Who operates their own roadname?

[Noah Hofrichter]

I operate what I like to call the ARK, the Appleton, Rivermoor, and Keenville. Now, this is a pun, as my name is Noah(Noah and the ark from the Bible). In the ARK's history, the ARK is a paper work and reporting mark only division of the real Wisconsin and Southern Railroad(WSOR). The line that I model is fictional, supposing to branch off the real Oshkosh sub of the WSOR, and run through several small town before reaching the town of Appleton WI, about ten to fifteen miles away. I'm working on developing a logo and decal scheme for the boxcars that will bear the ARK reporting marks.

Noah

[Anonymous]

Good Evening All:

I own the "Almost Nothing". It's a RR that used old cast-off locos from class 1 roads. This allowes me to have R F & P locos running next to A T & S F, C & O's, S P, and R I.

I have my own decals so I can detail them anyway I want to.

Bob

[METRO]

I've created the Selenian Lines Commission for the fictional metropolis of Selene Ontario. The idea is that I can model a major commuter operation, with its own right of way, the way that I want to, without having to follow a direct prototype. My line has elements of the NYC MTA, Toronto's GO Transit, the Boston MBTA and the Chicago Metra in one line, basically picking and choosing what I wanted.

Another thing I wanted was to model a geographic area that doesn't actually exist, the metropolis itself (about the population of Chicago) is on several islands on Lake Ontario, with the suburbs and a smaller college city in a set of coastal mountains that are loosely based upon the Blue Mountains that are north of Toronto on the coast of Lake Huron, but in mine are much higher.

This also allows me to run seasonal ski trains as I model late fall - early winter as my time frame, so while the city itself does not have snow yet, the mountains have plenty.

All in all, it's exactly what I've always wanted in a layout, now I just need more time to work on it.

~METRO

[dragenrider]

As this post seems to be about freelancing and decaling both, I'll throw in my railroad as another example of a freelanced line.

I model the Cedar Branch & Western Railroad, a short line located somewhere in the Ozark Mountains of north Arkansas and southern Missouri. I have painted and decaled all my engines and some of my rolling stock. At this point I'm ready to go back and redo some of my poorer looking engines.

It's great having my own railroad and fleet. It's my world, I tell you....MINE, MINE, ALL MINE! [4:-)]

[Anonymous]

I am a direct descendant of Roland Stock who owned a stretch of railroad right-of-way in Central Illinois in the late 1800's. Mr. Stock won the right-or-way in a card game of questionable honesty from a couple railroad barons connected with the Wabash and the Chicago & Eastern Illinois. Mr. Stock's railroad has exclusive rights to the area and the Wabash and C. & E. I. are forced by circumstances to use his trackage. Fast forward to the 1950's and Mr. Stock's railroad or what is left of it has come to be known as the Sangamon & Kaskaskia Railroad. To those abiding in Central Illinois, those names are familiar as two of the main rivers in the area. One of Mr. Stock's ne'er-do-well descendants won the right to have a slogan and logo designed for him and the result is: "The Sangamon & Kaskaskia Railroad--Bracketing the I. C." which yields the AAR reporting marks of SICK! All this gives me the right to run the Wabash (Sangamon) and the C. &. E. I, (Kaskaskia) on the same trackage (layout). Incidentally, the SICK, in order to meet regulatory demand is the proud owner of one slightly track-worthy GP-7 and a depressed center flat car. (The flat car is on Valium to correct the depression!)
This is a brief history of the SICK and a perfect example of, "An idle mind is a terrible waste!"

[Anonymous]

The Delaware River & Western is a shotline railroad operating in SE Pennsylvania. The DR&W operates both freight and tourist passenger trains. In terms of motive power, the DR&W is primarily an all-Alco road but also owns three CF7 locomotives and five steam locomotives, two operable and in service, one stored serviceable and two Out of Service. The steam locomotives are primarily used as power for the tourist trains, but have also been used to move freight on rare occassions.

The DR&W also stores various equipment owned by Railroad Historical Societies: stored are two fully restored and operational Lehigh Valley locomotives - a U23B and a GP38-2, both in full LV dress. In return for donating storage space, the DR&W is permitted to operate both locomotives any time the need arises.

