I decided to freelance a shortline based on local area. My concept is to model “time modules”. The idea came to me because I wanted to model a history of my shortline, which would mean updating loco’s, but then after I update that would leave me with say an old 2-6-2 steamer sitting in the box because it no longer fit my shortline after it dieselized. Then I have a waster loco. The concept is to model different times in different modules. I plan to start out in the mid 50’s with the GP9 I already have. The next module maybe a back date to say early 20’s with a steamer when the shortline started out. I think this is a good idea because then each “time module” can be run at the same time, so no waster loco’s or rolling stock. Plus I think it gives me a little freedome. If I’m visiting the LTS I shop at (I prefer to use Local Train Shop because while there are ‘hobby shops’ around there are also a few hobby shops that deal with model trains only) and see a really nice ACF cylindrical hopper I can get it with out worries of it fitting in my time era. The same can be said of engines, which is the most important part of me. I like the old 8 wheel drive steamers, ALCo road switchers, the first gen GP’s, and GP’s and ALCo’s from the mid 70’s. If I stuck with one specific layout in one specific time era that means I would never use these engines, or then have to update everything to fit, or just use them and be unprototypical. Plus like I said, this means after updating rolling stock you would no longer have to put away your double sheathed box cars once you reach say the 50’s. All you do is build a new module based in the 50’s.
But, there is one draw back to my concept. I live in an apartment. I also realized through all this thinking that in a small room, time era’s would have to left out, and only a small representation of that module’s time era could be modeled. It would be much more suited for someone has a larger basement to use, or even a club layout. Say for example large