Large Scale Central

The joy of modeling

Modeling
#1

Perhaps this should be under Prototypes or Rolling Stock.

My outdoor layout is Narrow gauge, backwoods logging, mining and other industries associated with years gone by.
Some members here model modern or upper mid 20th century railroading. That is all right with me, I appreciate all railroads.
But there is something intriguing about backwoods railroading and that’s why I chose that theme to model.
With this type of modeling, usually there is a prototype for anything. Rolling stock was out-shopped right on site. Built as needed for the job. Some downright whimsical compared to today’s modern rolling stock.

I have a collection of narrow gauge books, along with logging and mining rr books.
I spend my evenings looking at the pictures of rolling stock and buildings I would like to model.

Some of the pics of the old rolling stock are amazing.

For instance, the camp cars. One logging line, besides the usual camp cars, had a school house camp car, painted red, with a bell-fry and a school marm to greet the kids.
One logging line needed a box car to deliver tools and supplies to the camps, so they built one and set disconnect trucks under each end.
Another put a tank car on a set of disconnects and made a steel rooster to connect them.
Another sided a pulp wood car with corrugated metal and a steel floor to use as a blacksmith shop.
And the list goes on…
The modeling possibilities are endless.

The lokies are as intriguing as the rolling stock. From tiny Porters to massive 2-6-6-2 mallets.
My favorites are the geared locos, even though a few mallets do run on my layout.

And the buildings. Everything from one room shacks to fairly large mines.

Boy, do I have a lot of modeling to do…:slight_smile: :slight_smile: :slight_smile:

What do you fellas model?

jb

#2

My interests parallel yours although I’m more into the lumber delivery end than the logging. This gives me more variety as to loads and operation; a major interest to me. I also like putting my own individual stamp or image on the railroad ala steam short lines and of course logging lines as well.

While I’m modeling narrow gauge my impetus is towards pre-WWII short line operations with the gauge, narrow or standard, being incidental. Short lines also were very innovative in earlier days with much used, rebuilt and home made equipment and a “make-do” attitude that gives real character to them. Very different from most present day short lines. I think with your backwoods logging preferences you would also like especially the steam era short lines of the deep south that operated on the edge for most of their existence.

#3

I too am constructing a 1930s steam western mining layout. I really like the idea of a mining layout that “customized.” The equipment will have many quirks but so does the builder!
What are your favorite mining layout books?

#4

Putting a theme / era on my railroad has been a problem since the start because I bought what I liked, not what was needed. At first I planned to stick with 1:24 scale but I soon realized that would be problematic since there were so few 1:24 locos. Somewhere along the way, for no reason other than emotion, I began buying both 1:22 steam and 1:29 diesel locos.

After my collection grew I settled on the idea of a modern day museum / excursion operation that was also a short-line freight hauler. This allows me to combine geared locos, rod engines, transition era diesels and 2nd generation diesels on the same railroad. Where my idea falls down is operation of the short-line freight hauler since I have very little modern rolling stock with no plans to buy or build any. To resolve that, my freight operations are strictly for show as a tie in with the museum.

At one point I spent a lot of time writing the scenario for my railroad. I abandoned it when I couldn’t resolve the combination of narrow gauge and standard gauge equipment running on the same 2-rail track. Some day, if I can ever afford to abandon my mixed scales and go strictly with 1:20.3 equipment, I’ll probably move more toward an eastern narrow gauge freight operation that somehow survived into the 60’s or beyond.

For now when I’m feeling guilty about scale mixing, I can try and have separate Standard Gauge and Narrow gauge run days, but since almost all of my rolling stock is narrow gauge (in various scales), even that doesn’t really work. So I just run it anyway !

EDIT: I neglected to address the topic directly. Most of the modeling I’ve done has been in 1:20 narrow gauge steam / wood or composite stock since that’s where any new effort and money are being directed.

#5

My RR represents a prosperous NG line pre-WWII. It is heavily influenced by the ET&WNC and the EBT.

I model to create a fun environment for operations. I like to have a reason to drop off certain cars on each siding. Though I don’t have any specific prototype for my industries, I try to make them believable.

A few of my buildings were from kits, but since then I’ve tried to scratch build in approximately 1:20, though there is a lot of selective compression. It’s also fun to look at old pictures for inspiration of my town buildings.

#6

We model a modern proto but in an almost “ancient era” :slight_smile: i.e. 1969-75. Consequently a lot of the stuff needs to be back dated, most of the buildings are to be done from scratch, which means doing the drawings first and then building the stuff. Naturally to 1:22.5 scale, with as little selective compression as possible. :wink: :slight_smile:

#7

I’m one of the ““Outcasts””… My railroad is based around 1970-80… Diesels!!!

My first ride in a locomotive cab, was in a Boston & Maine SW-1… My grandparents used to take me down to Peabody Square, in Mass… There were a lot of tannery’s located there, and were switched out by the B&M… After watching the train movements for a while, the conductor would walk over and ask if I wanted a ride in the engine… I would ride the engine for a few blocks, switching out a few factories, hence my desire to model Diesel Power…

My equipment is GP’s, (both GP-38, and GP40), a couple of SD-45’s, 2 Dash-9’s, a few NW-2’s, a 44 tonner, an S-4, an Amtrak Genisis, and some RDC’s… Rolling stock is a mix of Aristo, USAT, LGB (Long Gone & Bankrupt), Bachmann, and scratchbuilds…

I do have a couple of Bachmann steam engines and old time coaches for the tourist trade… :slight_smile:

#8

Andy,
My last surviving main line diesel got put out of commission last week. I kept a gp7 and an RS-3 (dummied to hold batteries).
But I needed the decoder and sound card out of it for a 3 truck shay I’m working on, so the dismals are now in the dead line. Prolly will be sold.
I do have 3 internal combustion critters, tho. The last vestige of diesel on the CCRR.

