This is probably been up before,but I thought it would be interesting.
I like both, but I am making a freelance layout myself. Naturally it will feature many items/scenery that you would find in a prototype. I love trains…ALL trains. So I can’t see ever sticking to just one road and/or prototype.
Trevor
[:)]
well do you mean freelance layout or prototype equipment.
My equipment and operations are as prototypical as possible but my layout has to be freelanced.
I prefer protolance: using reality as a guide to create a believable model RR, whether that model RR is based on th real or imagined road.
I’ve seen many home layouts over the years, and the best ones are ALWAYS firmly rooted in reality. Any layout that has no basis in reality tends to be track-choked, contrived, and looks horrible. It takes a genuine artist to create believability out of pure fantasy, and there aren’t many JRR Tolkiens in this hobby.
They say God created reality for all those folks who couldn’t handle the drugs and alcohol. I’m with orsonroy (really like the term protolance) and see the construction of a layout as an enhancement of my reality, maybe even as a diversion at times.
As of this morning the Knot Known Where RR is complete through the first level benchwork and initial roadbed down. Today I’m finishing the roadbed and getting the mainline tracks laid with hopes of having trains running this evening. (Gotta love these four day breaks from work [8D])
Looking forward to getting into the scenery and assembling the dozen or so kits I’ve accumulated. I’ll work at my own skill level though as I believe construction a la JRR Tolkien would prove to be Hobbit-forming.
Dave (dwRavenstar)
I use the prototype as a guide. But most of the time it’s impossible to duplicate a structure, or whatever, to exact specifications because of space limitations, unavailble info, measurements or photos.
If I have enough photos of an object, I can pretty much fudge it and make something look similar. I envoke the “Modelers License” escape clause
Like Ray, I “protolance” as well. My favorite prototype RR is the Southern from the steam days. The Southern had very nice locomotives, cars, etc etc, but they never had anything “newer” than USRA type designs. Well there are other locos out there that I like as well, but in reality never saw the light of day in the area I’m modeling (Central Al). So I did a little research and found a small RR from the area, that went belly up in the depression, and have been using the concept that this RR didn’t die but did buy some used steamers that were about to be scrapped. The home shops fixed them up and they are/will be lettered for the home road. Doing it this way allows me to stay with the SRR as the prototype and main emphasis, but also to be able to use those locos I like from other RRs, that really never saw this area of the country.
Protolance. Is that any thing like Freetotype!
Trevor
I model mostly prototype (no made-up railroads), because i have prototipical equipment, but i have a freelanced locale, so it was hard to choose. How about adding some options like “Mostly Prototype” or “Mostly Freelanced”?
I am going for Freetotype!
proto for rolling stock and locomotives, freelance scenery
Freetotype…does that mean you have a Frito Lay plant as one of the buildings? Maybe a hopper full of Fritos? heh heh sorry, I couldn’t help it.
Darrin
freelance all the way… Means I can do what I please when it comes to my layout… like running steam motiv with Diesel
Mine’s a freelance location but trying to follow prototype practices. For example, while I have an Erie-Built running with P-S Commuter cars I have a “back story” to it that is based on reality. The UP re-powered a set of three E units with new powerplants, fitting one engine in place of the original two. My Erie has a newer EMD power unit in place of the old FM one, which would be near-impossible to obtain parts for now and therefore not suitable for a loco in regular use. At the same time, HEP was fitted to run the aircon/heating on passenger cars so it can work with the bilevels and also main line excursions. Should I ever add sound, it’ll be with a “second generation” decoder (ie, turbocharged engine) to stay with the story behind the unit.
Freelanced, “inspired” by other small RR’s but not proto-freelanced what ever the heck that means…every model railroad is freelanced to a degree.
Mostly freelance for me, as I like to be able to run a Northern and SD90 simultaneously, though most of my equipment is BNSF.
“Protolance”, I guess you’d call it. It’s taking a prototype railroad and plopping it down someplace it never ran. I’ve got Rio Grande big steam in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California. The locos are prototype Rio Grande (for the most part) the setting is freelance California mountain country. Go figure.
Tom[:P][:P][:P]
My club layout is based on prototype, just scaled down. It’s great! but i just dont have the room for a 4000sq foot layout like at the club. I have a freelanced locale but I made the track plan as realistic as possible. Just tailored to fit my space. My main reason for having a freelanced railroad is just because its fun! I like painting rolling stock and I like having something different than everybody else.
Since I model S and have to devote quite a bit of time and effort to replicate the SP circa 1946, i’m leaning towards a branch type operation based upon a actual undecided location. True, this take some time and research and you need just enough of the plausabilty factor to pull it off without replicating every facet of your protoype to the nth degree.
I know I’ve posted this before, but then again, I’ve answered this poll before too![:D]
Freelanced Deere Valley & Western History
Here is a quick run-down of my layout theme and era…
1958, Deere Valley & Western Railroad is incorporated. Without motive power or rolling stock of its own, DV&W enters lease and trackage rights agreements with ATSF, SP, WP and UP after purchasing some little used and abandoned right-of-ways in California with financial backing of the John Deere Company. John Deere uses its own motive power and rolling stock on the DV&W tracks and is a financial contributor in construction and rehabilitation of the rail lines. The line serves the agricultural areas of California from Sacramento to Los Angeles and sees a tremendous variety of freight and passenger equipment on its trackage. The ficticious town of Deere Valley is located in the rural outskirts near Stockton, CA.
The era is 1959/1960. A variety of soon to be retired steam and 1st generation diesels are common sights including the occasional UP Big Boy which is routed from Wyoming for special fast heavy produce freights to the East. A couple of times a Big Boy was even seen hauling a passenger consist when the diesel power broke down and no other engines were available to continue the run.
Photos of the current 4x8 (scheduled for demolition and replacement this spring) can be seen at Webshots. Just click on the link in my signature
While I thoroughly enjoy modeling the prototype (witness my SP Siskiyou Line layout that follows the prototype closely), I do have a proto-freelance itch. I succumbed to that itch when designing my HO Siskiyou Line by changing the Coos Bay branch from reality.
The prototype branch runs from Eugene, OR to Coos Bay, but on my layout the branch runs from Roseburg, OR to Coos Bay.
However, this is not that much of a stretch because the branch originally started in Coos Bay and was called the “Coos Bay, Roseburg and Eastern” and it was intended to build it from Coos Bay to Roseburg. But they ran out of funds after building about 20 miles in that direction and the line languished for nearly 30 years. Then along comes the SP, with money, and they built the branch out of Eugene instead.
So yes, it’s freelance, but I like to think of it as “proto-freelance” since it almost really happened that way. To me, that’s the best form of freelancing … the almost could have been kind.
[:D]