Where do you place your priorities in your craft?
You know we all love our hobby, that's why we do it. We all have a level of passion creating our own little world. Standards in our own craftsmanship on how things need to be.
Whether just satisfying ourselves or a goal to overwhelm spectators to show the works we have created. (For me The spectator could be my wife. lol)
I thought this could be an interesting thread. The indifference from one modeler to another on where we place priorities in our modeling could make an interesting discussion.
Where do you place your ideals in your model railroading? Where are the areas in your modeling that can be a little more laxed?
Curiosity just wondering.
Regards
Track Fiddler
I am not a perfectionist. I am CRAZY about some things, but on most parts of the top 1/32 of an inch, I tend to be very whimsical.
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I add lots of detail, but never care if the detail parts are appropriate or even in the right place.
I am a motivated detailer, builder, and painter. Striving for perfection stands ion the way of getting anything done.
"Close enough is good enough" on the STRATTON & GILLETTE railroad!
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Only thing I get "nit picky" over is how well my brass engines run. I want my geared logging power to just crawl without stalling and will spend hours fine tuning, adding all wheel power pickup and such to achieve such results. But I also enjoy this aspect of the hobby and others seek me out to do the same to thier engines. Mike the Aspie
Silly NT's, I have Asperger's Syndrome
My career was in entertainment electronics, mostly show business. And one lesson in show biz is it is the impression that matters, not the reality. Some guys love details, and model a specific locomotive down to the number. I can't imagine anyone watching my locomotive roll by and thinking, "Hey wait, 1446 doesn't have the yellow stripe, that didn't happen until the 1450-1475 series." I will never notice if the brake wheel has curved spokes instead of straight ones. I want things to look like they belong there, that is good enough for me.
I'd want my railroad to remind me of my time with trains in my youth 60 or more years ago, which was mainly the B&O along the Potomac - Washington Union Station to maybe Harpers Ferry. I won't mind that only 20 feet of model track separates them.
OK, I'll chime in, not looking to overwhelm any one but me. I see what I see. I try to model what I see, and have seen, to my level of satisfaction, in the time period of the WC (Wisconsin Central) 1987 version start-up, to present. My present time period includes what I see watching rail cams.
Mike.
My You Tube
For me, it seems to change all the time. I love running trains at the club, but I go back and forth between preferring the main line and the yard. For running models, I like something robust that will survive rough handling -- but I have started to build more intricately-detailed models, which I also really enjoy. Then again, I also like thowing together $5 shake-the-box kits that can be out and running on the railroad right away. I guess my answer is... everything!
I'd have to say that I'm particular about everything. I want my layout to be as perfect as it can be and my trains to look good as well. I used to spend a lot more time on my layout but got into expensive diecast model cars and the trains kind of got set aside for a while...
Track work is at the top of my list followed (in no particular order) by couplers, trucks, locomotive operation, and wiring. I want a good operating layout.
After that I want my models and layout to look good, but I don't worry about whether every paint scheme and detail is correct. I happily run billboard reefers on my early fifties layout as well as cars from the NMRA Heritage series like the G&D. Cast on grabs and ladders are okay too. I have added detail just because it looks good. I'll run locomotives and rolling stock decorated for the Ma&Pa if the model captures the flavor of the line even if not correct.
Paul
IRONROOSTER Track work is at the top of my list followed (in no particular order) by couplers, trucks, locomotive operation, and wiring. I want a good operating layout. After that I want my models and layout to look good, but I don't worry about whether every paint scheme and detail is correct. I happily run billboard reefers on my early fifties layout as well as cars from the NMRA Heritage series like the G&D. Cast on grabs and ladders are okay too. I have added detail just because it looks good. I'll run locomotives and rolling stock decorated for the Ma&Pa if the model captures the flavor of the line even if not correct. Paul
I'd have to say I'm with you on this one. Perfectionistic on every aspect of track work is top priority for me. It has to meet or exceed all the rules.
I know that from my younger days on my third layout. It was a disaster because I didn't follow the track rules. Because of this I developed an extreme set of patients this time around.
I'm not too concern if I have some mixed Rolling Stock that are not fitting the era I'm modeling. I'm not going to let it bother me if my old lumber mill and mine are from an older era when I take my Great Northern's off the track and put Burlington Northern on. Even if I acquire BNSF and run double stackers that's okay too. I love double stackers. I already have planned ahead for that and made sure all my height clearances will accept that.