You are not an “Outcast”. Around here there are more main-liners than backwoodsers.
And some who have both.

#9

It depends on my mood whether I run 1:20.3 or 1:29. Sometimes, for the fun of it, I run 1:22.5 or 1:24.

I try to avoid running two scales at the same time, but when grandkids are around, all bets are off.

#10

John, If your going to sell the GP-7, let me know… :slight_smile:

#11

My line is an alternate reality where the AV (Kittanning, Pa to Oil City, Pa) was built narrow gauge and was never absorbed by the Pennsy.

Gives me a lot of leeway, within the confines of the general geographic reality. The rolling western Pa hills produced a LOT of coal, oil, and timber during the early part of the 20th century. And they shipped a lot of various industrial, logging and farm machinery IN to the area as well…

That means I have a rather free hand to build whatever amuses me… but generally I tend to constrain my flights of fancy to things that are at least more or less plausible, and tend to borrow heavily from B&O and Pennsy practice because it’s most familiar. The reality of a small space with R-1 curves (maybe R-2 in the future…I hope!) means I can only run critters and other small branchline stuff… which is OK, because I rather like those kinds of things anyway.

The era tends to be late steam, ca 1958 or so. I’m trying to do a 2nd layout at our antique machinery club, ca 1925 as well, so I get to scratch/bash a lot of new stuff this winter!

#12

If it runs on rails , and looks interesting , I buy/make/steal anything , steam , diesel , parrafin , petrol , electric.
My previous layout suffered a horrendous fate at the hands of a storm . Or the roof of my house to be more exact . I am pondering on how to get all my stuff running .
Because I have a wonderful collection of anything from little critters on 32mm up to Standard Gauge 1/22.5 on 67mm And I really enjoy it . I have some dual gauge 45/67mm track , plenty of 45 , and also 32 and 18 for ammo depot in G .
Good fun , keeps my mind active .

Mike the megalomaniac

Power! Mwah ha ha ha .

#13
Steve Featherkile said:
It depends on my mood whether I run 1:20.3 or 1:29. Sometimes, for the fun of it, I run 1:22.5 or 1:24.

I try to avoid running two scales at the same time, but when grandkids are around, all bets are off.


My view prezackly.

And I have six scales to choose from.

Butterfly brain, mrs tac says with a sigh.

Who, ME?

Hey you guys, seen my hub-cap collection?

tac
www.ovgrs.org

#14

My layout models several ficticious short lines in the late 1950’s.
The Sunny View Line is publicly owned by the county. It’s prime purpose is passenger service, mail and express freight within the county.

The Pacolet Valley Railroad hauls passengers as well as regular freight. The PVRR can move certain freight across the mountains cheaper and quicker than the
class 1 railroads. And there are local industries also requiring rail service.

Profit margins are slim to none. So both railroads use equipment that was considered outdated decades earlier.
Ralph

#15
Terry A de C Foley said:
......

Hey you guys, seen my hub-cap collection?

tac
www.ovgrs.org


No, but there’s a really good one a few klicks up the valley!

And what I forgot to mention, yes our railway is an electric railway!

#16
Andy Clarke said:
John, If your going to sell the GP-7, let me know..... :)
And I'm interested in the gutted RS-3 with or without the batteries.
#17

I took a bit of a different approach with this layout. Mine is a garden with a railroad going thru it. My wife models mostly mainline steam era 1/29 equipment while I had been modeling 1/20.3 narrow gauge equipment. Like John B I liked the backwoods anything goes equipment. And since I used a fictitious “Sweet Water Canyon” it worked well for me, however, recently I got this Swiss RhB 1/22.5 of the 1970 ish era bug. I have sold off a fair amount of my sweet water canyon narrow gauge equipment to my friends so as to afford the Swiss equipment. What makes it such a delight is I really enjoy it all. My wife also started modeling some RhB, however she isn’t selling any of her mainline to do so. I think maybe I screwed up somewhere along the line. LOL

#18

John already summed it up for me. I like the narrow gauge backwoods look. Im an outdoorsman who loves trains and history especially local history. What better way to combine the three. I also like the fact that I can modle a RR that was put on paper and surveyed but never went any further. This allowed me to continue that plan but make up my own things. My area of North Jersey never had any logging trains, all logging transport was done by horse or floated down the delaware river. Right away I new I wanted to do a railroad that focused on logging/mining because I love the geared engines and the simple rolling stock.

#19

see my sig for my modeling philosophy

cale

#20

As most of you already know, my layout is an “alternate reality” in which a narrow gauge railroad has been built to serve a mineral-rich region in the desert parts of southeastern San Diego county. Thanks in part to tourism, the line has remained in service to the present day.

I haven’t scratch-built any locos or rolling stock yet, but have several things planned. Like John, I love funky home-built stuff, so there will be some things like that on my layout eventually.