The mainline is in gold.
What road should I run. I want something modern (80s-present) but dont know who to choose. I live in new england, but I dont feel like running CSX stuff because I wake up and see it every day. Any input would be much appreciated.
What kind of cars and industries to you plan to have? Just list the things you want to do and make a list of the roads that they what look like they belonged on.
I think you are going about it backwards–but that might just be me.
The road name determines the location.
The location determines the landscape, terrain and industries.
The industries are limited by the available models.
The available models determines the track work needs.
You then lay your track to service you industries.
If not you may end up with track, but nothing that fits.
Well, Santa Fe is a perennial favorite. It is the “archetypal” American road because of its popularity and striking Warbonnet logo. And certainly one of the top model lines in terms of availability of rolling stock.
Or you could model BN: Since your time-frame is only 10-12 years after the BN merger, you could legitimately work in a variety of fallen flags: GN, UP, Burlington, Spokane, Portland and Seattle. The green-and-white BN paint scheme would be predominant by that time, though.
If at any time you wanted to run your system as of the mid-1990s or later, either one (or both) of the lines above would blend in nicely in forming BNSF.
Not too far out of the park would be to model Canadian Pacific. They don’t change their logo with every new outburst of mergers, and the CP trains look all right if they are “pure” – by that I mean little or no foreign-flag rolling stock or engines. But you could if you wish also include some of their captured lines, such as the Soo.
Gosh, there are tons of ways to do this, including establishing your very own scale-model RR.
I hope you get lots of recommendations . . . .
al-in-chgo
And this is only the beginning . . .
Chip and others bring up some good points. Having said that what about CONRAIL, big blue?
Your layout is classic industrial running track serving industries and providing for interchange.
CONRAIL has had just about every type of motive power built, pick it they had one!. Plenty of coverage from just about every manufacturer and price range. You could pick a region and than let that guide your selection of industries.
Hope this helps, Chris
I like the idea of running BN stuff and other fallen roads. What kinds of industry would there be? For some reason I picture canned vegetables and lumber.
nickl02,
If you are wanting modern, how 'bout Norfolk Southern. Coal is always a fascinating industry to model. You have mines, refineries, yards, industries that need coal to operate, etc. And, I just love watching a string of coal cars go on the layout…
Tom
In response to Lee 1234 I love the look of the 40’ boxcars, but I dont know if the would fit the time period. I also love the look of 60’ gondolas. I could see my fleet consisting of these. Would 60’ footers be more common in my time period? I think I am going to model BN within the period I designated. Could I get away with running 40’s?
If you’re willing to go back to the 80’s, you could stay in New England and model the B&M, New Haven or a few others. Your layout might work as a port, with a number of sidings and dockside industries.
Just saw your reply. If you like 40-footers, you might think about going back a bit further in time. That really opens up the road name possibilities, and lets you run old Alco RS diesels. I model the mid to late 1960’s, but I’m setting up to “time-shift” back to the 1930’s by changing mostly engines and automobiles.
Best of all, if you go back to the '60’s you’ll need a caboose on every freight! What more reason could you want?
CONRAIL all the industies for your layout you want!!!
In regards to conrail, how far did their lines stretch. I know they were in philly, but I am unsure how far west they went.
In regards to NH and BM: I like the 40’ footers. If i have to go back further in time to use cars I like thats ok. Although, I do really like the idea of modeling BN. I just want to get input from everyone.
conrail went all the way to indiana…
A really good source for quick info about everything is www.wikipedia.org, the online, user-contributed encyclopedia. A quick look there told me the New Haven merged with the Penn Central in 1969, and the Burlington Northern existed from 1970 to 1996, when it merged with the Santa Fe and became BNSF. The Boston and Maine served New England from 1835 (yes, that’s eighteen thirty-five) to 1983, when it was bought by Guilford. Conrail ran from New York out to Illinois, between the early 1970’s and 1996.
So many choices. The decision may actually be getting more difficult, huh? Well, at least you will be well-informed. Maybe that’s why my layout is freelanced.
{------ I May Be Biased [:-^]
if you have the january 2007 Model Railroader, take a look at the Conrail switching layout, its in n-scale, but it should give you some insight into what you can do with Conrail and limited space!
As you are doing a switching layout (at least it looks that way) I would suggest The New Haven. You could have trains running in from New York City and out to Boston. Anway you would have to go back to at least the 80s or 70s though. 40 footers would be best no later then the 60s someone correct me if I am wrong.
I think for me the best option very well may be a fictional land where all trains peacefully coexist. I would love to follow prototype, but I dont want to date everything back 20 more years just to use 40’ boxcars.
I’m partial to the Reading and the Delaware & Hudson, during the early 1970s. My layout includes a steel mill, brewery, publishing plant, a millwork factory, a stone & concrete dealer and plastic molding plant.
I also have a soft spot for the Pennsy (where my grandfather hired) and BIG BLUE, er Conrail (where both my father and I hired). So occationally, I’ll advance the clock to the mid 1990s and run my Big Blue stuff.
Nick
The BNSF might be an interesting road. You could model a midwestern scene with a grain elevator, a meat packing plant, and maybe you could include a warehouse or two
[#ditto] Aha! Somebody agrees with me!
I’ve been advocating for either ATSF or BN if modeler wants to stay in 1980s.
But indeed, why not model the mid-1990s and go to “Burlington Northern Santa Fe,” later BNSF? Or to the present day, for that matter?