If you could run a railroad, how would you do it? Would you run freight or passenger trains? Where would you run it? Would you buy new or used power? What power would you use? What comodities would you haul? What kind of track would you use? If you could have an interchange with any Class I, which would it be? If you can think of anything else, Id like to know.
Based on my model railroad, I guess I’d run a mid-sized regional line. It would be a mix of freight including intermodal and an occasional coal train, and probably be older jointed rail but built to high standards so the trains keep rolling. The locomotives would be older used power like SD40-2s but also newer power, like an SD70, thrown in. And of course the ever reliable GP38 types. I would interchange with NS, CSX and a couple of railroads like Illinois Central and possibly BNSF on the other end. On paper, or at least on a large board in my bedroom, it looks good!
Sounds good too!- its actually plausible.
Oh and btw, i see that u like EMDs. [swg]
I would run freight traffic out of Long Beach, California. Mostly COFC but would also handle TOFC. I would prefer to use the older power; SD40’s. SD45’s. SD45T-2’s and SD40T-2’s. I’d haul everything and would interchange with who ever I need to to get the goods where they need to go. I would incorporate helpers since I live in mountain range territory. The method of operated would be Direct Traffic Cobtrol (rule 480 DTC).
First I would scrap all diesels and return to STEAM, and if that didnt work I could always electrify! But nooo diesels, they smell and are inefiecent. Next I would appoint my board from this forum as all problems encountered by the railroads have been solved on this forum.
Seriously though, I prefer running the trains, not trying to make the ends meet!
I do, they are a staple of my fleet. I have a couple of GEs, to be honest I would have a few more if there were more N scale models of them.[:-^]
Something large enough to require at least 5 day a week operation on the freight side. The mix of types of cargo isn’t really important.
On the passenger side - barring the possibility of a commuter operation, I might run some tourist-type trains if the market was there. If it wasn’t something that would go commercially, I’d certainly try to be a friendly host to an organization that wanted to run tourist and/or special event trains.
My railroad would be a freight railroad in Nampa,Id that has serves local business’s and has one big yard and several smaller ones. I would have passenger service from Mt Home Air force base to Caldwell,Id. each customer would have a three tracks and would have a SW1000 that would set out cars on the mainline for my mainline power to pick up. my power would be SW1000’s, SD-40-2’s, GP-38-2’s, GP-15’s, EMD BL2, MP40’s, a ABBA set of F7’s, a ABBA set of E7’s and a Ge 44 tonner. I would buy the best MOW equipment, and have a large shop facility.
No offense intended, but when I read your post, I thought of the first all-diesel issue of Trains (I do not remember if it was in the fifties or early sixties). Soon after it was published, Dave Morgan showed a picture of one copy that had been returned by a subscriber, torn into two pieces, along with a note to the effect that such an issue was extremely undesirable.
I do like steam, and I enjoyed several excursions out of Birmingham in the late sixties and early seventies that were steam powered. The steam trip I enjoyed most was the one on which I rode the deck of the lead engine from Anniston to Birmingham one December when the Southern moved its two Consolidateds from Atlanta to Birmingham to be shopped during the winter. I regret not being able to take an excursion when the UP ran its 4-8-4 Salt Lake City to Provo and back several years ago.
Railroads forever!
Johnny
My railroad would be a short line about 3 to 5 miles long serving industrial parks that could be switched with one or two crews 5 days per week. The line would be purchased for $1Million and have exclusive freight and passenger rights over the property as well as using the property for fiber-optic lines, billboards and anything else I could think of to make more money. A diverse and large customer base moving high value commodities is a must, preferably those that are non-perishable. About 25,000 carloads per year generating revenue of at least $500/car gross. Five “green” genset locomotives will be purchased with Federal air pollution mitigation grant funds and grants from the State and Federal government will be used to rehabilitate and maintain the track to FRA Class 2 standards. The railroad would have no bridges, tunnels, signals or anything else difficult or expensive to maintain. It would have as few grade crossings as possible. It would have interchanges with at least two Class 1 railroads and have a decent sized yard capable of holding 400 cars plus two smaller yards for storage in transit. My railroad would be located in a warm non-humid climate near the beach and a large airport so I could fly in often in my private learjet. To operate the railroad at least a marketing VP, one general manager, one mechanical manager and one track supervisor would be hired to manage the property and I would handle the executive functions except accounting, car accounting, and related number crunching which I would contract out. In addition to the one or two train crews, I would employ a four man section gang to keep the property in excellent shape. I would buy my own business car and travel the country looking for new business and new short line opportunities. Excellent MOW equipment would be acquired and a full service shop would be built on the property by the fourth year of operations to maintain locomotives and equipm
[quote user=“Limitedclear”]
My railroad would be a short line about 3 to 5 miles long serving industrial parks that could be switched with one or two crews 5 days per week. The line would be purchased for $1Million and have exclusive freight and passenger rights over the property as well as using the property for fiber-optic lines, billboards and anything else I could think of to make more money. A diverse and large customer base moving high value commodities is a must, preferably those that are non-perishable. About 25,000 carloads per year generating revenue of at least $500/car gross. Five “green” genset locomotives will be purchased with Federal air pollution mitigation grant funds and grants from the State and Federal government will be used to rehabilitate and maintain the track to FRA Class 2 standards. The railroad would have no bridges, tunnels, signals or anything else difficult or expensive to maintain. It would have as few grade crossings as possible. It would have interchanges with at least two Class 1 railroads and have a decent sized yard capable of holding 400 cars plus two smaller yards for storage in transit. My railroad would be located in a warm non-humid climate near the beach and a large airport so I could fly in often in my private learjet. To operate the railroad at least a marketing VP, one general manager, one mechanical manager and one track supervisor would be hired to manage the property and I would handle the executive functions except accounting, car accounting, and related number crunching which I would contract out. In addition to the one or two train crews, I would employ a four man section gang to keep the property in excellent shape. I would buy my own business car and travel the country looking for new business and new short line opportunities. Excellent MOW equipment would be acquired and a full service shop would be built on the property by the fourth year of operations t
I’ve always thought that a modernized(i.e set in the present) version of the G&D would be an interesting modeling subject, of course you’d have to update the company name…to GDX perhaps?
For me it would be what I’ve always said I would do if I hit the Lotto and could retire to a sizable chunk of property.
I would then build an Estate Railroad to serve all corners of the property, It would be 18"- 20" or maybe 24" guage, using REAL FULL SIZE industrial and mining locomotives, critters, and cars built to run on those gauges.
I would run a regional passenger & LCL freight service between Detroit and Toronto. I believe the market is there to make something like that work…Locomotives would be GP38-2Ws upgraded with the latest green technology.
That would be FUN. you could have lumber cars for firewood.
Well, my idea is for a magnetic levitation system. The first link has already been proposed – Pittsburgh to Greensburg, Pennsylvania; it is one of the projects competing for $45 million in FRA grants (see January, 2009, Trains; p.23). But my new idea is to extend the line to Philadelphia along the route of Interstate 76. This was our first interstate, and it is defective because portions of it are too straight – drivers become hypnotized and zone out, especially crossing the numerous hills west of Harrisburg.
My marketing plan calls for naming the system “Magic Carpet.” In the era of DVD’s and USB’s, we need some serendipity in our language – like “iron horse” for train. The contraction of “magnetic carriage” is “mag car,” so “Magic Carpet” makes sense. Also, there is an implicit reference to the myths of lands that supply us with oil today, which would be unnecessary if we could improve transportation systems…
“Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood” (Daniel Burnham, architect of Washington Unon Station).
Well,
Since I can’t work for LC…[:-^]
I guess I would like to own the place I already work…the PTRA…
A little bit of everything except passenger…you pick and we most likely moved it.
If I could run a railroad it would be called Ohio Rail Link. ORL would operate passanger service branching out of Columbus Ohio to Cleveland as well as Running to Cinicinati possibliy using existing track through other railroads. ORL would start by offering a morning train from Cleveland and a morning train from Cinci. then evening trains following the same routes. Then if we turned a profit we would work on expanding operations through out Ohio. Our Consits would include an F40PH with two bilevel cars and a cab car for quicker turnaround.
I think getting into the railroad business would guarantee the two happiest days of one’s life. The day the railroad is purchased and the day it is sold.[}:)]