When all said and done a little vacation from original prototypicality on my layout will be a lot of fun when I get to that day.
Don't sweat the small stuff
I don't see anything I would strongly disagree with here. In fact I strongly agree with some points.
A good point, perfectionism can slow you down from getting things done.
Talking from experience, when something's a little off, don't line up just right, what may have you. The modeler is usually the only one that knows. Especially when there's so much lot to look at. When there is so many things to see, no one pinpoints their eye to one specific thing. At that point perfectionism would go unscene anyway.
There is one thing I would have to disagree with. I would have to say you have more perfectionistic qualities in you then you may want to admit Kevin.
I remember a guy that had a thread and spent his week off of work to do a cardboard mock-up model to see what things would look like before making a decision to model it that way........ Who does that?.......Kevin........I must say I enjoyed that thread.
You may be able to shrug that off as dedication instead of perfectionism I guess
PS Kevins quote did not transfer, oh well everyone is smart enough to figure this out.
Making sure my freight, passenger cars and locomotives are accurate in their time periods. Adding realistic roads, structures and parking lots. A real feel behind the town and the railroad with the planted industries.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
Track work: It has to work, step one. Electrical reliability. Prototypical signaling system, current detection.
Couplers. Sergent Engineering. Nothing less will do.
Wheelsets. Semi-scale is good enough (code 88). Will complete switch over from code 110 someday.
Locomotives: all wheel pickup. No reliance upon keep alives.
Turnouts: Handlaid with assistance of Fast Tracks filing blocks, considering Oak Hills handlaid turnouts, but they kind of loose the advantage of handlaying (no floating ballast, ever).
Ballast: no floating ballast.
Locomotives: No prochronisms, and preferably no parachronisms. The later can be stretched a bit. The former doesnt work for me. Both are anachronism types.
Rolling stock: See locomotives.
Air hoses: No Kadee trip pin "glad hands" on my railroad. Well, there cant be, because there are no Kadees.. Going to give the PWRS magnetic air hoses a shot.
DCC: kind of a given.
LCC: how the signals will be implemented, and how they will interact with the DCC system.
Roadbed: Cascade Rail Supply Homabed.
End goal:
To be able to take a photo of a train, and have 95 percent of people question if they are actually looking at a model or not.
After selling all my BB,Roundhouse and Accurail cars I'm more into accuracy instead of my good enough/close enough modeling style since its easier to do with today's more accurate cars and locomotives.
No,I won't lose sleep if a tiny detail is missing or the shade of paint is slightly off.
I still alternate between DC or DCC/Sound depending on my mood.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Everybody's got a different take on this. My general principles are like this.
No model is perfect.
Model railroading, at least as practiced in the form of the layout, is about overall effect or impression.
The hobby has more than its fair share of OCD types. I used to be one of those until I got old, fortunately while still young enough to remember when I had the hubris to believe that I could make everything perfect if I tried hard enough. I try to do better with each project I build, but usually this applies more and more to planning and design than it does to execution, which gets a bit shakier every year.
The worst side of perfectionism is paralysis, that state of suspended animation where the victim babbles for years about a wonderful layout they have planned that needs just a few more tweaks to be perfect so they can get started...but nothing much ever happens
So I just don't get that uptight about things. The layout represents my modeling of a prototype interest that spreads over maybe half a century of change. I don't model a specific date, time and even the location can be somewhat flexible, so long as it looks suitable. What's off the track generally changed more slowly than what's on the track. In fact, that's another rule of thimb I follow, in that motive power and rolling stock are the prime focus of my work. The farther away from the track something is, the less concern I have with absolute accuracy, while still wanting it to represent a credible scene along the line.
