What Railroad do you model?

[Hawks05]

ya i don't know right now, again. i just got home from my friends and his dad gave me 3 books to look at and like 10 videos for beginners. i'm going to read and watch those this week then nextweekend i plan on going with them to a show and he said he'll help me pick out stuff. he has a friend who's selling track so i'm buing $50 worth of track for $20 and he said it will all fit on my 4x8 foot layout. he showed me a ton of cars and locomotives and stuff today and said he'll help me pick out stuff that is good and that will work well. he also said he'd help plan my layout as long as i built the bench. i'm so excited about next weekend that i think i'm going to bowl out and go with him for like 9 hours or so to look at trains. should be a lot of fun.

as of right now i'm thinking of the CN and CSX. not sure though don't know. tomorrow it will change probably.

[CG9602]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Hawks05

As some of you may know i'm just getting into the hobby and i hope to become a full fledge model railroader as this hobby seems like one of the best to have.

so i'd like to know what railroads you model. right now living in Wisconsin i'm thinking about Burlington Northern, Wisconsin Centra, Milwaukee Road, or CSX. during school yesterday i saw a CSX go through so that's why i'd like to model that one.

what do you model? sorry if this has been done before, i'm just a newb.

Hmmm.. . .Let's see. I'm in the process of modeling the CNW, WICT/WSOR. Surprising that you didn't mention CNW, as they had almost as big a presense in WI as the MILW did at one time. The BN also is in my layout. As one other posted has stated, we tend to model what ogt us into the hobby in the first place, even though that doesn't explain why I am putting Garratts in a US midwestern setting. Hmmmmmmmmmm

[Anonymous]

Kind of a noobie question here, but I just recently decided to get into model railroading. I am doing it under the pretense of a 'father-son' thing, but I think the wife knows it is really for me!

My question is, how do you go about doing prototype modeling of a railroad that isn't around? How do you learn what engines they used? Can you buy that type and repaint and find stickers? What is involved in prototype? Engines? scenery? more?

I am interested in the Richmond, Fredericksburg, & Potomac (RF&P) or the Alaskan RailRoad. Lived in and loved Fredericksburg and was raised in Alaska.

Any hint on the whole modeling-a-railroad thing would help!!

Thanks,

Jim

[CBQ_Guy]

QUOTE: Originally posted by BasicJim

Kind of a noobie question here, but I just recently decided to get into model railroading. I am doing it under the pretense of a 'father-son' thing, but I think the wife knows it is really for me!

My question is, how do you go about doing prototype modeling of a railroad that isn't around? How do you learn what engines they used? Can you buy that type and repaint and find stickers? What is involved in prototype? Engines? scenery? more?

I am interested in the Richmond, Fredericksburg, & Potomac (RF&P) or the Alaskan RailRoad. Lived in and loved Fredericksburg and was raised in Alaska.

Any hint on the whole modeling-a-railroad thing would help!!

Thanks,

Jim

Jim,

Welcome to what many call the "World's Greatest Hobby". Here are some links to get you started and whet your appetitie:

http://www.trains.com/story/story_list.asp?idMenuCategory=6&idMenuSubCategory=61&idMenuMinorCategory=6100

http://www.greatesthobby.com/

http://www.trainweb.org/rf&p/

http://www.akrr.com/

http://www.microscale.com/catalog_results.mv

http://www.microscale.com/catalog_results.mv


Enjoy!

[Hawks05]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CG9602

QUOTE: Originally posted by Hawks05

As some of you may know i'm just getting into the hobby and i hope to become a full fledge model railroader as this hobby seems like one of the best to have.

so i'd like to know what railroads you model. right now living in Wisconsin i'm thinking about Burlington Northern, Wisconsin Centra, Milwaukee Road, or CSX. during school yesterday i saw a CSX go through so that's why i'd like to model that one.

what do you model? sorry if this has been done before, i'm just a newb.

Hmmm.. . .Let's see. I'm in the process of modeling the CNW, WICT/WSOR. Surprising that you didn't mention CNW, as they had almost as big a presense in WI as the MILW did at one time. The BN also is in my layout. As one other posted has stated, we tend to model what ogt us into the hobby in the first place, even though that doesn't explain why I am putting Garratts in a US midwestern setting. Hmmmmmmmmmm

well i got the part about Burlington Northern, and Wisconsin Central. but WSOR, CNW, and MILW i don't know. sorry to sound dumb.

[Anonymous]

Burlington Northern/Great Northern/Northern Pacific/Milwaukee Road

in Montana.

