Originally posted by siberianmo For those who asked - my Can-Am layout may be best viewed on http://www.railimages.com/gallery/thomasweber Wow, really like the station. All you need is a couple of GO Trains to make it really multi-lined. Reply siberianmo Member sinceFebruary 2004 From: Chesterfield, Missouri, USA 7,214 posts Posted by siberianmo on Monday, March 21, 2005 8:19 PM Kyle - Glad there are at least two of us! The railroads of my distant past are now within my display cases. Every now and then, I plan to assemble one or two and operate a few "excursion trains." It'll be great to see my Pennsy GG-1's (passenger and freight) back in operation. I had a smaller HO layout for several years, featuring the PRR - NYC - NH and B&M. For an assortment of reasons, it was time to "retire" the lot. What you now see are the fruits of my labors over an 18 month period - including the trainroom. It was - and is - fun. Great hobby - both modeling and riding the real trains! See ya! Happy Railroading! Siberianmo Reply ksax73 Member sinceNovember 2002 From: US 204 posts Posted by ksax73 on Monday, March 21, 2005 1:55 PM You have done an excellent job Siberianmo! My reason are just like yours. I Model What I ride. Amtrak, NJT, MTA Metro-North. ~Kyle The Mary Lindsay Railroad - Featuring Amtrak Model Trains Your HO Rail Journey Starts Here......... www.marylindsayrr.vze.com (Last Update: 5/31/12) Reply siberianmo Member sinceFebruary 2004 From: Chesterfield, Missouri, USA 7,214 posts Posted by siberianmo on Monday, March 21, 2005 1:48 PM For those who asked - my Can-Am layout may be best viewed on http://www.railimages.com/gallery/thomasweber THANX for the kind words, by the way![:D] But for those who asked, here are a few more pictures - click to enlarge.[:)] =========================================== Sorry for the delay in posting these - I really thought the thread 'died' ..... glad it still thrives. You know, if we keep the politics and emotional stuff out of this subject, perhaps we could better get to the answer to the question! I model what I ride - plain and simple. Right now that's Amtrak and VIA Rail! See ya![tup] Happy Railroading! Siberianmo Reply ksax73 Member sinceNovember 2002 From: US 204 posts Posted by ksax73 on Monday, March 21, 2005 10:26 AM Well everyone has thier opinion. That stuff by itself doesn't do anything for me. I think if Amtrak's territory spread out a bit more to other regions and locations it would have a greater impact in the hobby. ~Kyle The Mary Lindsay Railroad - Featuring Amtrak Model Trains Your HO Rail Journey Starts Here......... www.marylindsayrr.vze.com (Last Update: 5/31/12) Reply Ibflattop Member sinceDecember 2003 From: Ft. Wayne Indiana Home of the Lake Division 574 posts Posted by Ibflattop on Friday, March 18, 2005 12:14 PM "Amtrak- We need no stinking Amtrak!!!" its only varnish for me in NKP and Wabash!!! Well that Picture of the station does look cool. We need to see more pictures of the models here!!!!!!!!!!!! Kevin Home of the NS Lake Division.....(but NKP and Wabash rule!!!!!!!! ) :-) NMRA # 103172 Ham callsign KC9QZW Reply ksax73 Member sinceNovember 2002 From: US 204 posts Posted by ksax73 on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 10:10 AM Well I feel what makes modeling Amtrak partly interesting are the disadvantages it does have being a tenant to host railroads outside of the NEC. When modeling a train outside the corridor and making it take the siding for an oncoming freight train or another passenger train on a 1 track mainline section of a route allows for some pretty interesting operations. I also like the way passenger trains look passing freight. It brings out variety and something else about it has an appeal to me that I just can't put my finger on. I guess you can say I like how Utility meets elegance and vise versa. Now I know a bunch here may say "Amtrak's far but elegant compared to its successors" but riding in a passenger car is far more elegant than riding in a box car, lol. I like running my trains based on operations and I incorporate delays and late arrivals into them. I like modeling this because I've dealt with it personally and I bring that to model railroading which is the general idea. I would say that if anyone was to model a modern day railroad in a region where Amtrak can be seen, that person's layout is not complete without an Amtrak consist (at least 1). ~Kyle The Mary Lindsay Railroad - Featuring Amtrak Model Trains Your HO Rail Journey Starts Here......... www.marylindsayrr.vze.com (Last Update: 5/31/12) Reply Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Monday, March 14, 2005 3:43 PM QUOTE: