Source of prototype information

[Anonymous]

My mother gave me some thing to do when as a teenager I was sick in bed
around 1950.
She came home with a Mantua B&O RR black Gondola car with embossed
cardboard sides. Never knew where she found it but later she said she wished
she had given me some thing different . I had seen lots of Lionel with my friends
but that was my first taste of HO Trains . and I have been hooked ever since. I
dropped out when I first married and picked it up again after a few years . I
moved south selling all my HO equipment .. Since then I have collected a brand
new assortment of HO trains, mostly North East prototype. and strictly in the
fifties. Retired now I recently switched to DCC and have been converting all
my HO engines to run that way .. I still love HO and only HO.
harfos FLORIDA USA

[Anonymous]

My mother gave me some thing to do when as a teenager I was sick in bed
around 1950.
She came home with a Mantua B&O RR black Gondola car with embossed
cardboard sides. Never knew where she found it but later she said she wished
she had given me some thing different . I had seen lots of Lionel with my friends
but that was my first taste of HO Trains . and I have been hooked ever since. I
dropped out when I first married and picked it up again after a few years . I
moved south selling all my HO equipment .. Since then I have collected a brand
new assortment of HO trains, mostly North East prototype. and strictly in the
fifties. Retired now I recently switched to DCC and have been converting all
my HO engines to run that way .. I still love HO and only HO.
harfos FLORIDA USA

[Anonymous]

Narrow Gauge Gazzette is great for narrow gauge "how-to" articles. Model Railroader, Model Railroad Craftsman both have excellent general articles on topics such as installing DCC. I love and model the Colorado Narrow Gauge, especially the RGS, and the best source of information is in books such as Mal Ferrell's "Silver San Juan". I have a pretty nice library of books primarily on the RGS and the D&RGW. I also enjoy other wonderful books about the many other roads that did not get as much coverage as the first two.

I also try to go on a few camping trips in railroad territory each summer and am a member of the Friends of the Cumbres and Toltec and have participated in several of their work sessions.

[Anonymous]

Narrow Gauge Gazzette is great for narrow gauge "how-to" articles. Model Railroader, Model Railroad Craftsman both have excellent general articles on topics such as installing DCC. I love and model the Colorado Narrow Gauge, especially the RGS, and the best source of information is in books such as Mal Ferrell's "Silver San Juan". I have a pretty nice library of books primarily on the RGS and the D&RGW. I also enjoy other wonderful books about the many other roads that did not get as much coverage as the first two.

I also try to go on a few camping trips in railroad territory each summer and am a member of the Friends of the Cumbres and Toltec and have participated in several of their work sessions.

[coalminer3]

In no order:

Measurements off the real thing (though there's not too much "older" material running anymore)
My own slides/photos
"old heads" (like me) who took pictures
Historical societies and their meetings
Books - especially some of the stuff put out by publishers like Morning Sun.

One other thought - Get pictures of everything - even if you don't think you'll ever need it. Some of the most useful pictures I've made over the years were general shots of buildings, neighborhoods, billboards, cars, trucks, etc. IOW pictures of the veryday, commonplace things we take for granted. For example, think of how fast food places have changed in appearance over the years. Many of the scenes I took in my town are now long gone and the historical society wants prints.

work safe

[coalminer3]

In no order:

Measurements off the real thing (though there's not too much "older" material running anymore)
My own slides/photos
"old heads" (like me) who took pictures
Historical societies and their meetings
Books - especially some of the stuff put out by publishers like Morning Sun.

One other thought - Get pictures of everything - even if you don't think you'll ever need it. Some of the most useful pictures I've made over the years were general shots of buildings, neighborhoods, billboards, cars, trucks, etc. IOW pictures of the veryday, commonplace things we take for granted. For example, think of how fast food places have changed in appearance over the years. Many of the scenes I took in my town are now long gone and the historical society wants prints.

work safe

[Amarouq]

A significant amount of prototype info I get is from walking around in my neighborhood (You wouldn't believe how many former railroad employees live here). Also, because it's so close to home, I take a drive to Steamtown National Historic Site. Walking around in the roundhouse, backshops, carshops, and machine shops can be very enlightning. For those of you who have never been there I highly reccomend it. Not only is it a museum but it is an active freight yard and interchange between the Deleware & Hudson (Canadian Pacific) and the Deleware, Lackawanna & Western. There is also a large foot bridge accross the yard tracks great for photography.

[Amarouq]

A significant amount of prototype info I get is from walking around in my neighborhood (You wouldn't believe how many former railroad employees live here). Also, because it's so close to home, I take a drive to Steamtown National Historic Site. Walking around in the roundhouse, backshops, carshops, and machine shops can be very enlightning. For those of you who have never been there I highly reccomend it. Not only is it a museum but it is an active freight yard and interchange between the Deleware & Hudson (Canadian Pacific) and the Deleware, Lackawanna & Western. There is also a large foot bridge accross the yard tracks great for photography.

