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What's your favorite prototype railroad?

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Posted by dowop62 on Wednesday, February 15, 2012 12:55 PM

I guess I am the only MOPAC fan, but here I am

 

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  • From: Clearlake, California. USA
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Posted by Lake on Wednesday, February 15, 2012 6:19 PM

I'm doing the mid to late 1990's in approximately the west of Texas, south east of San Angelo.  As at this time UP has bought up my favorite railroads. I decided to do a freelanced subdivision that in my world was owned by the SP.

So I get to have engines with UP, SP, MoPac, C&NW, and for an interchange connection the Texas and Mexican, owned by KCS.  So there are some engines with all of these logos as well as many rail cars from all over North America that pass through.

Ken G Price   My N-Scale Layout

Digitrax Super Empire Builder Radio System. South Valley Texas Railroad. SVTRR

N-Scale out west. 1996-1998 or so! UP, SP, Missouri Pacific, C&NW.

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Posted by gabeusmc on Wednesday, February 15, 2012 7:23 PM

dowop62

I guess I am the only MOPAC fan, but here I am

 

As I said I like them all, but the Bengall (bangall?) holds a spot in my heart.

"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.

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  • From: Culpeper, Va
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Posted by IRONROOSTER on Thursday, February 16, 2012 3:56 PM

The Maryland and Pennsylvania.  I like it's short trains and sharp curves along with small engines.

I also like the WW&F for it's waterfront and Forneys, and the PRR for it's GG1.

Actually, I like them all, but the above are what I have models for.  The Ma&Pa is the basis for my current layout.

Enjoy

Paul

If you're having fun, you're doing it the right way.
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  • From: Northern Minnesota
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Posted by NP2626 on Thursday, February 16, 2012 5:27 PM

I'm also a fan of the Mesabi Road, (Duluth Mesabi & Iron Range Railway).  My folks had a place near Silver Bay on Lake Superior, where the huge taconiite plant was; so, we saw ore trains all the time when driving between Lax Lake and Beaver Bay; or, Silver bay.  I don't think there was a harder working railroad anywhere in the world, when the Taconite needed hauling!  There are no less than three (that I know of) Yellowstone 2-8-8-4 locomotives, on display: one in the Lake Superior Railroad Museum, One near the Proctor rail yards and one in Two Harbors!  I think the only locomotives larger then these would be the Big Boys.  Although I think steam was done for quite a while before we had our place near Silver Bay, to see a string of D.M.& I.R. ore cars winding down the the twisting rails, going down to the taconite plant was quite a site.    

I could have been talked into doing a point to point from the Hill Annex Mine or Hull Rust Mine,down to the Ore Docks in Duluth or Two harbors quite easily, had I given the D.M.&I.R a thought previously to starting my present layout!

NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"

Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association:  http://www.nprha.org/

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Posted by gear-jammer on Friday, February 17, 2012 7:26 AM

twhite

 

 NP2626:

 

I like S.P. and Rio Grande Steam also.  I think N.P. had some wonderful looking steam locos, also.  But then I like: Camel Backs, Shays, Climaxes and Heislers, too!

 

 

I think that those Northern Pacific Z-series Challengers were one of the handsomest steam locomotives ever built.

Tom

I agree with Tom.  The NP Challengers were the greatest.  Unfortunately, we don't have the spacious curves to handle them.

We model mostly NP, & GN.

Sue

Anything is possible if you do not know what you are talking about.

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Posted by gabeusmc on Friday, February 17, 2012 9:37 AM

NP2626

I'm also a fan of the Mesabi Road, (Duluth Mesabi & Iron Range Railway).  My folks had a place near Silver Bay on Lake Superior, where the huge taconiite plant was; so, we saw ore trains all the time when driving between Lax Lake and Beaver Bay; or, Silver bay.  I don't think there was a harder working railroad anywhere in the world, when the Taconite needed hauling!  There are no less than three (that I know of) Yellowstone 2-8-8-4 locomotives, on display: one in the Lake Superior Railroad Museum, One near the Proctor rail yards and one in Two Harbors!  I think the only locomotives larger then these would be the Big Boys.  Although I think steam was done for quite a while before we had our place near Silver Bay, to see a string of D.M.& I.R. ore cars winding down the the twisting rails, going down to the taconite plant was quite a site.    

