Why Aren't There More Models of the Trains That Most People See on a Daily Basis?

[dehusman]

Compared to the rest of the country, the ridership on subways and commuter trains is relatively small. More people see freight trains every day than see commuter trains and subways. Subways are particularly hard to model since you really can't see them unless you are on them. Commuter lines and subways also tend to be considered "boring" since you tend to have a very limited variety of cars and engines and the trains rarely do "switching". If you are into being a tower operator, there can be some really cool activity.

When I was in college in Phillie there was a guy who built a 1 1/2" scale model of a subway-elevated car and built about 30 ft of "El" out of aluminum channel for it to run on.

Dave H.

[Anonymous]

I grew up in St. Louis and currently live in the Kansas City metro. Both are consdiered major metropolitan areas and I have yet to see a subway in either. St. Louis now has the Metrolink, but that's a recent thing. The trains I have watched for the last thirty years have hauled freight, mostly grain, and that's what I like to capture in the basement. From time to time I operate on a layout that features freight AND passenger trains from the late 40s and early 50s and I must say, passenger operation is fun as well. It tends to take more space and provides less variety, however.

I wish you the best in your search for those things you wi***o model. Please share any new developments with us on these forums.

Cheers,

[trainboyH16-44]

BTW, with the Calgary LRT, I am happy with either kind of train, there are 2 kinds that they run. How's that for variety! Older SD160s and newer siemens models. But I'd much rather go railfanning by the CP line, they are bigger, louder, cooler looking, and they make the earth tremble for miles!
Matthew

[AntonioFP45]

IraG, [#welcome][#welcome][#welcome][#welcome] Welcome Aboard!

Good question.

However, Tstage is right on the mark with his reply.

I was a subway and commuter train fan when I was a kid since I lived in a neighborhood served by 2 subway lines and the Penn Central. Lots of passenger trains. Today's new subway trains are gorgeous! The stainless steel Bombardier cars being used in New York City are quite shiny and clean as are the subway trains of Los Angeles. Miami Florida's eleveated transit trains are also beauties. Body style of the Miami cars are similar to that of the Washington Metro trains.

There are actually subway fan clubs throughout the U.S. The New York group is one of the best known.

I know how you feel. You think it's bad now? I remember as a kid wondering why my dad bought me trainsets that were all freight, even though he knew I liked passenger trains. Reason? Virtually no passenger train sets for sale back in 1969. We do have it a lot better today. When I ran my O and later S scale freight trains, I always pretended that they were subway trains I rode with my parents! ( Oh, the mind of a 6 year old [:o)] )

Some years back Walthers produced the Washington Metro subway cars. They pop up on Ebay at times in good condition. Athearn has those beautiful double decker commuter train cars used in California.

Can you tell us what is it specifically you wi***o model?

[Anonymous]

MATT GET OVER TO TEEN RAIL FAN PLACE ,THIS IS ERIC.

[tstage]

I.G.,

First of all, [#welcome] to the forum! Good to have you aboard. [:)]

I think that the reason for the larger interest in freight over commuter or subway is that freight offers a wider variety of types, shapes, and sizes. A subway train, for all intents and purposes, remains exactly the same - day in and day out. A commuter train, a little less likely but still not much change.

With freight, your rolling stock is made up of boxcars, gondolas, tankers, reefers, auto racks, hoppers (open), hoppers (covered), flat cars, cabooses, etc. Then you have all the industries that are feed by the variety of rolling stock you are hauling. Then you have the arrangement of the rolling stock in the train. And on it goes.

Variety also helps to maintain a greater interest in what you are doing. You never know what you will be hauling and/or where it will eventually end up.

I.G., that's just a few reasons off the top of my head...

Tom

[trainboyH16-44]

And they aren't big, like the real trains. They are associated with going to work, always a bad thing. There must be tons of reasons....
Matthew

[1shado1]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ira_g

As someone who grew up with a large HO scale layout in my family's basement, and has always been interested in Model Railroading, I have always been curious as to why the Model Railroading Industry seems to focus on freight railroads (as well as steam), rather than on the Subway & Commuter railroads that most people see on a daily basis?

Perhaps I am in the minority, however, I would think that if the large manufacturers had more of a focus on models of the subway & commuter trains which many people ride (or have rode) to work on a daily basis, that there would be a tremendous demand for such models. Additionally, I would think that if these models were more available, it would help increase the overall interest in the hobby.

(Afterall, based on the daily ridership of mass transit via the rails in the Boston, Chicago, D.C., Montreal, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Toronto metropolitan areas, as well as those people who see these trains just by living in one of these metro area, that there would be a large demand in there were more models available.)

Please let me know if I am making sense. Thanks.

I.G.

Welcome to the forum!!!
Yes, you are making sense. You just happen to be wrong.[:D]

Jeff

[Anonymous]

First of all subways have no shine to them. They are usually dark drab unattractive trains, and don't jog the imagination of most people like a steam eninge or a new diesel.

[ira_g]

As someone who grew up with a large HO scale layout in my family's basement, and has always been interested in Model Railroading, I have always been curious as to why the Model Railroading Industry seems to focus on freight railroads (as well as steam), rather than on the Subway & Commuter railroads that most people see on a daily basis?

Perhaps I am in the minority, however, I would think that if the large manufacturers had more of a focus on models of the subway & commuter trains which many people ride (or have rode) to work on a daily basis, that there would be a tremendous demand for such models. Additionally, I would think that if these models were more available, it would help increase the overall interest in the hobby.

(Afterall, based on the daily ridership of mass transit via the rails in the Boston, Chicago, D.C., Montreal, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Toronto metropolitan areas, as well as those people who see these trains just by living in one of these metro area, that there would be a large demand in there were more models available.)

Please let me know if I am making sense. Thanks.

I.G.