannot open that file since my flashdrive isnt working, but I do remember what class and that was my nw2 class, Milan, which means ". little strong warrior".
HORNBLOWER
You have an impressive layout and a long history for your railroad. I would love to see your railroad just like any modeler and I know what you mean about layout construction. I'm thinking of moving my three folding tables out of my room and build a layout inside a custom trailer so i can have room in my room.
Mr. LMDwhat type of locomotives do you have on your layout?
Mr. LMD,
At this point, layout construction costs have limited my loco fleet to the following:
Santa Ana & Newport = Two Santa Fe style MDC 2-6-2 Prarie kits upgraded with NWSL gearing, A-Line can motors with flywheels, added electrical pickup, LED headlights and MRC #1627 steam sound DCC decoders. The idea is that these locos were obtained from the ATSF as these locos were retired. Each is named for one of the McFadden brothers who founded the line. Both are heavily weathered to show long and hard use. I use these two locos to pull the "Merry-Go-Round" mixed trains around the layout's continuous loop. One Harriman style MDC 2-6-2 Prarie kit with similar upgrades. Also supposed to have been obtained second hand but I have yet to figure out who used such a loco. This loco is named for C. C. Chapman, a prominent citizen in early 20th Century Orange County history. This loco is also heavily weathered.
Pacific Electric = By the late 1950's, most of the "Red Cars" had been abandoned in favor of buses. Freight was still hauled on much of the remaining PE lines but diesel locos leased from the Southern Pacific replaced the old steeple cab electrics. I only have one loco to represent the PE at this time. It is an older Athearn blue box Baldwin S-12 I repainted in SP tiger stripes and lettered for the PE. I also added trolley poles since most of the areas that retained the overhead wires still used those wires to activate roadway crossing signals. This loco was upgraded with a Lenz fleet decoder (non-sound) and LED headlights. It attracts a lot of attention from layout visitors due to the trolley poles but no overhead wires on my layout.
Southern Pacific = At this point, I only have a pair of Athearn blue box EMD F-7A locos (powered and dummy) connected by a drawbar. I repainted both in the "black widow" paint scheme and even made my own SP nose decals. I also installed Walthers F-7 detail kits on each unit. I wasn't around yet during the 1950's but what I do remember from my lifetime was that the SP never seemed to care about appearance. Thus, these two locos are heavily weathered. A Lenz fleet decoder is installed in the powered unit with the rear headlght installed in the nose of the dummy unit.
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe = I have a pair of Athearn blue box EMD F-7A locos. One painted by Athearn and one that I repainted in the red and silver "warbonnet" passenger scheme. Both units also received Walthers F-7 detail kits. Both have Lenz fleet decoders installed. These units are only lightly weathered. I also have an old (my very first loco?) Mantua Tyco EMD F-7 I repainted from a poorly executed (by Tyco) warbonnet scheme to the blue and yellow "cigar band" freight scheme, plus added a Walthers detail kit and a basic Digitrax decoder. Weathering is moderate. Unfortunately, the old open frame motor in this loco packed it in shortly after I got it running under DCC. The failed drivetrain has been stripped and the loco is now run as a dummy unit.
Planned future loco purchases include Bachman 2-6-0, 2-8-0 and/or 2-10-0 steamers for the SA&N, four-axle road switchers in "tiger stripe" scheme for the SP and four-axle road switchers in "zebra stripes" for the ATSF. Most of my rolling stock is cars 40' or less to keep the trains looking right on the 22" minimum radius curves on my layout.
Hornblower
dm9538 My Brookfield & Western is a midwest granger type road. The layout will be set in the late 80's early 90's.The railroad operates between Chicago and Omaha. Traffic volumes would be some where between C&NW and ICG Iowa division levels. 3 to 4 pairs of manifest freights per day plus grain extras, a daily TOFC train and 1 or 2 KCS run through trains using trackage rights to reach Chicago. The layout will be focused around the operations of it's Chicago area yard called Elmhurst Yard. The yard lies just west of the Indiana Harbor Belt which is the RR's east end connection to the outside world. The reason for this concept is simple. I can operate motive power for every railroad in the Chicago area mostly bringing transfers into and out of Elmhurst Yard. The KCS trains would run through the yard maybe just dropping off or picking up cars depending on the trains direction, then would continue to Clearing Yard via the IHB. If I can ever get it built it would be a fun layout to operate.
