Favorite railroad

[hon30critter]

Hi Ashley!

Welcome to the forums!

It will be an interesting project to figure out how to model all of those various railroads in one layout. I am thinking you will need 4 staging yards so you can keep your railroads separate, and then if your scenery is from a common era you could switch between railroads at will.

Please keep us posted.

Dave

[Texas Zepher]

UncBob

UP cause it was there in1869  and still exists today

Actually not.  The original Union Pacific Railroad went out of business in 1880 after the Credit Moiblier scandel.  At  that time the resources were turned over to Jay Gould who created the Union Pacific Railway.  That railroad in turn went bankrupt in 1893 and was disected and reorganized into the railroad we know as Union Pacific Railroad in 1897.

That was actually a common thing back then.  X Railroad goes out of business and for marketing purpose the new railroad is X Railway, or X airling to take advantate of the X name.    The Santa Fe that merged with the BN was not the original Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe that started the name.   I am certain there are others but the only railroad that I know of that started and lasted through modern times was the CB&Q (they gave a dividend to stock holders every year too. even in the great depression years).

[trainluver]

I love the basic black and white of the Norfolk Southern Railroad.  I have loved this railroad since I was a kid growing up in Virginia.  Norfolk Southern used to run behind my house along the river and it was a joy to hear the roar of the black and white.  A train would pass through everyday at 6 am, like clockwork.  This is the railroad that I model currently.  The coal drags that come down through West Virginia, Lynchburg, Roanoke, are just phenominal.   

[Sailormatlac]

tomikawaTT

The late, great Japan National Railways - since chopped up and privatized.  Some changes are not improvements.

Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - when it was JNR, not JNR-West)

Chuck, habitually, any railway that is [********] National Railways is bound to be a great endeavour that inspire people... except in the USA! ;-)

I miss the time when I could be proud of my national un-privatized CNR... It's bigger now, but it tastes less too. But I must agree this is only a scratch when compared to real JNR went through the meat grinder all the way!

Oh! and one other I always loved: Quebec Railway Light & Power which was the quintessence of Monopoly = electric traction + interurban tramways + streetcars + small steam + old rolling stock + touristic resort + control over all public utilities = totally awesome!

Matt

who prefer CNR when the letter "N" meant something!

 

[GP39]

There is my favorite group of old railroads. Having been exposed to many lines, there is no single one. In no particular order; Santa Fe, GM&O, CB&Q, ICRR, Soo, Milw, GN, and Chessie. I could add more, depending on various eras ,as well. B&O, Rock Island, CNW, SP, BN, PC, NYC and D&H.. are a few more.

Union Pacific would be my current day pick. Almost through a lack of anything left with an original name. The history and the fact that they run some steam trains gets it done!

[wm3798]

RetGM

I'm surprised that Lee hasn't logged in yet, but am sure he would agree that the "Wild Mary," as the Western Maryland Ry was nicknamed, is an easy choice. ..

I don't even like trains.

Lee

[last mountain & eastern hogger]

The Western Pacific,     doncha know ?     and of course their affliates,  Tidewater Southern, &

Sacramento Northern.

Others that you see putting in an appearance on the LM&E are.  SP&S,  BN.  GN.  D&RGW,  and one lone SP. U-33.  At a later date I might add a couple of NP. units as I love that Lowery Paint scheme... and it would make Sue happy too    Lol..

 

[CJW]

The Interstate Rail Road for me.

[UncBob]

PRR cause I live in PA

 

B&O cause it was around in the beginning

 

UP cause it was there in1869  and still exists today

[mcddhawk4]

ATSF Grew up riding the Super Chief & El Capitan in the 60's 

[dowop62]

Mopac,Frisco,Rock Island,D&RGW; what the heck  RAILROADS.

[tgindy]

I'm torn between one of three railroads -- Either the Pennsylvania, PRR, or Pennsy.