Mark in Texas

[Anonymous]

I have started running some Japanese High-Speed trains. Depending on which line I'm running, I might even run my Chessie set which has a combination of cars dating back to the 70's right up until the merger with CSX

[Anonymous]

Alaska ;)

[Jetrock]

QUOTE: Originally posted by BasicJim


My question is, how do you go about doing prototype modeling of a railroad that isn't around? How do you learn what engines they used? Can you buy that type and repaint and find stickers? What is involved in prototype? Engines? scenery? more?

The first step is to do some research. Much can be done online--I model several prototypes that aren't around anymore. I started with a Google search--many "fallen flags" (railroads that have gone out of business) have fans even today, and many have websites and fan clubs.

In fact, that's what I just did:

Here's a website for the RF&P:
http://www.trainweb.org/rf&p/

Here's a diesel roster:
http://www.northeast.railfan.net/rfp.html

Here's a slideshow of photos:
http://www.daylightimages.com/slides/at/atrfp.html

And here's a site selling locomotives lettered for the RF&P:
http://www.modeltrains.com/WEB%20-%20CMT/Proto/HO-scale%20-%20American/proto-ho-rf&p.htm
And a passenger car:
http://www.discounttrainsonline.com/IHC-Dome-Vista-SSPS-RichmondFredericksburg-Potomac/item348-48237.html

And here's a book on the RF&P:
http://www.goldenspike.us/index.html?target=p_325.html&lang=en-us

(Note: The above searches took a total of about three minutes.)

It is more likely than not that someone once wrote a book about the railroad you want to model--it might take a little searching but if you can find books on your line they will be helpful. Often there will be photos, if not complete lists of motive power and rolling stock--from a photo (with a caption) you can tell many things, such as make & model, lettering and number schemes, and maybe color (most older photos are B&W, of course, but sometimes the text will mention it.)

You can get all sorts of decals in obscure road names--but if yours is really obscure, you can get decal paper that you can put in an inkjet printer and make your own!

Also--if you live in the vicinity of where the railroad you want to modle ran, you might get invaluable help at local libraries or historical societies. If you don't, well, it might make a wonderful vacation spot, both to visit the aforementioned as well as to take photos of buildings in that vicinity that reflect the period you're modeling! I've taken pleasure trips to several not-exactly-tourist-type California towns to do just that...good luck!

[Anonymous]

Bah it's funny what you find on searches:

http://www.usfreeads.com/108242-cls.html

;P

[Anonymous]

Southern Pacific mid-50's

[DMNolan]

Lehigh Valley in 1972, plus connecting and interchange roads: CNJ, EL, RDG, LHR, PC, D&H, Ironton & PB&NE (Bethlehem Steel).

[Anonymous]

i am in the process of rebuilding a layout and will be a model of the old prr in and near crestline, ohio. i also have an inclination to incorporate a lot of conrail equipment so i can model more than one era on the same layout.

[Anonymous]

PROTO-FREELANCE....

The Commonwealth Transportation Railway (a division of the Commonwealth Industries Group)

173 Active Locomotives
8200 Freight Cars
1300 Route Miles thru scenic British Colombia

[Hawks05]

Johnnyda***hat is how much stuff you have?

if so WOW. i only have like 8 freight cars, 1 locomotive and a caboose. i have a lot of catching up to do.

i finally decided on what i'm going to do. i'm going to make up the place and completely create something of my own. i will mainly use Burlington Northern and Canadian National as my locomotives with some others mixed in there like CSX, Canadian Pacific, BNSF, and maybe a Rock Island or Milwaukee Road along with some Wisconsin Central stuff just to make it look like i'm modeling in Wisconsin.

[Anonymous]

Hawks...thats what the railroad would REALLY have if it were real....HOWEVER...i am planning on modeling ALL 137 locomotives...i have about 40 more to go till i got em all LOL....and as for freight cars...dude...i got more than i can count...must be over 300 by now...

[Anonymous]

pardon the typo...all 173...i have about 133 of them modeled now...sorry its late LOL

[Hawks05]

geez. how long have you been in the hobby. i just plan on getting maybe 2-4 more BN, 2-3 CN, and 1-2 of the rest i mentioned. i need to get some grain hoppers and some tankers then i'll be set for my layout. then i'll need to buy some buildings.

[Anonymous]

i got in the hobby when i was 12...started at it seriously when i was 17 (your age) and im 24 now...but i also make a really good amount of money being a trucker and well living at home still with mommy and daddy (only cuz im always out on the road and getting my own place would be kinda pointless) i can spend most of my money on my pickup and my model trains LOL...i had my frist article published when i was 19 and i have had my crap mentioned in magazines several times...but...i am better now than i was at 19 and im sure ill be better at 34 than at 24...thats why this hobby is so great...your always learning something new and always honing your skills....stick with it man...its great to have other younger dudes interested in this.

