UK Railways are chronic. USA Railroads are fantastic. I lit upon the Chicago South Shore Freight & Suburbans because the area around Lake Michigan South Shore, reminds me of the South Bank of the River Tees Estuary, between Middlesbrough and Redcar in Cleveland, North Yorkshire - where I used to live. The Orange Geeps & the Suburbans + of course the Street-running are just brilliant. There is nothing like that, in the UK. Paul
"It's the South Shore Line, Jim - but not as we know it".
hon30critterThat would be an impressive station!
Just long, but not impressive. In fact, rather boring.
Happy times!
Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)
"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"
Tinplate ToddlerThe station tracks alone would require a benchwork of a length of about 30ft. - in Z scale!
That would be an impressive station! What are you waiting for?!?
I have no desire to model my home town, Oshawa, Ontario. Nice place. Still some good friends living there. Fond memories, but nothing exceptional railroad wise.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
If I define "hometown" as where I currently live, modeling it would be quite a challenge. The town is located on a busy mainline, with 400 train movements each day. The station tracks alone would require a benchwork of a length of about 30ft. - in Z scale!
I have built numerous layouts in those 57 years I am in the hobby, none of which had anything to dowith the place I lived at that time.
Nope, I model my hometown (where I still live today) and the railroad that runs through it because it used to run right by my house. I even have a laser cut model of my hometown depot ready to build. I do model an era that ended years before I was born.
Hi all
I would love to do a model of my home town my scratch building isn't good enough for that.
Sn31/2 is hard to come by so is std gauge WAGR stock in HO so pre seventies is out so is post 70's.
Oh! and if modeling my home town I would need to be on a different forum all together so would miss out on the contact with the members here.
regards John
I live in PA, have attempted to model PRR and Reading (see forum name), but always always revert to the western roads. I love the scenery and history of the far west more, though am not tied to Santa Fe steam...in fact excepting the 2-10-4's, I really do not like Santa Fe steam at all. I do not care for that "look".
In steam I love the rarely seen and even more rarely photographed Western Pacific 4-6-6-4's, and most open cab DRGW, NP, SP&S steam, along with SP 4-10-2's and Texas & Pacific 4-8-2's. Generally speaking, I prefer Alco steam and Worthington BL feedwater heaters.
The Western Pacific 4-6-6-4 is the most beautiful steamer ever built imo.
I also like many 2-8-8-0's including the late versions of B&O and UP.
John Mock
I live in OH and model the New York Central (NYC) but grew up in NE FL. While I've always loved trains, it wasn't until I moved to OH and started modeling in HO that the NYC became my modeling focal point.
The NYC has a deep and fascinating history and I've grown very fond of their steam and early diesel locomotives. While I can enjoy and appreciate the locomotives from other roads, to me - the NYC Hudson is THE most handsome steam engine ever designed.
And the fact that the NYC ran through my area and one of its major yards is only a few miles down the hill from my house also makes it a great choice of roads to model. The national headquarters of the NYCSHS Historical Socity is located in town, too.
Lastly, I think the white on black paint scheme is a classic look - e.g. like a handsome tuxedo. Throw in an occasional lightning stripe cummerbund and you've got one good-lookin', stylish dude.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
I use Southern Pacific but not because of the fact it ran near me but it fit my era and was plentifull and cheap and I like alot of their paint designs.
My dad was career Army. I moved every year and so don't really have a home town. I eventually picked the Maryland & Pennsylvania because after reading George Hilton's book I realized that it had all the characteristics I wanted.
Paul
I grew up in Gainesville, Florida.
No mining, no through trains, no industry, no hills, no tunnels, no bridges, no rivers, and so on.
University of Florida and Sonny's Barbeque.
No, I do not model my hometown.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
I grew up on Long Island, NY. All we had was commuter service on the Long Island Railroad.
I started my HO layout, after a total hodge-podge of Lionel, with Milwaukee as a teenager. I still model that road at 73.
I do have subways, being from outside the city, but I didn't grow up there.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Hi, was curious, does anyone model a prototype railroad that's not related to their hometown? If so, why?
(For ex. I live in Pennsylvania yet I love the Santa Fe, because of how their steam engines look)
PS I'm looking more for non-freelancers, but feel free to chime in!
Cheers!
Charles
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Modeling the PRR & NYC in HO
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