Why do you model what you model?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I was wondering why you model what you model? Was it the railroad you where most exposed to. Or is it the scenery. How about a type of locomotive. Or do you model just because you like it? I model WC because I lived around it, I also model Soo because…whell I don’t know why. So why do you model what you model?

2

It’s what’s in my head.

3

It’s what I can understand.

Otherwise it is a exercise in futility.

I dont have any particular railroad but am heavy into the B&O, PRR and WM.

4

CP Rail/ CSX. I like the paint schemes. Loco’s are easy to find. It’s prototypical to see other borrowed and acquired power with these names.(SOO,UP,NS) You see these companies hauling about anything that rolls on rails. I like modeling the area where you see them mostly run. (Northern U.S./ Southern Canada)

5

It just boils down to: I model what I model because I like it.[:D]

6

I model 1950s MEC/B&M (and a few 1970s MEC units creep in from time to time) because:

  • American railroading is (very) different to what I grew up with,
  • Researching something different is fun
  • I wanted to recreate in miniture a time and place which can’t exist again, but looks fantastic in old movies and photos
  • New England mountain scenery is fantastic (especially in fall)
  • I love the locos and paint schemes (Pine green with gold stripes on that F3 anybody - or if you prefer it more modern, how about a Harvest gold on that U18B?)
7

I’m too lazy to build any real fidelity into a prototypical model, so I freelance. The nice boys at BLI, Lionel, Life Like, and Trix did a good job of building convincing models for the non-discerning guys like me. I have an fictitious layout with locomotives from four different railroads that are passably realistic, and I am happy with that.

Besides, the Ferro Carril Central del Peru didn’t have Niagaras, Hudsons, PRR J1’s and K4’s, and a Challenger. They did have at least two Garrats, but they weren’t terribly attractive…impressive, but not very likeable.

8

Well, as soon as I figure out what I really want to model, I’ll let you know[;)] Actually a very interesting question. As a child I was exposed to CF&I, Santa Fe, Rio Grande, Missouri Pacific, C&S, and to a lesser extent Rock Island, and CB&Q. My grandparents and uncle’s farm were on the main line of the Santa Fe. Working in the fields I remeber watching the parade of passenger trains passing by. My first model was an HO Rock Island F3 so of course I modeled the Rock Island. That lasted from pre-school until about 4th grade when I got a new locomotive. It was a 4-4-0 painted for Virginia & Truckee, so I started modeling the coal fields of Virginia! It was 1969 when I switched to N-scale. Because I had been wanting to model passenger trains, Santa left me a set with an E8 war bonnet and 3 full sized passenger cars. My fleet immediately took on a Santa Fe flavor. This lasted through school and as my research skills started developing I decided to do a freelance connector between the Santa Fe, C&S, and Rio Grande in Southern Colorado. But then on a chance visit to a hobby store I saw a Great Northern Big Sky Blue passenger car. I rapidly discovered that passenger trains didn’t have to be boring silver color. A seed was planted, but it wasn’t until 1980 when I decided I wanted to do some really detailed models. That is when I found out a 3/4" hand rail in N-scale was impossible. So I switched to modeling the GN in HO scale (actually I tried to model both until 1984). I soo

9

My utter lack of US RR knowledge led me to model the mid-west. I wanted to get a train-set. I wanted to build a layout based on rolling hills and mountains. I found a Burlington Route based set and thought “Vermont, Burlington VT, perfect!” I owned it about a month before I realized my error. Now I am happily modelling specific places in Illinois based on the CB&Q, Wabash and CNW.

10

I started out in HO collecting and intending to build Wabash line because that’s what a grew up a couple hundred feet from. When I switched to N I went with Santa Fe because of a travel log film strip I saw sometime around 1st or 2nd grade…in part it featured a family railfanning a passing Santa Fe Passenger train. I was hooked on the War Bonnets, the dome car and the rounded end observation car. When I saw the Kato Super Chiefs, as a relative said upon meating my wife at our wedding,…“I didn’t stand a chance” (of resisting).

11

I’m being haunted by two three vans while I sleep: Vanderbilt and the Van Swerigan brothers…

Tom

12

…anybody quite taken with Van Horne? There must be a Canuck out there somewhere…?

13

[#ditto]

Except replace MEC/B&M with CB&Q

Replace New England with midwest grainger scenery (especially around some of the rivers)

and of course the colors would be Black & Grey, Chinese Red & Grey and of course Stainless Steel.

Rick

14

Can’t say it any better than that!!!

The only constant on my track is the Canadian Pacific Railway, which includes the D&H, SOO & MILW.

I grew up watching the CPR, my Dad would take me railfanning when he had time.

So now I model the CPR but include locomotives from various RR’s & eras, mostly modern though.

In keeping with CPR practice, I have a bunch of SD40-2’s in various CPR liveries but have taking a liking to AC4400’s as well. Can never have too much 6 axle power!!

Gordon

15

Hi Folks,

I model the New Haven railroad primarily because I’m from Connecticut, where the New Haven ran, and I really like the varied paint schemes that the New Haven had. The era I’ve chosen to model is 1959…probably because I can remember that year ending on New Year’s Eve; the clock clicked past midnight and we celebrated the beginning of the year 1960. I know it sounds corny, but that New Year’s Eve with my aunt, grandparents and cousins was special, hence my modeling era. I was 11 years old in 1959, and that was a special time.

Mondo

16

Haven’t modeled it yet…

BUT, when I do, it will be because I grew up around it, and love the scenery, PLUS modeling it alone will be challenging and fun.

-Southern Pacific over Donner-

Jeremy

17

September 1964 was a very happy time in my life, and the specific location I (more or less) model is scenically beautiful and the site of some fascinating railroad action - which I got to appreciate first hand. The presence of coal-burning steam more than four years after N&W had dropped its last fire had some influence on my choice. So did trains that I could see out of the front of (DMU with wide front windows.) The final prototype plus was model railroad-like traffic density - there was always something moving on those rails.

Then, the kits and RTR cars I needed to assemble an appropriate HOj roster were readily available and quite economically priced. (The same is NOT true today!)

All things considered, the choice was a no-brainer.

Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)

18

The Milwaukee Road because of the fond childhood memories of visiting Grand Ma. Her house was about 300’ from the mainline in Martinsdale, Montana. I still remember watching the “Joes” pulling the long freights past her front yard. The occasional trips to Harlo to visit an uncle who worked for the Milwaukee at the depot. Walking across the pedestrian bridge and watching the “Harlo switcher” make and break trains. It all comes down to reliving memories of a railroad and people long gone.

19

I model 1940’s NYC, there is something about a streamlined Hudson that gets me going. Plus I grew up in Santa Fe country so the NYC is about as far away as I could get!

20

I model CN and CP circa 1974. That was the year I had my first taste of railfanning and the year I got my first train set.