Do you try to stick with one railroad or do you mix it up. When I started I figured I would get what engine or rolling stock floated my boat but now I am trying to make more of an effort to stick with CSX trains and rolling stock that is either CSX or of a railroad they incorporated/took over (such as Chessie). Not to say that I wont branch out but if I do it would be only two or three other railroads, at the most.
Just curious what folks do since it seems that more people take effort of an era not an area.
I model Conrail in N scale. I have about 30 Conrail locos and at least 90 Conrail freight cars with a few other roads and private owners mixed in. I do have several CSX locos and occasionally mix them in. My pasenger fleet is all New York Central, with several loco’s, RDC’s and passenger cars. Before Conrail was bought up they used to mix in BNSF, UP, CSX, CN and other units from leasing companies so I can realisticly use some of these roads along with the CR units on my trains.
I thought I would stick to C.P. However, I really like the steam power of some other RRs, like the BLI C&O 2-10-4 that I bought. It’s lease power don’t you know.[:-^] I hope they did a lot of that in 1957 as I have my eye on some other things I may incorporate to my C.P. op’s.[:)]
If having all your rolling stock from your favorite railroad is how you want to enjoy the hobby, more power to you. But the prototype railroads don’t just “stick with one railroad”. Interchange guarantees that. Generally, if you’re committed to modeling a particular railroad, you make sure that the locomotives, cabooses, and passenger equipment match.
Usually, the majority of the frieght cars on a line will be home road cars. Next will be cars from railroads with direct connections. (Somebody once worked out an elaborate formula for this.) But there will be a sprinkling of foreign road cars, and rules of interchange specify that available foreign road cars be given preference when selecting an empty for loading.
When I started my (newbie) layout, I was adminent about only running D&RGW, but when I recently saw 3 BNSF’s and 2 UP’s consist (SD70ACes) pulling 100+ CSMX coal cars near my house, well I changed my mind…
Past 5 years I’ve been modeling CSX, with a few Conrail locos in the mix. Focusing on the early 1990’s, since that was before ditch lights were required by law on all road units. [And I liked the Yn2 paint scheme better too!]
Now I’m getting ready to go back into modeling the B&O as of 1970. Once I’ve built up my B&O loco roster, I’ll pickup a few Western Maryland units as well.
My layout concept revolves around a semi-fictional railroad called the “South Pennsylvania Railroad” that operates between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh PA. In my version the South Penn RR is largely owned by the Pennsylvania RR and is heavily influenced by it but still has its own identity. Also on the layout is another railroad called the Montour, which is also heavily owned by the PRR (this is true in real life too). On my layout the Montour exchanges directly with the South Penn. On the “real-life” South Penn RR, had it been built, it would have also exchanged with the East Broad Top, and Huntingdon & West Broad Top Mtn railroads. On my layout one of those railroads-- probably the H&WBTM-- may be represented. In addition there will be a couple of other railroads represented along the fringes-- selecting from among N&W, Western Maryland, C&O, B&O and a couple of others. I doubt I’ll include them all but there are several to pick from. I have a long un-designated leg on my layout that I may name as Connellsville or Uniontown PA.
I’m currently stuck with what motive power and cabooses I’ve accumulated over the years, which was before I focused on coming up with a realistic history for my layout. So, I operate it with “my” railroad but using rolling stock from a variety of roadnames until I get the money to get locomotives painted in my company’s paint scheme.
I am very lucky in that I live in Eastern KY, I grew up watching coal trains and now that I am 27and got some room i am ready to model I am like’n the clinchfield railroad. I was very suprised once I started to read up on the clinchfield. I found that I can run just about any loco or car that I want. From steam with the Clinchfield Challenger, to many leased steam locos. Am i am a very big fan of the big diesels and With CSX running the line now I can use any of theres.This realy works good for me because I like many railroads and with the books and pics of the clinchfield I have found these roads, Clinchfield, CSX, Norfolk Southern,BNSF, UP, Missabe,L&N ,Sea Board system, C&O ,Family Lines just to name a few that have used this part of the rail.
I Have a few hundred coal cars from these roads and many of my locos are clinchfield,CSX, N&S, and L&N. my other cars are from all over because this was a very happen place in its hay day and many roads used this rail and if you don’t tell Even the Daylight SP GS4 can be found running around in my Clinchfield as a PR move [:)]
I buy what ever catches my eye. Main favorites are Mono, Santa Fe and Rio Grand. But there are CSX, PRR, N&W, UP and others. I all so don’t care about era either AC 6000 sitting by the Big Boy looks fine to me.
I am picker about buildings and cars for the towns. Cars nothing newer than 1970 (got to have some Hemi Cuda’s and Road Runners) and building all around 1940 to 1960.
I model the Davenport RockIsland, and Northwestern railroad Circa 1995, which also includes the Burlington Northern and Soo Line, so I have 3 prototypical lines. Occasionally the Union Pacific will run coal trains through the Quad cities, so I also purchased one of them. I have17 top of the line engines with 6 that have sound. I will be replacing a soundtraxx DSD LC decoder with a Tsunami next week.
I mainly model the Western Pacific. However they shared trackage with the Southern Pacific in certain areas. They also interfaced with the Denver and Rio Grande Western at Salt Lake City and the WP was one of the partners with the Calfornia Zephyr passenger train. So I do have some SP and D&RGW power. I believe they used Sante Fe trackage in one area so I have a little Sante Fe. I also have some Union Pacific diesel as they were seen on WP tracks in the era I model.
I have engines from 6 different roads, and only get those that really appeal to me. I have concentrations in four of them.
It helps at my young stage in the hobby to keep it emotionally interesting, but I am certain I’ll turn to a more focused approach in the years ahead. I will want to sell off some engines and stick with one or two roads. It will also mean a more focused approach to scenery and structures, so it will continue to be costly as I develop another layout.
My 60s-70s layout is the Southern Pacific, but will need to get a Union Pacific diesel switcher for the new UP branch line being built. My modern day diesel project is after the prototype Modoc Northern.