This can be found in other ways. My line runs generally from Durango to Silverton, with extension in the form of a couple of the Mears short lines that ran north out of Silverton and a wholly imanginary branch off the Silverton line. Durango represents more recent times, not exactly modern, but this is where the standard gauge connects and things get narrow even though that's not exactly the truth as we know in real life. Things like people, vehicles and structures get progressively older in Silverton and past it. Plenty of room for lots of modeing interests this way while keeping things separate enough so to avoid jarring contrasts between the old and the new.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
BMMECNYC Track work: It has to work, step one. Electrical reliability. Prototypical signaling system, current detection. Couplers. Sergent Engineering. Nothing less will do. Wheelsets. Semi-scale is good enough (code 88). Will complete switch over from code 110 someday. Locomotives: all wheel pickup. No reliance upon keep alives. Turnouts: Handlaid with assistance of Fast Tracks filing blocks, considering Oak Hills handlaid turnouts, but they kind of loose the advantage of handlaying (no floating ballast, ever). Ballast: no floating ballast. Locomotives: No prochronisms, and preferably no parachronisms. The later can be stretched a bit. The former doesnt work for me. Both are anachronism types. Rolling stock: See locomotives. Air hoses: No Kadee trip pin "glad hands" on my railroad. Well, there cant be, because there are no Kadees.. Going to give the PWRS magnetic air hoses a shot. DCC: kind of a given. LCC: how the signals will be implemented, and how they will interact with the DCC system. Roadbed: Cascade Rail Supply Homabed. End goal: To be able to take a photo of a train, and have 95 percent of people question if they are actually looking at a model or not.
I was going to skip this thread, but here goes:
"Track work: It has to work, step one. Electrical reliability. Prototypical signaling system, current detection." - Agreed, same here.
Couplers: Only regular head Kadee's here, no semi scale couplers - we like automatic coupling and use NMRA track standards - gathering range is an issue - operation takes priority over appearance.
Wheelsets - only code 110 here, because code 88 wheelsets just look silly with that big gap between the wheel and the side frame, and code 110 likes the NMRA track work better.
Trucks, mostly sprung metal KADEE trucks refitted with Intermountain wheel sets for added weight down low and better tracking of equalized design. Also use new KADEE HGC trucks with refitted wheel sets. We pull long trains.....
Locomotives: All wheel pickup, mostly stuff produced in the last 20 years, no DCC, no sound, no fancy lights - it is 1953 here and rule 17 has not been expanded.
Turnouts and track: Atlas code 83 mostly, some Walthers special trackwork, and hand laid specials where needed - don't need fast tracks, learned to build turnouts in 1973.......
Roadbed: Homabed or Cascade brand homasote, track glued with adhesiver caulk, turnouts float or have one or two track nails, but are effectively held by ballast and surrounding track.
"Locomotives: No prochronisms, and preferably no parachronisms. The later can be stretched a bit. The former doesnt work for me. Both are anachronism types." Well, I freelance, or more correctly protolance, so within that context I agree here.
Rolling stock - similar to above about locos, but close enough is good enough, its about overall impression, not every last rivet........
DCC - no thank you, my Aristo wireless radio throttles and my Advanced Cab Control works just fine. With a dispatcher on duty the experiance of running a mainline train is just like DCC, only simpler.......
Signals - my fully intergrated CTC and signal system works with relays, just like the signals did in 1953. Pretty much the same circuits as the prototype.
The CTC/signal/control system also includes:
Automaitc Train Control (prototype collision avoidance for those not familiar)
Working interlockings that prevent turnouts from being thrown under a train.
One button route control of turnouts from both local towers and the CTC panel.
Constant brightness headlights that come on/stay on, even if the train is still (how does he do that with DC?).
MUST HAVES:
Close coupled passenger cars with working diaphragms that touch and stay touching even though they are mostly freelanced 72' and 60' shorties.
Believable length trains, typically 30 to 50 cars, sometimes longer.
Don't need:
No real interest in how the models photograph, more interested in the overall effect and impression of the layout in person.
Sheldon
mlehman Everybody's got a different take on this. My general principles are like this. No model is perfect. Model railroading, at least as practiced in the form of the layout, is about overall effect or impression. The hobby has more than its fair share of OCD types. I used to be one of those until I got old, fortunately while still young enough to remember when I had the hubris to believe that I could make everything perfect if I tried hard enough. I try to do better with each project I build, but usually this applies more and more to planning and design than it does to execution, which gets a bit shakier every year. The worst side of perfectionism is paralysis, that state of suspended animation where the victim babbles for years about a wonderful layout they have planned that needs just a few more tweaks to be perfect so they can get started...but nothing much ever happens So I just don't get that uptight about things. The layout represents my modeling of a prototype interest that spreads over maybe half a century of change. I don't model a specific date, time and even the location can be somewhat flexible, so long as it looks suitable. What's off the track generally changed more slowly than what's on the track. In fact, that's another rule of thimb I follow, in that motive power and rolling stock are the prime focus of my work. The farther away from the track something is, the less concern I have with absolute accuracy, while still wanting it to represent a credible scene along the line. This can be found in other ways. My line runs generally from Durango to Silverton, with extension in the form of a couple of the Mears short lines that ran north out of Silverton and a wholly imanginary branch off the Silverton line. Durango represents more recent times, not exactly modern, but this is where the standard gauge connects and things get narrow even though that's not exactly the truth as we know in real life. Things like people, vehicles and structures get progressively older in Silverton and past it. Plenty of room for lots of modeing interests this way while keeping things separate enough so to avoid jarring contrasts between the old and the new.
