Lots of people have dreams of their dream model railroad. If you had unlimted money, space, time, etc. What would your dream model railroad look like?[?][:D]
Why it would look just like the Denver & Rio Grande Western and associated narrow guage lines.
Scale 1:1
Power: coal or wood
Layout area: about 1/2 of the state of Colorado and a good part of Utah!
I am beginning to suspect model railroad layouts are kind of like yachts. Generally people feel larger yachts are better, whoever has the biggest wins. About three weeks ago, the 12 largest yacht in the world was moored about two blocks from my home, owned by Peter somebody at Microsoft. The thing was massive with more electronics than the Canadian Navy. Apparently it is staffed by 30 people.
For me the perfect size yacht is about a 37 foot sail boat. This size is big enough to feel large, but small enough to be single handed. For me, it is important to be able to single hand a boat as sometimes I like to cast the lines lose and just go out in the harbour at night and look at all the lights and activity by myself.
I think it is the same for a layout. I don’t think I would want a layout that really needs eight people to bring it alive. I want to be able to go into the room and run a train by myself and feel satisfied, even if I am alone.
Also for me, having a “completed” layout is important. I don’t want to have a layout that might be done 25 years from now, if ever. I would be happy with a half to two thirds basement layout.
Currently I have an N scale layout in a study, approximately 9 1/2 by 13 feet, not a bad size; but the major limiting factor is the number of operators. I will only be able to have three operators maximum so that is the only item on my current layout I don’t like.
A completed operational layout.
Rick, just for your info, the Tatoosh is owned by Paul Allen, late of Microsoft and was originally built for Craig McCaw. It is 301’ 8". I also saw it sail in before the Indy as my office has a harbour view. Interestingly, it was back for the fireworks finale and, when I was visiting my daughter in Prince Rupert last week, it showed up there. I do know if I had his money, I’d be spending it on my dream model railroad and not a yacht . . .
David
Well, in about one week some large ship is going to moor about a mile from my front door. And it will sink itself so that the main deck is below sea level. Many yatchs will appear and will be floated into the “holding” area, the water drained, the ship raised and the yatchs secured. This large ship will then head to California and Florida with its “cargo”. Some yatchs will disembark in California, the remainder in Florida.
The first time I saw that ship - about three years ago - I knew the yatch owners were people with “real money.” I can’t imagine the cost to ship a yatch up from Florida and back in one season. But I’m sure it makes the CEO of Kalmbach look like the guy living on the wrong side of the tracks…lol!
This one’s easy! [;)]
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Purchase an old Kmart (or whatever) shopping center.
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Set up a mega-layout in N-scale (so more can be modeled). It would be all DCC, feature wireless operation, and have full computer control (with train sensors and video surveillance everywhere for a centralized computerized operation center). All viewing areas would be wired for sound (complete with subwoofers). Lighting would be extensive and simulated different times of the day (and night). Extensive behind the scenes staging areas, workshops, and storage for the 1000’s of locos and cars not in use. Would be able to accommodate a healthy crowd of visitors, be “windowed in” (for layout protection), and yet have enough viewing areas so people would not stack up.
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Open (and designed) for regular public viewing – no or very nominal cost.
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Have an on-site discount hobby shop. Proceeds would fund continuing operations.
Ahhhh, to dream… [^][^]
for now my dream layout is SOMTHING BIGGER THEN MY 4X8.!!! mabey a larger version of my under construction Oklahoma, Mexico, and Gulf clarksvill branch. I would be happy with a 20x20 but that does not seem likely until i have my own house ( I’m only 11 yrs. old 12 in one month).
Alex in the sooner state[:)][:D][8D][;)][8)][^][:p]
Well… I must be the luckiest person in the world as I have a 25ft by 75ft area to build my layout in! The basement is all drywalled and has a drop ceiling. I am doing a prototypical design of the Conrail Low Grade line from Driftwood to East Brady PA in HO. I have over 2600ft of track in so far and am using Digitrax Radio DCC. The scenery is only just been started but have operating sessions every other Thursday night. I have held 3 OP Till U Drop sessions and the next is scheduled for early September.