Originally posted by adrianiu I model the northeast corridor in Connecticut, and Amtrak is a must! Well, the Northeast Corridor is about the only place where you'd actually be modeling Amtrack. In my part of the country to model Amtrack you'd have to model Amtrack on the BNSF or Amtrack on the UP, etc. since Amtrack does not own trackage outside of "the Corridor!", but is merely a tennent on the host railroads rails elsewhere. If I model the one or two Amtrack trains per day here, then I need to model the 30 or 40 freight trains on the same tracks. Nothing against Amtrack. I railfan it occassionally, but it's not fodder for my modeling at this time. Reply Edit RMax1 Member sinceSeptember 2002 642 posts Posted by RMax1 on Monday, March 14, 2005 11:49 AM I started out in HO modeling Athearn AMTRAK cars before I even thought about layouts and engines. I bought them because they were different and I had been modeling German Armor for quite awhile. They were a good change of pace. Now years later I have found an interest in railroads of the 70's that were in my area. AMTRAK blends into this well. The last of the E Unit trains and the variety is interesting and fun. RMax1 Reply whitman500 Member sinceNovember 2004 From: NYC 385 posts Posted by whitman500 on Monday, March 14, 2005 10:57 AM Not to knock on Amtrak, but I think the low-interest in modeling this railroad is a reflection of what Amtrack represents. It's a lot easier to get excited about modeling the Golden Age of railroading in the 1920s-1950s when trains were an integral part of American life and railroads were successful businesses. In contrast, Amtrak originated because of the rail industry's decline and has become synonimous with giant financial losses, mediocre service and general inefficiency. Much of this is the fault of the politicians rather than Amtrak management but regardless you can't claim it is a well-run organization. Reply ksax73 Member sinceNovember 2002 From: US 204 posts Posted by ksax73 on Monday, March 14, 2005 8:55 AM siberianmo Great picture! I love it! Will you post more here? QUOTE: By the way - I've visited the MLRR for years now, nice work, on your custom models especially. Thanks for your interest and support Adrianiu! I guess interest in passenger trains is starting to grow somewhat. I remember when I first started out, the only Amtrak models available were in phase I or II and this was back in 1994/97. By that time Amtrak was moving towards phase III liveries. Now manufacturers have caught up. Instead of waiting 8 years before introducing the latest Amtrak livery, manufacturers introduce it within 3 or 4 years. Equipment availability has come a long ways since I first started in this hobby. I like the responses I'm seeing here though. It’s very encouraging! ~Kyle The Mary Lindsay Railroad - Featuring Amtrak Model Trains Your HO Rail Journey Starts Here......... www.marylindsayrr.vze.com (Last Update: 5/31/12) Reply Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, March 13, 2005 9:58 PM Amtrak-what can i say...it's pretty cool. I love running Amtrak on my layout (UP-BNSF). It adds interest in operation. I always have to pull over on a siding when Amtrak comes rolling through with a couple "Genesis'" and a dying F40PH. Siberino--GREAT PIC--MORE PLEASE!!! Amtrk14-I TOTTALY AGREE, Athearn or Walthers needs to make the California cars and Surfliners. I have been thinking also of a cool Surfliner Route from LA to San Diego. Sean-do u have any pics of your layout.? Id love to see them. cya, BEN Reply Edit dinwitty Member sinceAugust 2004 2,844 posts Posted by dinwitty on Sunday, March 13, 2005 8:16 PM Amtrak is a unification of the rail passenger services, but its out of my era I will model, I have some Amtrak models, but I will be selling them to focus on my era, 1950'ish so I can get STEAM!!!! okok, so I can claim steam never died and still exists, blah blah... 8-D Reply Amtrk14 Member sinceJune 2004 240 posts Posted by Amtrk14 on Saturday, March 12, 2005 12:17 PM First of all, siberianmo great picture. Can you post some more pictures of your layout? I also model Amtrak. Right now I'm modeling the Coast Starlight and I hope to some day model the Amtrak CA Surfliner service. Hopefully someone comes out with the Surfliner cars soon; They are way overdue! Sean Reply siberianmo Member sinceFebruary 2004 From: Chesterfield, Missouri, USA 7,214 posts Posted by siberianmo on Saturday, March 12, 2005 11:39 AM csxmuQUOTE: Awesome picture siberainmo. Thanx! Was beginning to wonder if anyone saw it![tup] My Can-Am layout is a representation of what I travel on today (1990's to present date). Amtrak runs in my state (Missouri) and we ride it! Therefore, it has a "place" on my layout. See ya![:)] Happy Railroading! Siberianmo Reply red p Member sinceDecember 2003 330 posts Posted by red p on Saturday, March 12, 2005 9:17 AM QUOTE: Originally posted by vsmith Just a second thought but if your modeling the early 70's you could model Amtrack by literally running ANY passenger cars you have together with ANY locomotives you have, such was the state of Disarray that was Amtrack in the first couple of years of operation. Oh yeah, make sure the cars are old and worn out for true authenticism. Thats what was known as " rainbow colors ".Personally I find early amtrak very interesting.It also adds a bit of variety.As well as adding more challenges to operations.[:D] Reply cnw4001 Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Eastern Ohio 615 posts Posted by cnw4001 on Saturday, March 12, 2005 9:08 AM As was stated in an earlier message, I tend to model what I like. Thus I have some CNW commuter, CNW 400 Passenger, an L & N Hummingbird, two GO Trransit sets, a VIA rake, an N & W Powhattan Arrow pulled by a J and lots of Amtrak including Amtrak Roadrailers. You get the idea, some folks want to center on a very narrow era and others have broader interests and both are correct. This is a hobby and you do what makes it interesting for you. Oh yes, did I mention that occasionally an SNCF diesel powered Le Poste train heads down the line, or that a two unit Scot rail DMU pays a visit? Dale Reply Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, March 12, 2005 2:50 AM Hey everyone, I'm a long time model railroad lover, and finally decided I should get started with some type of layout (having the better halfs permission helps) and have been reading the forums here for a couple months, and thought I'd chime in this topic as my first post. :) I plan on having Amtrak run quite a bit on my as of yet un-started layout (move first, build later), as it is a central reason for the layout for me. That and Metra. I grew up riding Metra trains (and of course the CTA, but that layout is for the future ;)) and more recently Amtrak, to visit my girlfriend when she was in school. When I didn't feel like driving, I took Amtrak (short trip, Chicago to Champaign). I have always loved trains, so it was a better choice than the bus IMO. So, having this experience and a desire to model something familiar, I plan on a layout that at least incorporates Chicago's Union Station, which is the downtown hub of several of Metra's lines and my Amtrak starting point. (By the way, that is a great inspirational pic siberianmo. Thanks for sharing!) Ok, back to my lurking. Still so much to read and learn! :) \Dan Reply Edit Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 11, 2005 6:47 PM I like Amtrak, and don't get me wrong, an SDP40F or an F40 on the point of an Amtrak consist looks awesome, but it just can't match up to a big 4-8-4 or a set of E units pulling a string of Streamlined passenger cars. EDIT: Uhhh, well, this was a year ago before I switched to modern era[:I][;)]. I still love looks of 4-8-4s and Es with streamliners, but how bout 3 F40PHs rocketing by with the Capitol Limited!? Awesome! I'll have close to 5 Amtrak trains on my layout, big passenger train guy here. Reply Edit Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 11, 2005 6:27 PM I model the northeast corridor in Connecticut, and Amtrak is a must! I know most people don't like Amtrak due to 'railroad politics', but it's a railroad I grew up with and love. By the way - I've visited the MLRR for years now, nice work, on your custom models especially. Reply Edit Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 11, 2005 4:36 PM Awesome picture siberainmo. I run ONE Amtrak train on my layout just to break things up. Reply Edit IRONROOSTER Member sinceJune 2003 From: Culpeper, Va 8,204 posts Posted by IRONROOSTER on Friday, March 11, 2005 3:51 PM For me, the 1920's thru 1940's were the Golden Age of passenger trains. It was the era of the big stations, name trains, matched consists, priority schedules and competition for passengers. With RPO, express cars, etc. it is a very interesting period to model passenger trains. The railroads tried to keep this going after WWII, but by the mid 1950's most were cutting back as the airlines and the interstate highways developed and became the preferred ways to travel. The mail contracts had kept many shortline/branch line passenger trains going. But as they lost these contracts to trucks and planes, the passenger operations were dropped. One reason I set my railroad in 1953, was that the Ma&Pa still had the mail contract and