[PennCentral99]

My favorite railroad is the Lykens Valley RailRoad.  I was born and raised in this area, my grandparents and some family members worked in these mines.  Not only did I cross these tracks daily, it also ran behind my grandparents house.  Here's a little history obtained from the internet:

"Lykens Valley Railroad History - The real development of the valley commenced in 1825, with the discovery of coal by Jacob Burd, Sr. and Peter Kimes, who then lived at the lower end of Short Mountain. Shortly after a wagon load of coal was dug, the new era for the valley had commenced. The Wiconisco Coal Company was organized in 1831, mines were opened in drifts at the Bear Creek gap, and coal was sold in the region about 1832. The Lykens Valley Railroad was built sixteen miles, from Bear Creek Gap to the Susquehanna, and was in operation in 1834, transporting the coal by horse-power over the flat strap-rail. The cars were carried across the Susquehanna on "arks", the coal dumped into chutes on the canal, loaded on the canal boats and transported to the various markets. This was the fourth railroad in the country and the first in Dauphin county, to transport anthracite coal. "The first canal boat load of Lykens Valley coals", now so famous, was sent April 19, 1834, by Boat No. 76, forty-three tons, Captain C. Faunce, cosigned to Thomas Bobridge, Columbia, Pennsylvania" (Professor Sheaffer, Pottsville). Quoted by Kelker, History of Dauphin County

The Wiconisco Canal, connecting Millersburg with the Pennsylvania Canal, was built in 1848. Up to the year 1859 the total shipment of coal from the Lykens Valley amounted to 848,781 tons, showing how great this industry had become even at that early date.

This railroad, which was the 4th railroad to transport anthracite coal in the United States. It was completed in 1834, but did not use t-rail. It used a flat-strap iron rail, which caused frequent derailments. It went from Millersburg to Lykens, and Wiconisco (I'm not sure when they extended it there.) Ten or more small cars were coupled together and pulled by horses to Elizabethville where they were unhooked from the horses and the cars went by gravity to Millersburg.

At Millersburg the coal cars were floated on flat boats across the river to Mt. Patrick. They later built the Wiconisco canal which took the coal from Millersburg to Clark's Ferry.

In 1856 the Pennsylvania Railroad Company took control of the line and replaced the rail with t-rail. In 1856 the Susquehanna Division of the Northern Central Railway completed a line from Dauphin to Millersburg which meant that coal would be shipped by rail instead of boat.

The Summit Branch Railroad was built in 1866 from a point near Lykens to the Williamstown Colliery. The Lykens Valley Railroad extended to Williamstown and was leased to the Summit Branch Railroad. It was operated until 1880 when it was placed in the hands of the Northern Central Railway. The railroad branched in to freight and passenger service. In 1928 the steam train to Harrisburg was replaced by a gasoline-electric train. Passenger service was discontinued in 1937.

In the 70's the tracks were torn up from Lykens to just before Elizabethville. Then the tracks were eventually torn up from Elizabethville down to Millersburg."

I'm pretty sure a model of the Williamstown Colliery has been produced.  I have not been able to find any locomotives and or rolling stock for Lykens Valley RR.  I do have some pics and have given thought of modeling the Alco S-2 that worked this line in the 70's and 80's

[gabeusmc]

I thought that the UP would have been metioned many times over by this time. Is it that no people who like the UP are on here or is that nobody likes them that much.

[Ashley]

For me, it will depend on my mood. I have lots of favourites. So when I feel sunny, then the Southern Pacific fills my needs. When feeling a bit dour the New York Central in battleship grey fits quite nicely. When I'm feeling more balanced in myself, something from Chicago; an Insull interurban like the Chicago North Shore & Milwaukee. When I revert to my heritage, the British Southern Railway, because the sun always comes soonest in the south.

 

[St Francis Consolidated RR]

   Union Pacific (even though I don't model much of it at all, especially modern times).....here's a picture I took on a bridge a few blocks from my work:

[Dusty Solo]

I like the B&O in the North East, the RF&P, ACL, SAL and the FEC in the South East. These are the roads I most think about and like to read about. I model a mix up of these ones.