Yes, my approach and feelings are similar, no OCD here.
Great comments Mike.
I'm a perfectionist about the things I care about. I probably don't care about a lot of things others might.
- Douglas
Oh Boy! I did not know we were going to do a list... HANG ON TIGHT... here we go!!!
Track work: I have decided to use all old style metal frog (non-DCC) Walthers/Shinohara turnouts with Atlas sectional and flex track. All hidden track will be Kato Unitrack.
Couplers: Big Head Kadees.
Wheels: Code 110.
Trucks: All Kadees, except for one that is still fully sprung and equalized in a style Kadee does not make. That one still had to have Kadee wheels installed.
Wheels: All Kadees. They work perfectly, and have for twenty years. I don't believe in fixing things that are not broken.
Locomotives: Mostly USRA steam and EMD first generation cab units. A handful of non-conformists have slipped in. I like them too, so I let them stay.
Roadbed: Cork, but who cares? It will all be hidden by ballast. If you are worried about roadbed you need to re-prioritize your scenery efforts. HIDE IT!
Freelance: Heck YEAH! True freelancing here, no whimpy semi-commited dedication to this theme. ZERO prototype cars on my layout... PERIOD!
Rolling stock: The best collection of freight cars ever assembled! Everything (except for a handful) are all painted and decalled by me. Designing freelance paint schemes is a fun hobby all in its own.
Control: Just DC because I understand it, I can troubleshoot it, and I do not need to modify anything.
Signals: Just for scenic effect.
Train length: 5 to 12 cars.
How the models and layout photograph is incredibly important unless you are happy running on plywood for a decade or more. Once you build a scene you will want to photograph it. Digital Photography and Model Railroading go hand-in-hand like peas and carrots.
Track Fiddler,My #1 priority is reproducing the New Haven RR. To model it, I am particularly interested in NH locomotives, passenger cars, and cabooses (in that order). Freight cars are, for the most part, simply there to have something to haul around.
I do have my standards: no truck-mounted couplers, RP25 flanges, Kadee-brand couplers (set at the correct height), no total foobie toys like a boxcar painted for the Boston Red Sox or John Deere or Elvis, no pancake motors, all-wheel pick-up (except on steam), no Code 100 track, no switch less than a #6 frog, mainline radius 30", keep aisles equal to or greater than 36" (narrow points allowed at posts, etc.), all mainline-wire buses on terminal strips, no cutsie business names (only real or realistic names, please), only real locations to be modeled (no Gorre-like places), etc.
After all that, the priority is Operations. After all, the NHRR wasn't just a collection of rolling stock; it was a transportation system. I build model trains to run them, so they must work well. The layout must be interesting to run, so it must have sidings, yards, and industries. It must be able to handle multiple operators, or be operated solo. Car cards (or switch lists), scheduled trains, fast clocks, and so on, should be accomodated.
Way down the list is scenery. I appreciate it, and I think it makes every layout better, but I don't need it. I'd like to have scenery, but I'd rather buy another NH locomotive or passenger car than an equal amount of scenery material.
