Hi, I've got my first layout up and running, it is not based on anything - since I'm in Australia, I don't know much about US railroads....So I currently have a Kato F7 in Union Pacific colors, And a Bachman GE 44 tonner in Denver and Rio Grande colors... What other lines would fit with them without being ridiculous? and does it matter much what the freight cars are labelled as? Do freight cars from various lines end up all over the place? My small layout is mostly flat with a double mainline and some sidings, started out as a Carolina Central copy but ended up ............. who knows where. Will post pics, when its a bit further along. cheers Gary in Australia
Since UP and DRG&W are western roads I would think SP, SF, BN and NP would fit in. It doesn't matter with cars as they travel all over the country. Here on the east coast before the Conrail breakup I used to see UP, BN, CN, CSX, NS, plus several leaseing company loco's on Conrail trains as it had runthrough agreements with those roads.
You do realize that asking a bunch of modelers which railroad to model is like asking a bunch of "futbol" (soccer) fans which team to cheer for, don't you??? retsignalmtr has a good start - with UP and DRGW as a starting point, you could go with any of the UP predecessors... SP would make the most sense, but any of the others will do. Another option: If you go with a somewhat modern design, a 44-ton and an F7 would be "antiques" ... they could be museum pieces (or second- or third-hand purchases) owned and operated by just about anyone... so you could still choose a Midwest or Eastern theme and not be horribly far off. Especially when you consider power sharing and leasing. Here in Kentucky, I regularly see modern BNSF units lashed up to NS trains, as well as leased ex-SOO and ex-UP power.
I would if I could afford the prices they want for VR trains! I can buy two, plus pay airfreight for the price of one VR loco!!! cheers Gary
Gi'day Gary! I live on the South Side of Denver and I can tell you I have seen East-to-West RR freight cars and Ferromex (Mexico) Engines pass through town so if you are wanting to be "Proto" is more what "Era" you want your layout to represent. As for me I would say it's your layout do whatever makes you happy and don't worry about "Proto" unless thats important to you. We also have engines operate around here from all sorts of Eras becuase we have many tourist lines so even what "City" you might wish to say your layout represents could offer different ideas. Ever seen a 55-Tonner do some switching for a K-37 Steam Enigne, I have in Colorado and it happens daily most of the year! Drive to another location and see a F7 pulling modern Vista Dome passenger cars. You have picked and area with rich RR history and tons of options. :thumbs_up: :thumbs_up: :thumbs_up: :thumbs_up:
Yes, it costs more and is harder to find if you want something specific and it is not so popular there are not so many made for the mass market-- but they are snatched up in the local market. I found that true in antiques and collectibles. I model Galveston, Texas. But when I visit Galveston, I find that Galveston collectibles is more expensive there than the same items found by chance somewhere else. And it is not only the railroad company to choose, but also the time period. Commercial model equipment is generally available for periods from 1925 or so to present. But not always EVERYTHING you need to make a complete picture. (That's part of the "fun." Notice I put the word "fun" in quotation marks.) Yes, freight cars from various railroads can generally show up anywhere. But there are subtle patterns. (Also part of the "fun.") With your existing UP and DRGW locos... the UP and DRGW met (before UP gobbled up nearly everything in its mega-merger) at Denver and Salt Lake City. Denver had UP, DRGW, Santa Fe, MoPac, Burlington and Rock Island. Salt Lake City had UP and DRGW plus also SP and Western Pacific. You would generally find more western-road freightcars in that vicinity, but also representation of the bigger northeastern roads- Pennsy, New York Central, B&O, etc, expecially boxcars with general merchandise. A general-rule exception- you probably wouldn't get hoppers of coal transported clear across the country, so a PRR or N&W or C&O coal hopper way out in the west would look outn of place... although a State of Maine insulated boxcar of potatoes might show up in El Paso, and Santa Fe produce reefers DID show up regularly in eastern markets 1500 miles east of the east endn of the Santa Fe.
DRGW & UP intersected in Denver and Ogden/Salt Lake City. Other roads at those cities included ATSF, CB&Q & CRIP in Denver and SP, Utah & WP in Ogden/Salt Lake. We have read studies that indicate to achieve a reasonable mix of rolling stock purchase 50% from the road you are modeling, 25% from railroads that interchanged near the location you are modeling and the other 25% of any other road name that interests you since cars traveled all over.
Decide first what era you want to model and DON'T impulse buy, just because you like that road/paint scheme!
This isn't about what we suggest. This is about: What you want. Grin! Already said, any western road name. Consider a location Ie., San Bernardino, CA., Kansas City, Kansas or same name Missouri, Denver, CO., St. Louis and or Chicago. All of these locations, opens up a variety of options. Here is a resource that may help you to make up your mind: Train Time in San Bernardino in July 1964 California and Jack Whitmeyer Collection Have fun with your layout.
"...it is not based on anything" I freelance too. No rhyme or reason for anything. I got new diesels...old diesels...even a steamer. Western roads...Eastern roads...obscure roads...and even some undecs !! New freight cars...old freight cars. New passenger cars...old passenger cars. Any roadname I like and can find. I run em all !! Not at the same time mind you...but I run em. If you freelance...no one can tell you you are wrong about anything...LOL.:tb-cool: .
