My model short line, the Cedar Branch & Western, is a point to point line placed somewhere in the Ozark Mountains of north Arkansas and southern Missouri. While completely fictional, the modeling is based on information and rail fan trips from real short lines. A couple of weekends ago I spent several hours following the Little Rock & Western. This short line meanders through the Arkansas river valley and through several small towns.
The LR&W has three Alcos and an old GP. On the day of the trip they were using a borrowed Arkansas Midland engine.
Great pics Dragon, thanks for sharing them! There’s a thriving little shortline called the Maryland Midland in my region, it just was aquired by the Gennessee & Wyoming Corp (the nationwide shortline ‘conglomerate’). Many small lineside customers here are afraid that G&W will drop service once the takeover is finalized. Guess I better go get some pix while they’re still there to be gotten…
Great location to pick, beautiful country in those parts.
Maybe it’s just me, but the 7736 looks like an old Illinois Central engine that someone went down the noses and the sides with a giant red paint roller…
In my area (about a 20 minute drive south of my location) there is an interchange point between CSX and a shortline called the R.J. Corman lines. They own many a shortline throughout the country, but this one runs from Union City, TN to Bowling Green, KY in a pretty much straight shot. It’s called the R.J. Corman “Memphis Line”, since the line used to run all the way to memphis when under L&N ownership.
It is nice going down there and getting a break from seeing all those new GEs and such. Instead, you see mostly old rebuilt GP7s, now called GP16s, and the occasional SD40-2 or Tunnel Motor creeping down the line. (Since that track is only rated for about 10 mph+.
-Brandon