Paul3 Track Fiddler,My #1 priority is reproducing the New Haven RR. To model it, I am particularly interested in NH locomotives, passenger cars, and cabooses (in that order). Freight cars are, for the most part, simply there to have something to haul around. I do have my standards: no truck-mounted couplers, RP25 flanges, Kadee-brand couplers (set at the correct height), no total foobie toys like a boxcar painted for the Boston Red Sox or John Deere or Elvis, no pancake motors, all-wheel pick-up (except on steam), no Code 100 track, no switch less than a #6 frog, mainline radius 30", keep aisles equal to or greater than 36" (narrow points allowed at posts, etc.), all mainline-wire buses on terminal strips, no cutsie business names (only real or realistic names, please), only real locations to be modeled (no Gorre-like places), etc. After all that, the priority is Operations. After all, the NHRR wasn't just a collection of rolling stock; it was a transportation system. I build model trains to run them, so they must work well. The layout must be interesting to run, so it must have sidings, yards, and industries. It must be able to handle multiple operators, or be operated solo. Car cards (or switch lists), scheduled trains, fast clocks, and so on, should be accomodated. Way down the list is scenery. I appreciate it, and I think it makes every layout better, but I don't need it. I'd like to have scenery, but I'd rather buy another NH locomotive or passenger car than an equal amount of scenery material.
I can respect all that.
Your last part on scenery is the exact reason I am seriously considering doing scenery before laying track.
I know myself all too well. I think I would fall into the same scenario. I would be running my trains all the time, buying new Rolling Stock and locomotives never getting any scenery done. In fact I know that, LOL, been there done that before.
My goal for realistic scenery is pretty important to me. I would like a trackside photo hard to decipher from the real-thing.
Thanks for sharing
PS. Some really interesting posts here so far.
I'm particularly keen on adhering to historic reality in choice of rolling stock, locos, structures, lineside details and such. Trackage, which sometimes presents undepected problems, also gets a lot of attention.
Kerry
Sheldon Your summary of Aristo wireless radio throttles and Advanced cab control sparked a lot of my interest. Sounds like something I'd like to look into as I don't want to overcomplicate my Railroad. Feel free to elaborate on this if you would. I definitely want to know more about this.
Thanks
Way to much OCD for me. Probably why I love the logging scene in the steam era. If it worked, they went with it. Pretty much anything goes and did on a logging line. Only the huge logging shows were closer to class one railroad operations, such as Weyerhaeuser, Rayonier ect. The smaller operations worked with what they had. Extremely handed down motive power, even geared engines were well used before some lines got them. Homebrew log buggies, no ballest, bridges built from trees or whatever they could find in the forest. Mike the Aspie
emdmike Way to much OCD for me. Probably why I love the logging scene in the steam era. If it worked, they went with it. Pretty much anything goes and did on a logging line. Only the huge logging shows were closer to class one railroad operations, such as Weyerhaeuser, Rayonier ect. The smaller operations worked with what they had. Extremely handed down motive power, even geared engines were well used before some lines got them. Homebrew log buggies, no ballest, bridges built from trees or whatever they could find in the forest. Mike the Aspie
Hey Mike. I always liked logging railroads. I have seen some really impressive ones over the years. I also really like the little Shay's. They sure are neat to watch with their little parts going every which way.
I would say logging railroads are in a class of their own. Like you said bridges built out of logs from the woods, one doesn't have to get very perfectionistic with that. I've seen the railroad ties out of logs too.
It seems the more rustic everything is the better these model railroads look. Hope to see some of your pictures on the forum sometime.
Track fiddler Sheldon Your summary of Aristo wireless radio throttles and Advanced cab control sparked a lot of my interest. Sounds like something I'd like to look into as I don't want to overcomplicate my Railroad. Feel free to elaborate on this if you would. I definitely want to know more about this. Thanks Track Fiddler
Well, in many ways it is much more complex than DCC.......but in different ways.
Advanced cab control is best explained in small bites.
If you have access to the digital archive, I suggest you look up Ed Ravenscroft and his MZL control - read the series of articles.
I do not use his system "exactly", but my system is based on his ideas, and those of Bruce Chubb as applied in his original intergrated cab control and signal system, also documented in MR, and on the work of Paul Mallery.
Here is a brief explaination of my system:
Aristro wireless throttles control individual base stations, one per throttle, each with its own power supply. The base station is effectively a "power pack" controlled by the radio throttle.
The layout is divided into "blocks", or electrical sections, not sure how familiar you are with conventional DC block control?
The blocks can be connected or "assigned" to any of the throttles. But this is not done with rotary or toggle switches on a single control panel. It is done with relays and pushbuttions which allow the same block to be assigned or un-assigned from multiple control panel locations.
So as you walk around the layout, there are "tower panels" that allow you to connect, or disconnect, your throttle to/from the various sections of track you wish to travel on without being achored to single control panel lcoation. Thes tower panels also contain one button route control for the turnouts in their area. The combination of the turnout postions and the throttle assignments automaticly sends the power of your throttle to the correct trackage.