The DR&W is also in negotiations to purchase a FM H-24-66 it located for its own use on the heavy quarry trains it operates during the summer in addition to its regular freight business. The railroad does plan to use it in passenger service as well, as it should be a big draw to the railfan community.

[METRO]

As for the painting of the Selenian Lines Commission stock, the paint scheme is silver with a band of B&O dark blue through the middle, kind of llike how Metro North has theirs done except that the blue is much darker and the band flares out over the nose of a locomotive instead of coming to a point.

Logos are done in the oposite color (blue on silver or silver on blue) with the numbering done in black on coaches and opposite color on the locomotives

The logo is a serf S with an italic L intertwined and a small C linked into the lower loop of the S. I've been told it looks like a cross between the Louis Voutton clothing company logo and the St. Louis Cardinals logo, haha.

To give the line a sense of history, I've created some older paintjobs that I'll apply to older stock, or MOW equipment that I figure just wouldn't have had time to get repainted by the shop. As with the New York area lines, my different schemes are pretty radically different, with one older job being red and silver and was loosely inspired by Caltrain.

~Metro

[Anonymous]

I am planning on getting a pair of Undeced Kato SD38-2s and a pair of Cannon High Noses so i can paint up 2 SD38-2s for MO&W. MO&W is Marqutte Ontonagon & Western

[Anonymous]

My grandpa did it was called Algonqlin and Southern
he painted all of his rolling stock and locomotives in a deep green. I have one caboose and his heavyweight passenger fleet. Everything else wen to the four winds.

[BRVRR]

My BRVRR is a freelanced connecting road between the NYC and the Santa Fe. I have only one piece of "house" equipment, a F7, BRVRR#1116. You can see it and a lot of the other motive power and rolling stock at the link below.

[dharmon]

I do. Maritime Rail, or it's original name New England Steam Ship and Maritime Railway Co. Ltd. Eaking out a living in modern Maine...

[jguess733]

I operate the Brazos River Western, a fictional class 2 in Texas. And my buddy and I are building a layout in his basement the Chicago & Pacific, which is a road that was formed by the fictional merging of the Milwakee Road, and Rock Island.

[Anonymous]

In my universe and timeline of the late 60s/early 70s, the Bachmann Turner Overland is a thriving shortline around the Chicago area...

steve [:D]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by SteveGrantham

In my universe and timeline of the late 60s/early 70s, the Bachmann Turner Overland is a thriving shortline around the Chicago area...

steve [:D]

Cool name, sounds like you are takin care of buisness and workin overtime .Mine is the Clarksburg Charleston & Western. A very fictional class1 that operates in the 40's thru late 50's. I have been asked many times, Pardon me boy, is that the Chattanoga Choo Choo..[:D] Terry.

[Anonymous]

]

[Anonymous]

In my little (1:160) world, the Milwuakee Road and the Northern Pacific merged to form the Chicago, Milwaukee, and Northern Pacific (or Milwaukee Road). The MOntana Rail Link was formed from the tracks the new company put up for sale as surplus. Both railroads have trackage rights over the other, so it is not uncimmin to see either line's power. Of course, the home colors are orange and black (with the "sprinting indian").

[ClinchValleySD40]

Clinch Valley RR Co.

Knoxville, TN to Huntington, WV

[Anonymous]

I am trying to think of the perfect name for my railroad. It is a fictional branchline of the UP with shay engines and a logging industry. It is set somewhere in the Rocky Mountains. You can have as much or even more fun with your own road name than you can with a real one.

dwfin1985 (UP fan)

[TrainFreak409]

When I get a layout up and running, I am planning on running the Scott Squad Railroad, a fictional Class 1 railroad with multiregional locomotives and rolling stock from multiple time periods, taking place in no specific region.

The name might not stick, I am still thinking on that subject. But I know that for a first layout, I don't want prototypical facts limiting my experience. I want to go all out creative and see what happens.

~[8]~ TrainFreak409 ~[8]~

[trainboyH16-44]

I made the Alberta Pacific.
It's a Canadian transcon that goes through Red Deer, with heavy influence from CP and CN. It operates an all EMD roster with mostly 40 series geeps and SDs, and is buildind a fleet of SD70s. (It's sheild will be my avatar the moment I figure out how to do it)
APR4EVER

[waltersrails]

i know its a old topic but needs to be back. I use to operate under my last name but desided just to go with class one railroads.

