I am currently building a layout that I'll call for the time being mostly prototypical. Of course there’s no way I'll have enough room to house the whole route so some areas will be reduced. But major and what I call recognizable scenes are being built either to scale or 90% to scale. 90% means you couldn't tell the difference unless you measured it. Sure I have an era (70's) in which I'm modeling...however, not a specific year. Sure you'll find that some things probably shouldn't be on my layout (mainly things that were tore down before my era) but if it's there it’s because I wished it was still there in the 70's. Overall: I have had a blast so far learning about the railroad I chose to model. Everything from seeing pictures, reading stories, maps, taking photos myself for better modeling accuracies, and even meeting with those that used to work it. Without trying to be so self-indulgent...I'd say I have turned myself into my own little historian...learning everything I can just so that I can model it as best as I can. This is just my thing and I love learning about this railroad. It's a lot of work but I like doing it. My goal: I'm just hoping that I can accomplish something that will represent what is now long gone. Something that will bring back memories for those that knew it and something for myself. I never got to see my favorite railroad in operation and my dream to do so is in the hands of my modeling. I believe setting yourself some goals will help you choose what you want to do. But most of all remember to have fun!
Right now, my layout is totally freelance except for prototypical rolling stock. The next layout I want to build will be "fretotypicance." It will be based on an actual line and the model locations are real. I plan to incorporate some of the same track arraingments and some of the same industries. I will be moving the timeframe up a couple of years. There will be more traffic than the real thing. And there will be an additional interchange with a RR (The Colorado Midland) that dissapeared long before. I will also have to develop a freelance paintscheme for 1st gen diesels as the real RR only had a couple of steamers. Eric
It's a real dilemma. You have something you want to emulate, but as one post said modelling a station would take up more space than the allotment for the layout. Another challenge is the personal desire to model things from different experiences. A friend gave me a couple of Union Ice trucks for Christmas. That inspired me to begin a scratchbuild of the Union Ice plant that was near where I grew up in San Pedro, CA. Up the street from where I live in Garden grove, CA is a produce market (Tony's Farm) that is a beautiful candidate for scratch build - which I am going to do shortly. Those two non-related prototypes will be on my layout - and probably recognized by friends who visit. But they have no relationship to my attempt to create a vision of the Alaska Railroad that is the base of my emulation. I wouldn't dare to call my city Anchorage, because it bears no resemblance. But it is fun calling it Moorage, Alaska. So I guess my answer is have an admiration ideal in your heart and then frelance whatever you can to satisfy that ideal - with protypical spurts that please you. Sounds like a politician's answer doesn't it?
My layout is the "semi-freelance what if" Northwestern Pacific. It is fun to use the neighborhood and history while still have the freedom to do what I want to do. This is also a hint for Alan to come out of his N-scale retirment.