Buy what you like, run what you like Interesting topic, interesting situation, great question...... You are in Australia, a land which I have always wanted to have my second home since I was a teenager, and I am 63. I know most Aussies live along coasts, so my suggestion is if you want to design a specific layout around your upbringing and taste, I would suggest, UP, SP, and SF and a few others, and who cares about the era, the architecture around there is ageless anyway. I live in the absolute corner of the US in south Florida, and I watch a lot of freight and passenger trains, of course the passenger trains are all AMTRAK. But the two local lines down here, the CSX and FECRR both run within a mile of my house, and you can be guaranteed I have seen just about every roadname on passing rolling stock as it goes by. We tend to model our backgrounds and memories, and sometimes even our dreams, and often imaginations. I tend to model all, as my fictional roadname is an actual geographical area in PRR land, my locos are predominantly northeastern and PRR, but my storyline is that my area leases rail rights to midwestern and other rr's going to and from Chicago, leaving me a lot of room for "poetic license". But I also love US history and US railroad history, so I also buy historical consists regardless of where they ran, like the Daylight, Broadway Limited, etc, just to admire the historical nature and relive the background of the trains when watching them run on my track. In other words, in the words of my close friend, Dan MacMurtry, "....dammit, run what you like, and make no apologies!!!! It is your layout" Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman
Hi guys, thanks for all the great suggestions! I've only been in this hobby for a couple of months, and am finding that already my ideas are changing. When I started I wanted a bit of everything, a real freelance sort of thing. If I'd had the cash there would have been one of everything here!! I wanted lots of electric switches, didn't know where to model, or when! My layout is not even complete, but I've already changed. I think the electric switches were a waste of time - I change them manually all the time, haven't even bothered to wire them up! I've done/am doing a generic landscape and learning how to do this as I go. Got some buildings on order and tried to be generic in them as well: Walthers N 933-3201 Water St Freight Terminal Kit Walthers N 933-3813 Sanding Towers and Drying House Kit Walthers N 933-3822 Yard Office and Shed Kit I haven't seen anything of these more than a pic on a web site, but I guess they would fit most eras.. Anyway, it looks like since both my locos are late 40's to 50's time period (if wikipedia is correct!) then that looks to be my Era, If Denver is where UP and D&RG met up that's where it will be - I don't think I could turn my current landscaping into Utah, but I'm open to suggestions! I will see if I can post some layout pics today for ideas aboout turning it into something Denver like!! cheers and thanks again... Gary in Australia
You've gotten some good advice and seem to have sorted it all out. One thing us American modelers down here have in our favour is that we are half a world away from what we are modelling, not many people I know could tell you when UP retired their F7's. If you deviate occasionally though, don't worry, I'm supposed to be modeling the Santa Fe in Texas in the 1950's but at the moment my Santa Fe depot T-TRAK modules are full of Japanese steam and freight cars.:tb-wink:
Here's some pics of what I've done so far...now how do I change this to represent the denver/Colorado area??????????? Gary in Australia
Gary, The way you have done the layout would fit in as the eastern part of Colorado. It will also do for many other places along the front range as it meets the plains. (eastern rocky mountains) Look on Google satellite maps to get a feel for the area. Many locations in Canada and the US have terrain like your layout from east to west or north to south.
garyrmck Great work, mate!!! When you get a few structures on your layout, you have killed it for sure. Some of the more realistic scenery I have seen and keep it up. I sure wish you were here stateside or even in SoFla to take advantage of the swap meets and train shows so you could pick up some US trains and structures for a very low price. I would like to see more pictures of your layout as you progress work. How about this for a roadname? Denver and (Insert your Australian state name) Pacific, (example: Denver (or Colorado) and Queensland Pacific. Australia is the home of top performance of all of my interests in my past....when I played tennis, Laver, Rosewall and Newcombe prevailed, when I Hobie Catted, the entire regatta circuit was dominated by Australians, and when I surfed, Nat Young and Midget Farrelly ruled the waves. You guys are fair dinkum, and good luck in your future endeavors in N scale. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman
Thanks Ken, based on your idea, its now known as the "Denver & Pacific Victoria Line" !!! Defined as early/mid 50's Eastern Colorado, a double mainline with both freight and passenger services travelling past a maintenance area with a small local freight depot serving a nearby town.......Sounds plausible? That way I can have a few diesels parked in the sidings, a bit of freight going in and out, some longer freight trains going past (having been parked in the rear hidden staging areas, and a fast passenger (El Capitan?) buzzing through at twice the freight trains speed.......again from the rear staging area.....a nice F3A & B D&RG combo.... Am I dreaming ?...... only have 30" x 80" of layout..... cheers Gary in Australia
Those are the build dates. UP Fs made it to the beginning of the 70s (rather short-lived as Fs go). DRGW.Net : Rio Grande Diesel Locomotive Roster DRGW 44-tonners were even shorter-lived.