Yes this is a major project but have been at only 3 years. It is my retirement project (5 years to go, hopefuly) so I feel that I will have the time to get it fairly well completed.
BOB H Clarion, PA
I would just like to have more space than my 10’ X12" trainroom with higher ceilings
First, I win the Lotto so I can have both time and money to devote to the dream railroad.
Second, find a place like that house built over a Nike missile base that Tony Koester mentioned in one of his columns some years back.
Third, fill the space with Proto:48. Finance the manufacture of a number of key steam locomotives for a transition-era railroad.
Fourth, the main layout theme would be mailine railroading in the Chicago area, ca. 1946-1955. Also include a section of trolley line, the Chicago “L”, and a couple of branchlines based on whatever strikes my fancy.
Fifth, some features would include a passenger terminal, a shop complex, a working hump yard, and full-length passenger trains running on v-e-r-y broad curves!
Dream no small dreams…
My dream layout would combine both mainline operation with long trains, and industrial switching. I would make sure to detail and weather EVERYTHING. I would also love motor-controlled tunrouts, DCC w/ sound, and operating signals. My preferred prototype would include both BN/BNSF and Union Pacific in the 1975-present era.
I dont even know where to start…1st one of the goals in my life is to own a model railroad museum. My ultimate dream railroad would have to be haveing a true to scale line…as in having a true to scale city(s) and its railroad and all. I would of course want this to be in the steam era, but I would want the entire line 2 scale…lol. Maybe Bill Gates could “loan” me some money
The Southern Pacific and Sante Fe from Caliente to Tehachapi Pass. Think of the PAs, the cab forwards, long passenger and freight trains, all in a true to scale layout (which would be about 1000 feet of track - manageable, if there is enough room!)
Mine would fall in the “old Walmart” category, fer sure!
My grandfather worked at Rossford Yard for the B and O in Toledo, Ohio. I would model that unique track pattern in N, at about two thirds the length and width. Thus, the 56 yard bowl would reduce to about 37 tracks, and the three mile length would be only two scale miles (well, maybe length could be half, no 67%) or 1.5 X 33, or about 50 feet long. (That is several yards, the inbound-outbound is only about a mile long, so it would be about 17-22 feet, still enough to run 42-63 car trains).
Rossford was located near Toledo, and I would model an entire city district for switching and transfer runs. However, to allow more roads, I would shamelessy transfer Rossford to Chicgo as Barr Yard (or possibly St. Louis Cone Yard?) so as to have other RR interchange trains show up. I might also extend the useful life of Rossford Yard (closed in 1985) well into the 90’s or even current. On second thought, while I could stomach Seaboard diesels invading B and O territory, I would probably cut it off around 1990, or so.
As you can tell, I haven’t really spend any time thinking about this!
a shelf layout arond a large basement, with other things there too not just the around the room trains.
In N-scale , trolleys and interurbans and electric heavy freight .
much street running and elevated trains a mix of Chicago, Boston , Pittsburg and Philadelphia with a few cable cars thrown in . A real mix of things that appealed to me while growing up in Chicago and visiting the other cities.
Doug, in Utah
That someone would just give me the HO layoutnow in the Museum of Science and Industry downtown. I work on my own layout and think it is a fine thing then I go to the Museum and drool. Still, I am having fun.
A 15" gauge with a few miles of running.
I could have had a museum layout but the NT chief minister declined my proposal.
An old Wal-Mart would be good, but what about an entire mall with trains everywhere! Since there would be plenty of room, I’d want to go for O or G scale. It would also have mulitple levels with complex mazes of track running through mountans on large bridges with maybe even a rack railway. It would also encompass different eras of railroading and many different parts or the world. Since it would be impossible to see the whole layout all at once you could have different areas representing these different themes without much comflict.
Of course even better would be to have a real 1:1scale railroad. If I could I’d love to rescue many (or all) the the abandoned and derelict trains (especially steam locomotives) in the world and restore them all to run at a railroad museum I’d open.
Ah, dreams. Unfortunately reality sets in and I have realise that unless I become a movie star or inherit Bill Gates’ fortune these dreams probably won’t happen. But hey, you never know, dreams can come true!