Yeah, Allagash is not my interest, but it is so well done. I had never heard of or seen the Mud Bay until prompted by this thread. That's one of the nicest n scale layouts I've seen.
Mike Confalone's book series on the Allagash RR was offered by MRH on sale as a download- I have all 4 parts, and I've picked up some good ideas on scenery (nope, not doing barren trees- that winter in Maine pretty much did it for me). He, along with Lance Mindheim and David Barrow, are latter-day influences for me. Earlier ones include Allen McClelland, Gordon Odegard, Tony Koester, and John Allen. Locally, I count Jim Senese's Kansas City Terminal, Steve Davis' KCS 3rd Subdivision (in Coweta, OK), and Steve Marquess' Ft. Smith Sub, Central Division. The latter is an N scale layout that largely depicts Ft. Smith and Van Buren, AR, served by Frisco, MP and KCS. Steve resides in Bentonville, AT, which is a hotbed of great model railroads (see www.hograils.com), and the KCT and KCS layouts are two of the many great layouts in the Tulsa area (www.tulsanmra.org) .
For me its always been the Reid brothers Cumberland Valley. Ever since it was on the Walthers N scale catalog I think in 1977..
Reid Brother's Cumberland Valley David Popp's Naugatuck Valley Mark Dance's Columbia & Western Tony Koester's Allegheny Midland Ted McLean's CSX Sand Patch (see my Nov 9, 2013 blog entry) Carl Appel's Norfolk and Ohio (Nov 1958 Model Railroader)
It's always interesting the way these threads go. I wonder, for some of the newer railroads listed, or the local efforts mentioned, Are these layouts still basement fillers? One of the things I wanted to capture was the more modest influences. I started reading MR at Age 8 and I've never had the real estate nor funds to have a true basement empire (though If I'd stayed focused instead of building a Home theater/PC gaming/College Drinking hangout in my parent's basement, I could have had a lot more. So those big layouts have always been more aspirational yes, but also sources of very specific ideas. For example, David Barrow's old Analog Command control system had me convinced it was the wave of the future before DCC existed and I have no interest in Appalachian coal/bridge lines, but the Tony Koester should a modern complex main that felt like what I saw when stopped at the tracks rather than being a memory of the past. But it's the MR project layouts, but not just their project layouts. Layouts of Modest size that really influenced me, because they bought those basement empires down to a human level. I could have built the Yule Central (never did) I had the 18" radius track. I could do that foam scenery It set a tone for Southern Arizona that really stuck with me. The Marquette and Independence was a trainset layout that could provide for operations. It offered a compelling design, but sized for this young one. There are others, but those 2 were the first and so they stick with me the most.
Yoho, that BN MR project layout you mentioned had me thinking earlier. I'd love to give it a go but with an SP&S theme and a little wider radius for my passenger trains. it'd be a great layout to operate when not with the club.
Most of my choices could be considered basement (or attic- or whole entire building) fillers, but I like Barrow and Mindheim's plans mostly because of the potential of operation in smaller spaces- Mindheim's shelf-type East Miami layout in particular. I especially like the Logansport & Indiana Northern due to its narrow "footprint" in the room, the scenery, and accurate depiction of a shortline railroad operating a Class 1 cast-off line. And yes, Barrow's current railroad takes up quite a bit of space, but his South Plains District only takes up two sides of a room, which leaves the rest of the room open to other activities.
That's actually one of the things Pelle Soeberg really captured me with on his original Daneville and Donner. He's a paint by numbers, buy and assemble modeler, but his layout was of very modest size and it's executed fantastically
Well, now this thread has me pleasantly wasting some time. The thought of John Allen compelled me to get out my book, and start re-reading of his humble beginnings. Wow. Incredible things happened there. Some folks overlook his small start, for the eye popping basement empire he grew.
Yoho, you should definitely pick up the book. I have it, I like to reread it a lot. The way they made that thing it's almost similar to Vancouver to Wishram except the hills would be rock and sand over covered in trees. hmmmmmm, I think I may just have to do it.
Grabbed the entirety of MR from 1990. Man, every issue is worth reading. Plus some of the old columns in there like Student fare which really have been replaced by the internet are fun. And Paintshop. Oh how I miss paintshop. And I forgot that the idea for sandwiching foam and homasote came from the BN articles. That was how I built my first nscale layout. But there was also depression. The Standard Hobby Supply Ads in particular made me angry. In particular, their prices on Athearn Locomotives. And I mean the good narrow bodied locos. Less than $20 a pop. Man, I should photocopy that page and next time somebody tries to use inflation as an excuse for Model train pricing, I will slam that ad in there face. SHS had the GP38-2 for $18.99 in 1990. If you use an online inflation calculator, either the government's CPI calculator, or a 3rd party one, you will see that in 2013 dollars, that works out to around $34. Anyone aware of an athearn loco available new for $34? Heck, the people Auctioning them won't even set the Buy it Now price that low. I guess businesses should be glad people are so ignorant of inflation that it will mask their "what the market will bear pricing." I miss Uncle Irv.... For the record, these are the inflation calculators I use. Never be lied to again: http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl http://www.westegg.com/inflation/infl.cgi
Inflation is a lot of influences combined. Likely the greatest unseen being regulation and taxation. Another is overseas wages have risen. It's many factors, all piling up, piling up, piling up. The general public here is so poorly educated about business today...
According to the US Census Bureau, the Average Household Income in 1990 was $28,506..... in 2013 it was $50,099. That doesn't account for much of the price increases since 1990. Its like buying a car. In 1990, the average vehicle cost $9,400. Last year, it was up to $31,200. Far exceeding inflation, technology improvements, construction changes, overseas parts suppliers cost of doing business, etc...
There is so much ongoing, constantly, I wonder how really accurate... And is it relevant as a blanket nationwide, or does it break down regionally, locally, as economics can differ around the country?