My Brookfield & Western is a midwest granger type road. The layout will be set in the late 80's early 90's.The railroad operates between Chicago and Omaha. Traffic volumes would be some where between C&NW and ICG Iowa division levels. 3 to 4 pairs of manifest freights per day plus grain extras, a daily TOFC train and 1 or 2 KCS run through trains using trackage rights to reach Chicago. The layout will be focused around the operations of it's Chicago area yard called Elmhurst Yard. The yard lies just west of the Indiana Harbor Belt which is the RR's east end connection to the outside world. The reason for this concept is simple. I can operate motive power for every railroad in the Chicago area mostly bringing transfers into and out of Elmhurst Yard. The KCS trains would run through the yard maybe just dropping off or picking up cars depending on the trains direction, then would continue to Clearing Yard via the IHB. If I can ever get it built it would be a fun layout to operate.
That is a smart idea and having that many trains operating would certainly make it feel like chicago existed on your layout.
Dan Metzger
hornblower I originally started to plan a totally freelanced railroad call the Weeahpa Creek. However, the simple act of trying to locate my fictitious railroad between my two favorite prototypes (ATSF and SP) brought my attention to a very interesting fallen flag located right in my own back yard (Orange County, California). The Santa Ana & Newport Railroad was built to move lumber from McFadden Wharf in "New Port" (now Newport Beach) to a connection with the ATSF in Santa Ana. The line was built in the early 1890's and lasted only about 5 years. At that point, the McFadden brothers decided to sell their railroad to the ASTF. However, the ATSF was climbing out of bankruptcy at the time and so could not purchase the line. In a round about way, the Southern Pacific eventually gained control of the SA&N and extended the existing SA&N trackage out to the SP main line in Westminster. This had the unique affect of creating a prototype continuous loop around much of the County. This scenario seemed ready made for a model layout. My layout is still freelanced (or at least proto-lanced) since I prefer to model the transition era. Thus, my back story assumes that the SA&N remained independent through the 1950's. It continues to intechange with the ATSF but has also gained connections with the SP and the Pacific Electric in exchange for reciprocal trackage rights. This allows me to model the SA&N as a struggling short line using mainly second hand equipment as well as three prototype lines. The prototype based continuous loop of track allows simultaneous point-to-point and continuous operations (the SP ran short mixed trains around the prototype loop in the 1920's). This proto-lance approach seems to be a comfortable compromise for designing and constructing a layout. Although I have not attempted to accurately model the actual prototype line, I have used the prototype information to help me design a more plausible layout with multiple industries appropriate to the area. My scenery is designed to suggest actual locations, not duplicate them. Besides, this area boomed so big during the late 1950's and 1960's that few layout visitors could remember what the area looked like during the 1950's.
I originally started to plan a totally freelanced railroad call the Weeahpa Creek. However, the simple act of trying to locate my fictitious railroad between my two favorite prototypes (ATSF and SP) brought my attention to a very interesting fallen flag located right in my own back yard (Orange County, California). The Santa Ana & Newport Railroad was built to move lumber from McFadden Wharf in "New Port" (now Newport Beach) to a connection with the ATSF in Santa Ana. The line was built in the early 1890's and lasted only about 5 years. At that point, the McFadden brothers decided to sell their railroad to the ASTF. However, the ATSF was climbing out of bankruptcy at the time and so could not purchase the line. In a round about way, the Southern Pacific eventually gained control of the SA&N and extended the existing SA&N trackage out to the SP main line in Westminster. This had the unique affect of creating a prototype continuous loop around much of the County. This scenario seemed ready made for a model layout.
My layout is still freelanced (or at least proto-lanced) since I prefer to model the transition era. Thus, my back story assumes that the SA&N remained independent through the 1950's. It continues to intechange with the ATSF but has also gained connections with the SP and the Pacific Electric in exchange for reciprocal trackage rights. This allows me to model the SA&N as a struggling short line using mainly second hand equipment as well as three prototype lines. The prototype based continuous loop of track allows simultaneous point-to-point and continuous operations (the SP ran short mixed trains around the prototype loop in the 1920's). This proto-lance approach seems to be a comfortable compromise for designing and constructing a layout. Although I have not attempted to accurately model the actual prototype line, I have used the prototype information to help me design a more plausible layout with multiple industries appropriate to the area. My scenery is designed to suggest actual locations, not duplicate them. Besides, this area boomed so big during the late 1950's and 1960's that few layout visitors could remember what the area looked like during the 1950's.
:O Wow. that's quite a history of that fallen railroad and also your railroad history is strong as well. what type of locomotives do you have on your layout?
georgev I recall this was a well-modeled O Scale layout that had no specific place or name. The owner wasn't concerned about it at all, if my memory is right. Of course, that was almost 30 years ago, and the hobby has evolved over time.