passenger service (both ended in 1954). While you could certainly have some fun with Amtrak in the early years, I think it really has just come into it's own in the last 10 years or so (and may not last long the way the current administration is not funding it). I expect to see interest in it increase if it survives. Enjoy Paul If you're having fun, you're doing it the right way. Reply simon1966 Member sinceJuly 2003 From: Metro East St. Louis 5,743 posts Posted by simon1966 on Friday, March 11, 2005 2:17 PM There are an awful lot of us 40 somethings on the forum, and many of us seem to have picked the transisiton era to model. Nothing against Amtrak per se, just a preference for some steam on the layout. Simon Modelling CB&Q and Wabash See my slowly evolving layout on my picturetrail site http://www.picturetrail.com/simontrains and our videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/MrCrispybake?feature=mhum Reply gvdobler Member sinceNovember 2014 595 posts Posted by gvdobler on Friday, March 11, 2005 1:51 PM AntonioFP45 I agree with you, I am a passenger fan. At the risk of rath, I have alot of UP Rivarossi cars. I plan to get some new Amtrak stuf and run modern diesels with UPs steam excursions. Great picture siberainmo. Jon - Las Vegas Reply trainboyH16-44 Member sinceFebruary 2004 From: Mile 7.5 Laggan Sub., Great White North 4,201 posts Posted by trainboyH16-44 on Friday, March 11, 2005 1:47 PM It's probably because most Amtrak trains are P42s and superliners, with limited service, and they hardly go anywhere anymore. At least VIA rail has The Canadian running with Budd cars still. Trainboy Go here for my rail shots! http://www.railpictures.net/showphotos.php?userid=9296 Building the CPR Kootenay division in N scale, blog here: http://kootenaymodelrailway.wordpress.com/ Reply siberianmo Member sinceFebruary 2004 From: Chesterfield, Missouri, USA 7,214 posts Posted by siberianmo on Friday, March 11, 2005 1:26 PM I model Amtrak and VIA Rail (1990's to present day); I'm a passenger railroad fan - big time. I'll let the responses before me address your question, for I have no clue what turns one person on and the other off when it comes to this hobby. If you like it - you model it - that works for me. Check out my Union Station, you'll find plenty of Amtrak (click on the image to enlarge it): Happy Railroading! Siberianmo Reply Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 11, 2005 1:00 PM I think that there is alot of us in our 40's to 60 ages today in the hobby. We still love the fallen flags. Most of Amtrak trains look alike. the trains of yesteryears were not alike. They had there own looks Reply Edit vsmith Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Smoggy L.A. 10,743 posts Posted by vsmith on Friday, March 11, 2005 12:29 PM Just a side thought but with all the talk about Amtrack dissappearing has any modeler ever done up a contemporary passenger consist, say an F59 and a string of Superliners, but painted in a current frieght service colors, like UP or BNSF? I've always wondered how a string of superliners would look in Armor Yellow! Have fun with your trains Reply 123 Subscriber & Member Login Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more! Login Register Users Online There are no community member online Search the Community ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Model Railroader Newsletter See all Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox! Sign up
~Kyle
The Mary Lindsay Railroad - Featuring Amtrak Model Trains Your HO Rail Journey Starts Here.........
www.marylindsayrr.vze.com (Last Update: 5/31/12)
QUOTE: Originally posted by adrianiu I model the northeast corridor in Connecticut, and Amtrak is a must!
QUOTE: By the way - I've visited the MLRR for years now, nice work, on your custom models especially.
QUOTE: Awesome picture siberainmo.
QUOTE: Originally posted by vsmith Just a second thought but if your modeling the early 70's you could model Amtrack by literally running ANY passenger cars you have together with ANY locomotives you have, such was the state of Disarray that was Amtrack in the first couple of years of operation. Oh yeah, make sure the cars are old and worn out for true authenticism.
Simon Modelling CB&Q and Wabash See my slowly evolving layout on my picturetrail site http://www.picturetrail.com/simontrains and our videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/MrCrispybake?feature=mhum
Go here for my rail shots! http://www.railpictures.net/showphotos.php?userid=9296
Building the CPR Kootenay division in N scale, blog here: http://kootenaymodelrailway.wordpress.com/
Have fun with your trains