Dusty

[RetGM]

I'm surprised that Lee hasn't logged in yet, but am sure he would agree that the "Wild Mary," as the Western Maryland Ry was nicknamed, is an easy choice.  Now gobbled up by CSXT (What's left of the ROW), the WM was a Class One class 1 RR. running from tidewater in Baltimore to the coal fields of WV, Connelsville & Shippensburg (Lurgan) PA, to interchange with almost all the major roads in the mid-Atlantic region.  The mainline went thru my home towns of Westminster and Union Bridge, MD, but the "Dutch Line" left the main at Emory Grove, MD and went thru PA (Hanover, Gettysburg, Blue Ridge Summit, etc) before rejoining the main at Highfield, MD. Passenger service was run until the 1950's, with the high-nose RS-3's replacing their 200 series 4-6-2 Pacific steamers in their last decade of operations.  The Port Covington piers in Baltimore saw eastbound MD & WV coal loaded on ocean-going vessles, and brought in coke and other commodities for the westbound freights.  WM had almost everything for a rail fan or modeler: 2-8-0 Consolidateds lugging up the Black Water  grade; 2-10-0's (both Russian I-1's and the later, larger I-2s on the East  rails; 4-8-4 Potomacs in the later days of steam; and, well, you get the picture.  My HO inventory includes 37 engines (7 steamers: 3 Pacifics, 2 Consolidateds, 1 I-1 and one 0-8-0 switcher) and FA-2's, RS-3's, GE 44 tonners, F-3's

 F-7A & B's,GP7's, GP9's, GP35's, GP40's and one SD40, so you can see that there is a wide range of opportunity for one choosing to model the WMRY.  Oh, yeah:  we have a very active HIstorical Society, too.   JWH 

[Texas Zepher]

gabeusmc

Thanks for the response guys. I put that beginning in as a humouras way to warn against everybody getting into a shouting match, which I am sure will not happen. Though Tom was getting preety close to saying his was the best....

Even if the question had been "best" I doubt I could have answered.  There is the best management, the best route, the best trackage, the best equipment, the best locomotives, the best inovation, the best marketing, the best bridges, etc. etc.  I'm guessing the real answer to each of those "bests" would be a different railroad.

[Motley]

My favorite is D&RGW. Followed by Sante Fe (BNSF) and UP.

Love mountain railroading.

[tomikawaTT]

The late, great Japan National Railways - since chopped up and privatized.  Some changes are not improvements.

Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - when it was JNR, not JNR-West)

[West Penn Nscale]

Well for me its Lehigh Valley... B&O ..PLE ..C&O... Starting to warm up too NS....

[Proto87 2011]

One of my favorites is the PRR. Why? It's how I first got an interest in trains! I'd have to say my favorite locomotive is the K4 Pacific. Classic!

Another one would be the DL&W. On my way to the hobby shop I drive along it for a bout a mile.

Yet another (did I say one railroad? oops.) is the New York, Ontario and Western. I really don't know why.

Finally (phew!), for a modern railroad,  the NYS&W, mainly because it runs through the region. I think that covers about 40% of them. 

[sschnabl]

As you can guess by my avatar, my favorite would be the C&NW.  When I was growing up, the C&NW tracks were only a block away from my house.  I remember on summer nights when the trains would roll through up to Green Bay, I would sit up and watch them through my bedroom window.  The color scheme is also very close to that of my favorite professional football team, so that's a bonus.

The only drawback is that being a grainger road, one typically sees pictures of this line in farmlands and somewhat boring scenery.  That's why I plan on modeling the C&NW in SW Wisconsin, especially the Mississippi River Valley area, where there are many bluffs to give you that look of Appalachia, only on a much smaller scale.

Scott

[tschwarz]

My favorite is the B&O.  I love the history of the B&O and a lot of their own home grown equipment as well and love those wagontop cars and cabooses.

