As model railroaders, be us prototype modellers, proto-lancers, or free lancers, we all make compromises from reality. Some are matters of convenience or practicality imposed by the real world - curve radii far smaller than the prototype, coupler heads that are far bigger than the prototype, short trains, and small distances between industries are all common compromises.
But, what of compromises made to history? I’ve heard many a modeller explain what minor changes happened to history for the freelanced, or proto-lanced layout, to exist. More minor still are changes to enable other options of rolling stock and the like. Of course, the only justification we ever truly need is that it is our railroad - but I am sure some of the more retentive of us still worm in justifications - I definitely do.
For my version of the Copper Range Railroad, the post-WW1 copper crash never happened - at least, it didn’t cause the mass closures of mines that it did in our real world. This means that I have a wide variety of prototype copper mines to choose from, fewer locomotives have been scrapped, and some more modern power can show up in the 1930s where I prefer to model - I always wanted a Doodlebug, so the more prosperous mines allow me to “justify” having one.
Does anyone else have any similar justifications for why their layouts, prototype, protolanced, or freelanced, are they way they are? Anyone have any general thoughts on this topic?
I focused more on home reporting mark (N&W) after reading about what percentage is home compared to away reporting marks. Additionally, I focus on getting away reporting marks of ones prototyplically seen on a southern VA N&W-used layout.
Some could care less about reporting marks but others wnat to make things more realistic. Whatever works. No right way. Fave fun!
I have considered modeling passenger operations as if the US government decided to pay railroads to continue to operate their own passenger trains rather than forming Amtrak.
I have allowed the electrification from the end of the Pennsylvania to the end of the Milwaukee, just to let me run my GG1 to “somewhere” to drop off the GG1 and connect Milwaukee diesel power. The passenger cars and express reefers continue west, while the GG1 picks up its waiting passenger train and heads back east.
And, the prohibition against “billboard” advertising on boxcars never happened, so my string of ice-bunker reefers with beer and meat advertising on them are still allowed in interchange service.
History sometimes if you are modeling a specific prototype is a bit hard to pin down. Photos of towns are not all taken on the same date. I have a couple of buildings in my Black Hawk Colorado scene for example that were demolished a little bit before my chosen year. It would have perhaps helped had that info surfaced before I built them but they are staying. I also have a bit of a time warp as my narrow gauge scenes are set about 1930 and my standard gauge is set about 1945 to 1946.
I originally was trying to proto-lance, but I lightened up and decided to call it a fictitious (no more issues with being prototype) ISL in an area sorta resembling an area IN the area I grew up in on the Oregon coast, mid to late 60s. I use mainly SP diesels, probably 1/3 SP cars, true to locality. It has 2 very recognisable prototype scratchbuilt structures that are accurate renditions, BUT were actually in Bend OR, and a 3rd is planned. Another structure planned is from Myrtle Point OR, our home in the late 60s.
To make it even less prototypical, the roundhouse is home to some 1870s and later steam, reasoning that when real steam ceased, the roundhouse and shop was acquired by private owners, who have the means to preserve the steamers. My SP engines are not serviced locally other than fuel and sand, maybe light repairs. The shop repairs and refurbishes small diesels for home use and to sell.
No visitors ever ask about the timeline or locale, but they definately recognise those structures if they saw them before their demolition. Dan
Ah, a topic reminiscent of the past “Philosophy Friday” threads. Thank you![tup][tup]
The “it’s your railroad, you can do what you like,” has always sat a little uneasily with me. That said, if one wishes to run double heading locomotives consisting of a DBR Class 52, and a Union Pacific E-9 hauling a set of wooden clerestory roof passenger cars because you want to, just do it, but please don’t ask the Forum for prototypical validation. Just Have Fun!!
I model the BNSF Pikes Peak sub which runs from Denver south to Pueblo Colorado. In my world the BNSF owns all of the 120 miles of track. UP was forced to sell their track to the BNSF. Amtrak runs the Northwest Limited from Houston to Seattle which is the only passenger train to directly connect the gulf coast to the pacific northwest.
What I model, when I run steam engines, is ficticious. I have the three small railways running under the umbrella of a real one. The rail yard is a real one as is one of the stations.
Having real mixed with fiction has some people believing it is all real.
When I run diesels the layout is the same, but the timeframe jumps 50 or so years ahead. Trains still serve the same places.
Most of my locomotives are 1950-60s Canadian Pacific units in the maroon and grey livery, but I have a couple of earlier steamers too.
I will justify the steamers by modeling a museum/tourist railroad. That allows me to paint with a pretty broad brush. In addition to my rotary snow plow train, I will occassionally run Thomas The Train and Hogwarts Express (both with sound by the way). Thomas and Hogwarts will mostly be for younger guests.
I am modeling for my own pleasure so yes, I will run what I want
Cheers!!
Dave
P.S. Currently sitting on a balcony in Ontario cottage country. The weather is chilly and it is sprinkling rain, and the fall colours are mostly done, but it is still a wonderful place to be! Great company and great food too!
I suppose I mess with the space-time continuum a bit. I have a dual-era layout, mid 1930s and mid 1960s. Now and then, I stop time, pull the steamers into hidden staging and bring out the diesels. I go around with the 0-5-0 and remove the vehicles and replace them with older ones. One of these days I’ll get around to building the old dance hall to replace the modern movie theater. I replace the gas price signs and the pumps.
It all lets me run what I want with a bit of happiness.
I very nearly went with a version of history where the PRR extended their electrification to Pittsburgh. I decided against it because I’m a contemporary era person. I’d wanted to do it to justify running Amtrak electrics on a Pittsburgh layout, but the freight issue was too much. I’d be starting from scratch on freight motors.
I presumed if the PRR had electrified that much territory, then Conrail would have retained it, and NS would have likely kept it too. I’d either have to invent locomotives, run everything behind freight versions of AEM-7s, ALP-46s, and ACS-64s, or import pricey Euro equipment.
There were a number of US railroads that ran from the Appalachians to the Great Lakes, especially to Lake Erie and less to Lake Ontario, that carried coal to the lake boats. Some of them used car ferries to take the coal cars to Canada. The last of these (car ferry) lasted until 1958.
Thanks for input and the link, Mike, I was aware of railroads that did run the route I’m freelancing, it’s just that while the Clinchfield Railroad was a Class 1 railroad, it’s length of trackage was 266 miles. A modest class 1 was my original goal, not a large outfit like the C & O.[(-D]
Cheers, the Bear.[:)]
My freelance “St.Paul Route” is based on two real railroads. The St.Paul and Duluth RR was bought by the Northern Pacific Ry in 1900. A few months later, Canadian Northern (later to be come Canadian National) bought the Port Arthur, Duluth & Western Ry. (Port Arthur and Ft. William Ontario merged in 1970 to become Thunder Bay.)
In my “alternate reality”, neither purchase happened. Instead the two railroads merged and built a line up the north shore of Lake Superior to connect the two. In reality, such a line was proposed many times, but was never built.