[ralphb]

While I consider my membership in the PRRT&HS the major source because of publications and activities, I qalso dig much from books and magazines and visiting former sites. Other members are also helpful, but my model club often schedules conflicts (for me) so I don't get to do as much as I want.

[ralphb]

While I consider my membership in the PRRT&HS the major source because of publications and activities, I qalso dig much from books and magazines and visiting former sites. Other members are also helpful, but my model club often schedules conflicts (for me) so I don't get to do as much as I want.

[IRONROOSTER]

Books primarily because I have the information readily to hand in one place. Magazines are second because the information is scattered over many issues and so is not quite as readily to hand.
Enjoy
Paul

[IRONROOSTER]

Books primarily because I have the information readily to hand in one place. Magazines are second because the information is scattered over many issues and so is not quite as readily to hand.
Enjoy
Paul

[Anonymous]

ORRVILLE,MARSHALLVILLE OHIO

[Anonymous]

ORRVILLE,MARSHALLVILLE OHIO

[Anonymous]

I am looking for someone in the Orrville Marshallville area to help me start my rr emailme at [e-mail] thanks

[Anonymous]

I am looking for someone in the Orrville Marshallville area to help me start my rr emailme at [e-mail] thanks

[Anonymous]

Another take on this might be to list the same sources, and then have the reader rank them in importance to them. I had difficulty in pointing to one source, as I commomly use several. I'll dig for info in whatever is available to me - books, magazines, videos, internet, etc., etc., or even get off my duff and go LOOK at the real McCoy!

[Anonymous]

Another take on this might be to list the same sources, and then have the reader rank them in importance to them. I had difficulty in pointing to one source, as I commomly use several. I'll dig for info in whatever is available to me - books, magazines, videos, internet, etc., etc., or even get off my duff and go LOOK at the real McCoy!

[Anonymous]

Although I primrily use videos of the steam era to try to make my layout and the rolling stock as accurate to period as possible, I also use other sources such as books, old photographs and "old-timers" who either worked the railroad or were somehow associated with it. With the limitation of only being able to vote one source on the website poll, the results may not give a truly accurate answer to it. I never rely on only one form of research.

[Anonymous]

Although I primrily use videos of the steam era to try to make my layout and the rolling stock as accurate to period as possible, I also use other sources such as books, old photographs and "old-timers" who either worked the railroad or were somehow associated with it. With the limitation of only being able to vote one source on the website poll, the results may not give a truly accurate answer to it. I never rely on only one form of research.

[Anonymous]

For me, it's indisputably books, which I have amassed more of over the past 45+ years than I could ever hope to use in my modeling efforts. I primarily follow prototype data focused toward exact scale steam locomotives that I either have scratchbuilt, or plan to scratchbuild again now that I am retired and am able to devote full time to this.

I loosely follow prototype rolling stock and motive power for my mythical pike and fallen flag interchange roads simply because I have grown to realize that the pike is a caricature of a protoype prone to accidents and handling by giants. Museum quality prototype models are best left only for display.

For track planning, John Armstrong's books are the best., bar none.

The bottom line, it's books for me.
/h

[Anonymous]

For me, it's indisputably books, which I have amassed more of over the past 45+ years than I could ever hope to use in my modeling efforts. I primarily follow prototype data focused toward exact scale steam locomotives that I either have scratchbuilt, or plan to scratchbuild again now that I am retired and am able to devote full time to this.

I loosely follow prototype rolling stock and motive power for my mythical pike and fallen flag interchange roads simply because I have grown to realize that the pike is a caricature of a protoype prone to accidents and handling by giants. Museum quality prototype models are best left only for display.

For track planning, John Armstrong's books are the best., bar none.

The bottom line, it's books for me.
/h

[Anonymous]

Can't say I use just one. Most common or first source is the internet for quick hits but the research is equaly supported by historical clubs/associations, books, and an dedicated railroad materials archive we have here in Ottawa - the Robert C. Craig Memorial Library.

Cheers,
Kim

[Anonymous]

Can't say I use just one. Most common or first source is the internet for quick hits but the research is equaly supported by historical clubs/associations, books, and an dedicated railroad materials archive we have here in Ottawa - the Robert C. Craig Memorial Library.

Cheers,
Kim

[spken]

I clicked associations/historical etc, but also rely heavyly on magazines and internet.

[spken]

I clicked associations/historical etc, but also rely heavyly on magazines and internet.

[Anonymous]

For the oddball stuff, I use the internet. My own library of D&RGW books, and then magazines. There is a lot of information that is available via the web, and if you don't happen to have the right book infront of you, can make research much easier.
Paul H. L iddiard

[Anonymous]

For the oddball stuff, I use the internet. My own library of D&RGW books, and then magazines. There is a lot of information that is available via the web, and if you don't happen to have the right book infront of you, can make research much easier.
Paul H. L iddiard

[Anonymous]

I try to photograph the item I want to model, from all sides and angles, if possible. But my primary source is my historical society for diagrams of yards and other such things.