@ Rooster - My vision: would like to have both steam and diesel powered engines…steam would be a 0-4-0 switcher that could haul 5 or 6 coal cars or some logging cars and a USAT J1e Hudson to haul a much longer freight train of box cars and coal and/or ore cars; at least 20 cars to make it look good. I am aware that most Hudsons were passenger trains but they did haul some freight and freight is where my heart is. I like the variety of the kind of cars you get in freight and the grittiness/manliness of being a “working” train. The more modern portion of the railroad would be the diesels: a small switch engine, 2 UP GP-9s, 2 UP SD-45s and maybe a UP or Rio Grande SD-70 or two. (Can you tell I grew up near a UP line?..UP was towards the mountains to the east and the Rio Grande was towards the lake to the west, both separated by only about a half mile.) I don’t have a layout yet but I have to have at least a couple bridges to cross some ravines and hopefully some running water somewhere. A few industrial structures is a must, too. I go more for realistic than overly whimsical in terms of overall style.
I’ve already bought the diesel switcher and the 2 UP GP-9s and am on the hunt for the USAT Hudson. My thought is buy the locos / engines now and then I can have fun adding cars to my collection until it’s time to build the RR.
@ Dan Hilyer - Thx for the welcome!