Probably two of the main reasons I love the B&O is that my father worked for them (well eventually Chessie and CSX) for 40 years and would have stayed longer but they closed the shop where he worked.  He started with the B&O in 1942 working out of the passenger station in Pittsburgh as a helper and then eventually moved to Glenwood as an electrician and worked in the Diesel shop till they closed the shop in 1982.  He taught me a love of trains and I always enjoyed going down with him to the shops when I was a kid and seeing these massive locomotives and knowing he worked on those locomotives.  I even got a chance to be behind the controls of some of them when they moved them in and out of the shop building.  My Dad always told us he LOVED working for the B&O because it was like a family, he enjoyed the Chessie System because it was still a little like a family but didn't like CSX as much because it was just a business at that point.  

Then there was the family outings we would take on the B&O from Pittsburgh to Cumberland where we would get off and have a picnic in Cumberland and then take another train home and get home late the same day we left.  I loved riding in the dome cars and looking around too.

Then there is that beautiful Blue and Gray paint scheme that the B&O had on their locomotives and passenger cars.

The second main reason I love the B&O is the days I spent hanging out at the station in my hometown talking to the agent and going with him to check the cars on the sidings and finally getting to ride the local switcher when it came through town.  I swear my Dad knew everybody that worked out of Glenwood because as soon as they heard I was his son I was treated like part of the family (and I know I got to do things other people didn't because they knew my Dad).  

Now I am building a model of the B&O that ran through the town I grew up in and it is fun to relive those memories.  Some of the areas I am enjoying building on this line is Glenwood and the diesel shop where my Dad worked, my hometown and the station and then of course there is the Evans City station that was built over a creek and support by steel beams underneath.  It had these beautiful turrets in each corner of the station as well.  It was just a very unique station for those facts.

That is why the B&O is my favorite railroad.

Tom

 

[JonathanS]

My favorite is the Reading.  What is not to like.  Distinctive steam locomotives, many built in the Reading PA shops, from the very beginning to the end of the Rambles in the 1960's.  Main lines that seemed to go everywhere in eastern PA.  Heavy electric operations in the Philadelphia area.  The 2nd and 3rd diesel locomotives from Alco/GE/IR, the very first FM locomotive built, the first production GP30s, the first C430's (even before the demonstrators were completed). Unit trains, coal drags, the Alphabet hot freights from the west, the NE hot freights from the south to and from New England.   Innovations like the "BEE Line Service" which dedicated a train and crew to one shipper and permitted that crew to cross division lines, and the liquid spray which increased traction better than sand.  Giant billboard lettering on freight cars that was readable over a half mile away.  A major passenger station that was built INSIDE a wye and had platforms on all three legs of the wye.

[gabeusmc]

Thanks for the response guys. I put that beginning in as a humouras way to warn against everybody getting into a shouting match, which I am sure will not happen. Though Tom was getting preety close to saying his was the best....

[arvanlaa]

My two favorite are...

CNR (Canadian National Railway) because it is on of the largest railways in North America and because anywhere I have lived or my folks have worked have been near CN mainlines so I dont see much CP traffic

The other is the BCRY (Barrie Collingwood Railway) Which is a shortline from Barrie ON to Collingwood ON that is headquarterd in Utopia ON. It is a very small railroad delivering frieght loads to clients in those two cities and is fed by the CN. CN discontinued service to the two cities so both municipalities purchased the track and contracted a company to run the freight service. I like it because I have always been interested in very small shortlines and it is near my town so ya... thats why :P

[mobilman44]

As mentioned, there is a difference in favorite (which no one can argue) and best - which is a subjective nightmare.  

I grew up in Chicago, on the northwest side very near the C&NW racetrack - where I spent an awful lot of time watching trains - including many steamers.

I visited my Grandmother in southern Illinois (Anna) and spent time there watching those beautiful and fast IC streamliners.

I was also captivated by the Santa Fe, perhaps due to Lionel's F3s and the companies publicity.

Today, my favorite road is the Santa Fe and to a lesser extent the Illinois Central - all post war era.  As far as the C&NW is concerned, maybe I just saw "too much" of them as a kid and got bored with them.

[rogerhensley]

New York Central. It and the Pennsy were in my home town, the Central is still around as CSX but the Pennsy is history.