[Hawks05]

you sound like a guy i went to the show with. only i think he's 28 or something, is a trucker, and lives with his sister who is soon to be married and will be moving out.

i plan on getting into this thing pretty heavily. of course i don't make much (about $250 a month if i'm lucky) so pretty much i have to go to shows or purchase new stuff only when its needed or i can't find it. kind of like the CN stuff i'm going to have to order. i can find tons of freight cars and what not but no locomotives. i can find a few CP loco's but they are to big (6 axle).

hopefully though by Christmas i'll have my layout up and running. probably won't have scenary or anything but if i can have my track layed and my engine running on it i'll be happy.

[Anonymous]

awesome...having trouble finding CN stuff...here are a few good links you might like....to get GOOD CN stuff...your gonna have to order im afriad...i usualy do...

Anyhow this site deals a lot in brass...trust me i know (rolls eyes) they have quite a few of my paychecks...but they have a great deal of plastic stuff as well...and a lot in Canadian Roads since they are a canadian Company...

www.modeltrains.com

also try www.railscanada.com

these should help you out a little...any other questions just ask man

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Johnnydash9
any other questions just ask man

I really need to stop reading these when i'm half asleep, for a minute there, i thiought that said "any other questions ask jerk man" and i was about to ask who jerk man was when i started this reply, but bah.

Anyways, CANADIAN NATIONAL 1956 SUPERCONTINENTAL 12 CAR SET for
$5200 MSRP, $4420 gross? gawd that's bad!

it better be painted with real gold! course it says finished or unpainted, hmm..shouldn't unpainted be about 30% cheaper? damn capalists ;)

Jay.

[Anonymous]

jerk man??? yeah i been called that before...usually in traffic tho...apearently some people just have no respect for a young truck driver...oh well...im sure they will get over it LOL

[douginut]

Freelance interurban and trolley lines, A milwaukee Road that survived, North shore that survived. But in reading the other posts here I have an idea that modelling a leasing company might be the trick. Imagining trains of many different roads with only one or two "Leased units" to show my presence in the train.
an idea

Doug In Utah

[Anonymous]

I have to keep this topic going

Presently, since Im only 14, Im buying my locos and rolling stock. If anything from what I have Ill probobly try to model very early CSX around Chicago or Indiana.

As for future projects:
The Candian Pacific's Chicago to Milwaukee Main Line when Milwaukee owned it.

The Wisconson Central presently as part of the CN.

Or the BNSF racetrack in Chicago whenever.

By the way all of these will be in N-Scale.

[Hawks05]

i'm planning on buying stuff and storing it away until i get bigger space but i'll still have a layout with stuff on it. i'm going to be modeling BN, CN, and maybe some WC, Rock Island, CP, CSX, and BNSF/ATSF. should be interesting collecting all of this and storing.

[Anonymous]

First and foremost, I model the Western Maryland,east of Hagerstown. Occasionaly with Nickel Plate power on an alpha-jet for variety. However, sometimes I slip into a time warp (Rocky Horror fans?) and run Maryland Midland trains. Neat thing is, same mainline, as the 2 lines are geographicly the same, but separated by 40 years or so.
I also occasionally will toss in a little Chessie and CSX .
I also have a set of D&H PA's that occasionally come out. In my world, they never went to Mexico, but stayed in the Hagerstown area and were leased out to pull various Amtrak/Marc or private excursions. [;)]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Hawks05

Johnnyda***hat is how much stuff you have?

if so WOW. i only have like 8 freight cars, 1 locomotive and a caboose. i have a lot of catching up to do.

What kind of locomotive do you have?[?]

[traingeek087]

This is a very hard question for me, because I live along the BNSF mainline to the Powder River coal feilds. That's about the main summary of what I see go through on the main line. So it would almost be a no questioner what I'm going to model. But, I'd also like to model the CB&Q in the 1950's or 60's, with maybe some UP action tied in there too. It's looking like I'm going to be modeling the Burlington, hey model railroading is suppose to be fun, and I'm trying to avoid buying unit coal trains. Anyways, if I really need to model present day railroading, there is a club module layout group a couple towns down the road, maybe I'll do present day there.

[Hawks05]

QUOTE: Originally posted by 4884bigboy

QUOTE: Originally posted by Hawks05

Johnnyda***hat is how much stuff you have?

if so WOW. i only have like 8 freight cars, 1 locomotive and a caboose. i have a lot of catching up to do.

What kind of locomotive do you have?[?]

Athearn GP50 Burlington Northern "Tiger Stripe Front" or pumpkin orange and black front.