Looking through the an older Trains Magazine (September 2005) I read an article that I never really had the time to. It was called “The east after Conrail, Part 1. Looking for a Silver bullet” now what struck interesting to me was the changes CSX had to make for the absorption of Conrail. Now what’s this have to do with Model Railroading. I came to an idea where your railroad physically changes.
Now, what am I talking about? Well I’m talking about Your Model railroad actually changing when the scenery is done. I’ll give some examples from the CSX article. When CSX was preparing to get there part of Conrail they had to Double track a part of there line to handle the increase in traffic.
I thought of it this way. I’ll give you an example. Let’s say your modeling 1990 and you have a Free Laced Railroad(Railroad A) interchanging with a real rail road that you want to model.(Railroad B) Lets say railroad B has a yard at one end of the layout. Let’s call this Yard A. Now Yard A is the originating point for a Piggy back train on a single track main that Continues to another yard. Let’s call this yard B, which is a container yard and piggy back yard. Then there is a Double track main to another yard which is like the Hub. Let’s call it Yard C. (So it would be B-C)
Ok now for railroad A. Lets say railroad A Connects to Yard C, and continues to its yard. (Yard D). Now railroad A’s Single track main Crosses in between yard A and B to get to yard D.There is an inter change point there between railroad A and B where the lines cross. Now lets say railroad A’s primary source of revenue is Piggy back service. So they run two piggy back trains a day from Yard D to C.
Ok, now you go two railroads interacting on the same layout. Now let’s fast forward 5 Years in Layout time. Now what if Railroad B wanted to buy railroad A. Now lets get what we learned from the article. CSX had to double track on of its lines.
I already do this. It is fun. I feel that if you don’t change and adapt then the hobby becomes boring. Currently my little 4x8 is slated for deconstruction in order to be a donor for the new RR I am constructing, the ESRR of VA. I know, the ESRR is now the Bayshore RR, but I really want the ESRR. So I will build the ESRR, then a year or so after it’s done I will probably begin to “advance” the ESRR into the Bayshore RR. It is a lifetime hobby after all.
There was a feller in June '62 or '63 Model Railroader did a very small changeable layout in HO. His idea was somewhat different. The track was fixed - an oval with 2 spurs in about 3ft by 4ft. The scenery - structures, ground cover, trees, etc - and rolling stock was easily removed and substituted for. You could change the layout easily to reflect a variety of eras and prototypes.
Again, you had to have extra money for the second and third and so forth sets of rolling stock and structures, but on the other hand it gave you a chance to plausibly use anything.
Now, you can expand that idea even further (and cause even more damage to your wallet) by rubber gauging. Using the same track, but structures, scenery, and rolling stock all replaceable, one can model a variety of scales using the same track. One day, you can be running standard gauge HO. The next week, change out the structures and run your On30 equipment. The following week can be British OO or Sn3.5. Even Gn15 when you feel in the mood. That’s 5 different scales using the very same track. Five sets of locomotives, cars, structures, and details. Then add premutations of era and location to guarantee you will never be bored in your bankruptcy. [:)]
SpaceMouse - I’m sorry. I’m backing Harold Minkwitz for prez.
A true rubber gauger never has to make up his mind.
This is exactly what I do! I’m a dyed-in-the-wool rubber gauger. I’m modeling Gn15 but have modules with On30 and HO that can be interchanged (including structures and scenery) with each other on my around the room layout. Depending on my mood, I can have all Gn15 or On30 or HO - OR a combination of all three since these scales all run on HO standard track. Who knows, I might even try Sn42 or 3/8n22 in the future.
I believe that several prominent modelers either have done or are doing this.
Joe Fugate’s time period slowly moves through one decade, then resets and starts again.
The Cat Mountain and Santa Fe (builder?) operates NOW, so modern locomotives come into use and older models are retired, with other rolling stock ditto. Don’t know if stations got boarded up and old buildings were replaced by newer ones - but that is a logical part of the same idea.
Can’t think of any others off the top of my head, but there have been a number.
I can’t lay claim to anything unusual, other than my choice of prototype, but I’m going to be doing a very limited amount of the same thing once my layout is far enough along to allow it. My plan is to operate the full month of September, 1964, using the prototype’s published schedules, resetting to 00:00 on the first when the 24 hour clock hits 24:00 on the 30th. Might not sound like much - except that the prototype I’m following scheduled more than 100 trains PER DAY over that route or (will be modeled) parts of it.
I doubt that I’ll make any real physical changes, but the potential for change will be evident in a couple of scenic effects I intend to include - an operating pile driver working on footings for a new bridge and a TBM cutting a new tunnel through a mountain (seen through a window in the fascia.) Double-tracking in progress, but never to be completed.
Realistically, I may not complete the planned layout in its initial version. It’s a multi-year project, and may end up taking more years than I still have.