[pcarrell]

The Autumns Ridge Railway & Navigation Co. is a fictional line based on the Belfast & Moosehead Lake RR in Maine.

[Anonymous]

I have my own, it is the HO scale Archer Grain, a Shortline based in Kansas.

we have 247 miles of rail, and interchange with the Santa fe at the town of Strong city, and interchange with the Kyle railroad at the town of Archer.

my roster so far is
1 Proto 2000 Gp30
1 Custom kitbashed GP19-,1 kitbashed from a p2k gp18 with a cannon dash-2 cab and a chopped nose.
1 8-40b ex LMX
and we also lease power from the santa fe currently we are leasing a couple of gp30's, and 2 b23-7's and a gp38

right now on the heavy grain traffic we have 4 trains a day running, and 2 locals a day
we have the Cottonwood Falls to Archer Turn, then it returns with empties, then we have the 110 train which hauls the most it starts at thomas and teminates at strong city.
then we have the 2 locals that switch all the elevators and a couple of industries along the system.

right now on the 110 train for power is the 8-40b in the lead, and 2 b23-7's and 1 gp30.

on the archer turn we have a gp19-1 in the lead with the gp35
then running the locals is the archer grain gp30, and the other local runs with one of the Santa fe gp30's

In the coming months we will be recieving 6 8-40b's ex LMX, so then we could return most of the santa fe power.

here are some pics of my gp30 loco, sorry i dont have pics of the other stuff yet.

[selector]

[%-)] Somehow I have been missing this entire thread....haven't seen it yet!

I think that most layouts, maybe 70%, are freelanced due to the nature of most model trains players..they want to control much of their experience in the hobby. Anyway, mine is freelanced and I call it the Sentinel Coal Ry, even though the only loco that will eventaully be so signed is my 0-6-0.

What a hodge-podge I have, but I love every one of 'em.

Addend-dumb - okay, I just read the date of Mouse's first post. [:I]

[SpaceMouse]

Dang. Things change. The Hogwarts Freight and Ferry has 4 engines and about 8 pieces of rolling stock, but only comes out during open house at the club.

Now I only model prototypes.

At home, the Central Pacific / Southern Pacific merger year 1885.

Just starting, sort of, 1917 California Western and Northwestern Pacific.

At the club, PRR and Buffalo and Pitttsburgh, but easing out of the PRR.

[jecorbett]

If you include modelers who run their own freelanced railroads and modelers who model fictional branches of real railroads, I think they would be in the majority. I don't know of that many modelers who try to model an actual railroad in a real place. Even those that do I'm sure have to take considerable modelers license because of space constraints.

My own layout is of a fictional line that runs from the Hudson River across the southern tier of New York to Buffalo. It is a composite of the NYOW, the Erie, and the DL&W. The modeled portion runs in the area served by the NYOW.

[nbrodar]

My Penn Lake System, The Anthracite Speedway, is a mid-1990s super regional (like Montana Rail Link or Wisconsin Central) operating in Northeast Pennsylvania's anthracite country. PLS transports coal, iron ore, steel, stone, cement, paper, building products, and beer. It interchanges with the D&H/CP and Conrail, so power from those roads are frequent visitors.

The locomotives are dark blue with red & white lighting strips:

And the cars are gray with red lettering, and the PLS diamond.

Nick

[Anonymous]

Yeah, I operate my own.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: I think that most layouts, maybe 70%, are freelanced

There was a poll "freelance or prototype" -do a search. I'm modeling a freelanced (sort of). It's illinois central, set in the exact present. The UTAH BELT from Great Model RR's 2006 inspired me to do this. I use IC's last paint scheme the DEATH STAR. There are a few things that aren't quite prototipical though. IC scrapped their U33C's on 5/18/1984 and i'm running one (soon to be 2) but it's MY railroad. Some of the loco's on the roster were purchesed from BNSF and wear Santa Fe colors. The official name is the "ILLINOIS CENTRA RAILWAY" for now it's Class 2.

[GAPPLEG]

Last but not least is the Texas Mining and Industrial railroad, my ficticious shortline.[:D]