I could have been talked into doing a point to point from the Hill Annex Mine or Hull Rust Mine,down to the Ore Docks in Duluth or Two harbors quite easily, had I given the D.M.&I.R a thought previously to starting my present layout!

Forgot about the Iron Ore Railroads, whats not to love about them?

"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.

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  • From: Bradford County, PA
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Posted by Lehigh Valley 2089 on Friday, February 17, 2012 3:15 PM

Two for me, The Susquahanna & New York, and the Lehigh Valley.

The Susquahanna & New York was one of the many shortlines to operate in Pennsylvania during the lumber boom, but went out of business in 1942. It went through Towanda, which isn't far from my home, and two of the original depots are still standing.

http://www.rgusrail.com/album/msmbrr116/mbrr_116_02.jpg

One engine is still around, Baldwin built 2-8-0 No. 116. You can see a photo of the engine in the above link.

The Lehigh Valley did have some very massive shops in Sayre, PA, and the railroad built many of it's own steam engines there until the railroad switched to diesel and shut down the shops.

The Lehigh Valley Railroad, the Route of the Black Diamond Express, John Wilkes and Maple Leaf.

-Jake, modeling the Barclay, Towanda & Susquehanna.

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Posted by SWFX on Friday, February 17, 2012 9:46 PM

I love shortlines.....Apache Railway

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Posted by Texas Zepher on Sunday, February 19, 2012 2:08 PM

gabeusmc
Forgot about the Iron Ore Railroads, whats not to love about them?

I didn't, but that is another example of why I could never choose A favorite railroad.  There are so many interesting things about so many of them.   If hard pressed I might be able to get down to a list of 30 favorites, never a favorite.

  • Member since
    February 2012
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Posted by NKP/BLE JOHN on Sunday, February 19, 2012 3:51 PM

This is my first post; I just had to weigh in. Growing up in Conneaut OH in the 40's and 50's my favorites just have to be the NKP and B&LE. Lived 7-8 blocks from from the NKP division yard and roundhouse. Even then I thought the Berkshire engines were the most beautiful steamers of all.Relatives worked for the B&LE and my dad worked for the P&C Dock Co,the facility on Lake Erie that unloaded iron ore from the Iron Range in Minn.(think DM&IR on the other end) and loaded into B&LE hoppers for shipment to the U.S. Steel plant in N. Bessener (Pittsburg) PA. To watch a 100 plus car ore train working up out of the valley headed up by two of the hugh Texans with one pushing was pretty impressive to an 8-10 year old. And I didn't even know what I was seeing! 

John Hill

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Posted by Stourbridge Lion on Sunday, February 19, 2012 4:00 PM

John - Welcome to trains.com! Cowboy

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Posted by hon30critter on Monday, February 20, 2012 1:21 AM

My favourite railroad is the long gone Algoma Eastern. It ran from Sudbury, Ontario to Little Current on the Manitoulin Island. It ran freight cars, ore cars and passengers. The thing that interests me the most is the terrain the railroad had to navigate through the La Cloche mountains. These mountains aren't tall like the Rockies but trying to find a route through them with reasonable grades was quite an accomplishment. There was no money for tunneling. At one point just south of Willisville the engine would be going east while the caboose was going west. That was with a very short train!

As an aside, if you ever decide to visit northern Ontario, the short drive south from Highway 17 to Little Current offers lots of great views. If you turn off at Willisville you can get a really great view of the old right of way which is maintained as an ATV/snowmobile trail.

I am not planning on modeling the Algoma Eastern because there is too little 'action' to be modeled for my tastes. There were a few passenger stops (the 'station at McGregor Bay was about 10' x 15'), a couple of mines along the way, and a relatively large coal facility at Little Current with a wye to turn things around for the return trip. The one feature that many will know of is the swing bridge at Little Current (still in operation but no more train traffic). I drew up a plan for the swing bridge and it required 6 feet for the bridge alone. I don't have that kind of space. Here is the bridge shown in its open for marine navigation position:

http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/11969124.jpg

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

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Posted by Great Northern Worker 1 on Tuesday, February 21, 2012 12:42 AM

The Great Northern.  My grandfather and his father worked on the railroad at some point in their lives. My uncle worked as a cook in a dining car. Then there is the DMIR because of their huge steam engines. And last the Whaerhauser and other logging railroads.

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