As you progress around the layout, other operators can assume control of sections you have vacated and follow you around the layout, just like real trains and much like DCC.
CTC - Centralized Traffic Control - a prototype system by which a dispatcher in a remote location controls turnouts and signals to instruct the trains where and when to go and stop.
With my system, all of the cab assignment buttons and the turnout route control buttons are duplicated on a CTC panel. A dispatcher can set your route, connect your throttle, and turn your signal green, telling you to proceed. With a dispatcher on duty, you just run the train and obey the signals, just like DCC. If you run a red signal, your train just stops.....ATC (automatic train control)
Hope that gives you some idea. This system requires lots of planning with respect to the track plan. It requires lots of wire and relays. It requires a basic understanding of pre computer, pre solid state, relay based control logic.
It takes lots of wire, it is not "simple", especially in its full blown signaling version.
It can be build in simpler versions. I built a manual turnout, no signals, single track mainline version for a friend years ago. Here is a picture of one of his control panels.
The buttons on the diagram assign the throttles, the manually operated turnouts have electrical connections that operate logic relays for power routing. You press one or two buttons, align the turnouts, and train goes where you have routed it.
Other trains can control other areas and approach the siding for a meet and pass.
Other trains/locos can be isolated simply by throwing a turnout against their travel in a siding.
Everything happens with just a few buttons pushed and few ground throws.
But it takes this much wiring for the control panel you see above:
DCC uses complex electronics factory made in little "black boxes", my system gives easy user interface with complex under layout wiring.
The throttles look like this (not a great photo), but are no longer available. There are however other radio throttles on the market that will work the same with this system.
Thanks Sheldon. I do understand what you're talking about. I was planning on doing DC blocks on my current layout. I just don't know much about this new equipment available.
My brother and I built a layout with blocks isolating the zones with those little plastic track connectors That was a lot of years ago so of course we didn't have wireless back then. We had a control panel where we'd flip switches from one power pack to the other to run two trains. It was a house rule when your train left a block you flip the switch back as courtesy to the other operator.
That took quite a bit of wiring too but it was fun. I remember our reverse Loop was a block with a directional switch as well.
Thanks for the site leads I'm going to look into the equipment you're using. I enjoy electronics wiring. Much lighter work with than house wiring.
Thanks for the help
Track fiddler Thanks Sheldon. I do understand what you're talking about. I was planning on doing DC blocks on my current layout. I just don't know much about this new equipment available. My brother and I built a layout with blocks isolating the zones with those little plastic track connectors That was a lot of years ago so of course we didn't have wireless back then. We had a control panel where we'd flip switches from one power pack to the other to run two trains. It was a house rule when your train left a block you flip the switch back as courtesy to the other operator. That took quite a bit of wiring too but it was fun. I remember our reverse Loop was a block with a directional switch as well. Thanks for the site leads I'm going to look into the equipment you're using. I enjoy electronics wiring. Much lighter work with than house wiring. Thanks for the help Track Fiddler
OK, this is a DC wireless throttle that could be used:
http://www.revoelectronics.com/
It was designed by Aristo, but is now being marketed by new owners since Aristo closed up.
Thanks Sheldon I haven't read everything yet but am I correct in thinking you can control your block function from your remote, instead of a manual switchboard, as well as throttling your locomotive?
PS. I guess that was kind of a silly question. This old sunken dinosaur is a little out of touch with today's technology in the hobby. I am coming back up to the surface with a little help though........Of course it does all that....... knock knock!
Perfectionism??
I am a relative perfectionist with the trains I buy. Little things i can often fix. However, there are several brands of HO plastic diesel I just do not buy because the handrails have excessive warping or other issues. I now prefer F units with metal handrails...
Curiously, the Intermountain diesels I have looked at recently have passed my cosmetic inspection. I am the proud owner of two IC/ICG orange and white GP10's.
I have had good luck with Athearn Genesis steam power and Bachmann B&O 2-8-8-4's.
My freight cars include regular Athearns with a few Tangent and Exactrail and Moloco cars. I have used Kadee cars too
Excepting the trains, I am not as picky...I do use Kadee 158 couplers and I replace all factory couplers with them. My layout is nearly fully scenic'd but with rural southwestern scenes and very few buildings...could be almost anywhere.
John