With the 10 wheeler thread, and talk of switching scales or modeling practices, what would you do differently, if you had the time, space, etc? While I am modeling the ATSF in N Scale in a large space, I have over the years bought many wood kits, geared towards the steam era. While growing up, I rode the Skunk Line many times, as well as the Sierra RR, and the Roaring Camp and Big Trees RR. These small, local lines, with much charm and personality always appealed to me. So, if I were to do something completely different, it would be a freelanced shortline in the 1940's, hauling logs and minerals out of the Sierra Nevada mountains. I could build all these great wooden water towers, coal towers, coal mines, etc. I have had sitting in a drawer. I could make up my own RR's history and route. I could run steam. All the time. It really is something I may do.....someday. While I would still want do do it in N Scale, I would not rule out HO, HOn3, or even outdoors with G, or even larger. So, what would YOU do?
I would build a competent representation of the Sugar Cane Railroad that once existed here in Jamaica. Knowing my luck the models might only be available in brass and offered by Overland Models or Key Import and in that case I would also have to wish for a much larger budget. verse
Completely differentmg: HOn3, Colorado setting, 20's - 50's:zip: I've already started buying a few of the MTL HOn3 "reefers". Charming scale..........................no locos............yet:zip:
Well, I have not really started the layout yet but have the room finished. I am still in accumulation mode I guess. I will build in Nn3 the Rio Grande line between Durango and Silverton. This has been my dream since 1971 when I first rode it. I started out collecting HOn3 for it but decided I just did not have the room to do it justice so switched to the smaller scale.
when talking about outdoor railroad. do not limit yourself to G scale. On30 works pretty well outside as well. more than likely, I will be doing On30 outdoors. - see the thread under O scale trainboard forum. http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/showthread.php?t=78751 I'm also starting an HO scale layout. I have most all of a large finished basement - thanks to my dear sweet wife ;-) 2 bedroom sized rooms plus a family room. there is also a full bath and a large laundry room that might get rails running through.:thumbs_up: I might think about the furnace/water heater (mechanical) room. hmm, that would make for one big blast furnace! might have to go HO scale there.:shade:
Mmm, I have still a lot of Dutch trains (N scale), and I like the Colorado steam railroads, and the AT&SF..... Because our home is too small, I can not have HO scale, but if I had the space, why not..... Than I would have three scales. Wow.....
I would do a completely freelanced or "proto-lanced" layout depicting a large city...something "Chicago-ish". It would have a lot of passenger operations including Amtrak, commuter, light rail, etc. (maybe even electrified Amtrak Acela service) as well as a large intermodal yard. The centerpiece would be a major or large minor league modern ballpark with working jumbotron, lights, the whole works. The primary railroad would be a BRC-type belt line/regional.
Alternate unrealities Ever since I switched to N scale I have occasionally "daydreamed" about other modeling ideas. One persistent one would be an HOn30 or On30 model railroad set on an island that did not interchange with other railroads, only vessels. The biggest drawback, I love freight cars with "fallen flag" lettering. Have also considered the same as an HO interurban electric operation with carfloat connections. This would permit "fallen-flag" cars, but take up too much space to carry off well. Nothing beats the real thing, though. May try to figure out how to unretire and get back in the railroad "game". :cat:
I really don't have any wants as far as what's offered, but once I hit the lottery or find some wealthy RR nut, er, I mean fan.... I'd be a MODEL RR MUSEUM CURATOR!!! :thumbs_up: :thumbs_up: Mutli-scale of course.
I'm doing modern BNSF in N but if I could do it different, I would like to do the N&W in the late 40's, in N scale, when steam was king! :teeth: Perhaps a logging line in G scale outdoors. (May do that anyway. - just don't tell the wife yet :shade
A look at my new avatar (isn't it great? :shade: ) should show that I have already two sides in my railroad, a German part and an American part. Yes, there is also a lot of H0 equipment in several boxes, the old Märklin layout I had with my father. But even if I had the space, I would probably not go back into H0 again. Apart from the investment in the equipment, I prefer the wide curves and long trains.
I'd build a large outdoor railroad in the smallest feasible scale. HO or S probably wouldn't work. I think O is probably the smallest. I would handlay track. It would be a Southwestern railroad. It would start in the front yard, climb in a series of S-curves to reduce the 5% grade to 2%, and then traverse to the back yard, when it would descend in similar S-curves.
It's not too late... It might happen someday. I figure I should be able to get my current concept in pretty good shape in the next fifty years or so. That will give me a good solid 20-30 years to scrap it and get something new going. I'll have to step things up a bit but I think I can do it as long as those do-it-yourself hip replacment kits hit the market by then! :teeth:
Jeanne and I were going to do a minor league ball park, but settled on a Little League field in a different location. A small minor league park would have just fit in one of the turnaround loops, but would have been hard to see, so we made it a farm. If we decide to expand into the remaining two-car garage, look for Fenway Park.
Phew, I read the thread title and thought Jerry wanted photos of our posteriors! For one, I'd have built better benchwork and made it more portable (why I've come to a stand still). I've since drawn up plans for a smaller shelf like module set up for when we move next summer. This layout just was not thought out well so, I'm just dead in the water and not in the mood to start over with an impending home purchase in the next 9-12 months. Ultimately, I'd like to do a layout based on the California Northern or the NWP.
I would abandon modelling in the small size and start buying 1:1 equipment. First would be a B&O bay window caboose. I would become active in the local tourist RR again, and keep my equipment there. How's that for extremes?
I would model Missouri Pacific in HO Scale, or I would model the Polish National Railway "PKP" in N Scale.
If I were to do it all over again... I would have built my first layout in Minot, ND without a duckunder... I would have not built the layout in Cheyenne semi-permanently into the walls of that room.... If money were no object... I would build Denver-Moffat Tunnel, with zero compression, and prototypical grades.... I would foray into Nn3, building the Rio Grande, and Rio Grande Southern as they were int he late 30's, early 40's. Signature scenes on Lizard Head Pass, Monarch Branch, Cumbres Pass, and others would be featured...