Part of the evolution has been in the information available. It used to be very difficult to learn about railroads 30-40 years ago. Pretty much only what was in magazines, a few books or word of mouth was available to "research". Finding a store that sold topo maps was a huge coup.
Now, with the internet, the range of information available and speed at which it can be gathered is amazing. I have gathered as much information in the last 5 years as I gathered in the previous 25.
Despite the angst on various threads about not having RTR models in a particular railroad, the hobby has never before had such a huge variety of models available. It is absolutely staggering compared to today.
40 years ago if I wanted a hopper car for my train I had a choice of the Varney twin, the Athearn quad, the Roundhouse triple or 3 cast metal Ulrich varieties. Dada, dada dadats all folks. Now there are literally dozens of hopper models in plastic and metal. It was absolutely amazing when Athearn released 3, count em, 3 varieties of twin hoppers. WOW. That was huge. As more and more models were produced and more information became available, people started seeing the differences in cars and engines. That's where the big shift to following the prototype happened.
I think the difference between leaning towards prototype and leaning towards freelance is whether or not people want a challenge, and what the scope of that challenge is. For some the challenge is a collection (to gather as many items as possible), for some the challenge is a "NASA mission" (to get as many vehicles orbiting as possible without anything hitting the ground), for others its replicating as many aspects as possible as accurately as possible. Its a wide, wide range along multiple aspects. They are all equally valid, but they are not all equal.
georgev Today I remembered and article about what might be the benchmark in freelance model railroads. The article "Dennis Manwarren's generic railroad" appeared in the May 1984 "Model Railroader", according to the online index. I recall this was a well-modeled O Scale layout that had no specific place or name. The owner wasn't concerned about it at all, if my memory is right. Of course, that was almost 30 years ago, and the hobby has evolved over time. George V.
Today I remembered and article about what might be the benchmark in freelance model railroads. The article "Dennis Manwarren's generic railroad" appeared in the May 1984 "Model Railroader", according to the online index. I recall this was a well-modeled O Scale layout that had no specific place or name. The owner wasn't concerned about it at all, if my memory is right. Of course, that was almost 30 years ago, and the hobby has evolved over time.
George V.
I freelance because I love the idea of having my own railroad and plus I love too many railroads to just choose one to model/
Burlington Northern #24 richhotrain NP2626 Jumijo Freelancers...feh. Huh? Internet slang for "yuck". I think he means meh. not modeling prototype! lol (this post is all in good hearted fun and shouldn't be taken as aggressive in anyway.
richhotrain NP2626 Jumijo Freelancers...feh. Huh? Internet slang for "yuck".
NP2626 Jumijo Freelancers...feh. Huh?
Jumijo Freelancers...feh.
Freelancers...feh.
Huh?
Internet slang for "yuck".
Couldn't word it any other way. thank you.
georgev Mine is a free-lanced coal and mixed freight hauler in the Appalachian area set in the late 1940's-early 1950's. The only thing that really sets the date are the vehicles and build dates on the side of the freight cars. I Why freelanced? So I could build a stable of rolling stock based on generic steam locos and other rolling stock that were available for a price I could afford back when I started this particular railroad almost 30 years ago. Back then, a specific prototype was only available in brass other than maybe Bowser PRR loco kits which at the time were out of my price range. Having said that, would I freelance again? No, because of the work involved to build a significant number amount of rolling stock. It's a lot more time consuming to paint and letter cars and locos than I thought it would be. George V.
Mine is a free-lanced coal and mixed freight hauler in the Appalachian area set in the late 1940's-early 1950's. The only thing that really sets the date are the vehicles and build dates on the side of the freight cars. I
Why freelanced? So I could build a stable of rolling stock based on generic steam locos and other rolling stock that were available for a price I could afford back when I started this particular railroad almost 30 years ago. Back then, a specific prototype was only available in brass other than maybe Bowser PRR loco kits which at the time were out of my price range.
Having said that, would I freelance again? No, because of the work involved to build a significant number amount of rolling stock. It's a lot more time consuming to paint and letter cars and locos than I thought it would be.
seem like an interesting and cool layout.
Jumijo Freelancers...feh. I'm modeling the B&O's 987th and a half sub division as it was at 5:07 AM on June 30, 1953.
I'm modeling the B&O's 987th and a half sub division as it was at 5:07 AM on June 30, 1953.
Sorry you dislike freelancing, but I love it. Allows me to use my creativity to design and operate my own railroad and it do not want to spend a lot of time researching piece for piece of a real railroad.
SP&S modeler, 1960's give or take a decade or two for some equipment.
http://www.youtube.com/user/SGTDUPREY?feature=guide
Gary DuPrey
N scale model railroader
It was a joke!
Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale