Hope anyone out there can help me, I am planning an N gauge model railway based on the Union Pacific and the plan is for a small layout with a continuous loop so I can watch the trains go by whilst I am busy shunting! As I am based in England, resources, not to mention American n gauge models, are hard to come by. The intention is to base the layout from 1990 onwards, not too bothered about making it more specific. I have been able to get hold of one book on the UP but it doesn’t give me any help on the main question. What Motive power would be prototypical for me to use and why? The longest train would be about 12 box cars long at most. Any suggestion would be gratefully received.
Google is a tool that is available from England as well. Search for Union Pacific Roster 1990s and you will find (on the first page) e.g.: http://utahrails.net/all-time/all-time-index.php
Smile,
Stein
Coal trains would have C44AC’s on them (two or three). Freights would have C44-9’s, C40-8’s, SD60’s and SD40-2’s. Throw in an occaisional CNW C44-9, SD60 or SD40-2. Locals would be GP38-2, GP40-2 or GP50. Yard engines would be SW1500, MP15 or GP38-2’s (with SD38-2’s in some hump yards and slug sets in others). After the SP merger there would be SP engines of similar types mixed in, mostly as trailing units on trains north of Kansas City, anywhere in the cosist south of Kansas City.
Most freights had two or three engines. Coal trains going to Chicago would have 2 engines on the head end, coal trains everyplace else would have 3, 2 on the head end, on on the rear. No trains except a few locals would have cabooses.
[#welcome]
Taking the bit I’ve quoted do you want to represent a very short version of trains running some distance or what they call a “Local Job”… equivalent to our old branchline or local pick-up goods workings? As here there is a big difference.
Dave has given you a starter on the long hauls but I doubt you really want a couple of big, modern six axle locos on 12 car trains.
What you might like to look at is some of the "trundle out and back switching local industry scenarios. Given that you’re looking at UP you might like to look at some of the local jobs in and around San Fransisco and out into the Valley. Others here can suggest specific lines… it’s way off my usual area of interest.
I doubt that you want to get into much switching itself in N but a lot of those lines run through some very nice scenes.
You would probably want four axle locos for such work. Things like GP35, GP38, GP40, U23B, U25B.Maybe a GP60M if you want a more modern wide cab. I don’t have a clue which of these the UP had that you might be able to get in N.
You can use 6 axle locos but on short local trips they would tend to be older models bumped down the pecking order… except when a more modern beast came fresh out of the shops and someone either sneaked off with it or the shops wanted it run in gently for a bit. (Don’t know if they do that sort of thing so much these days).
6 axle the SD42 was pretty ubiquitous. Previous threada have dealt with the fact that GE cabs could be smelly in the warmer climes… so if you want authenticity you could go for an old C30-7 with a green looking crew.
(Wouldn’t Millwall FC have been a better choice of ID? [:-,])
[:P]
Hi again Millwa Fulham. Just looked at your previous threads and profile.
Model Railroader and others have been around the UK for ages… which means that you should be able to get back issues at shows that tend to a larger overseas element. Alternate years Derby is big on overseas… don’t know which year they’re in at present. Nottingham also used to have a big US element.
One starting point is the NMRA British Region. Use Google…
If you didn’t know it already use the Diary section in Railway Modeller to see what’s on, where… most list what layouts or give a contact you can use to check out whether they will have US interest.
The advice about your layout plan, especially to not use an island, is good. One thing to note is that you can’t get the Rockies or any desert into a 4’x8’ let alone a 6’x3’.
Dave H’s answer here does cover the extremes that your layout suggest… but you will never squash all the elements into the space. You do need to decide whether you want to go for long haul, short local or yard switching (not so much fun in N).
A very big thing that it would be good for you to do is to take a chunk of time to research the subject. While your looking for the back issues there’s tons of stuff here and elsewhere on the net.
Just recalled… if you’re in the south try to get to the Alton show in Hampshire.
[:P]