Hi I live in the UK - East Yorkshire. I am Scottish and have just moved back across the border after returning to Scotland for a couple of years. This may help to explain my i.d. as a BRCW Class 26 diesel electric loco is a first generation British Rail eight axle double cabbed work horse of which I am very fond (26010 in particular). After a visit to the US around 1998 and again in 1999 I became interested in North American trains generally but Conrail and Guilford specifically. Sadly life changed and interest in trains and railways generally were put to one side until last year when I discovered Pan Am Railways and lots of ex-Conrail shortlines (not to mention all the other changes to the North Eastern scene) I am probably now about as happy as a clam so I look forward to reading your collective wisdom and perhaps contributing if and when I have something to say. Thanks in advance and it's good to be aboard.
A big welcome from one proud to claim some Glasgow roots! Sounds as though you may have plenty of avenues open to you, do hope you'll share thoughts plans and progress...and maybe some local pototype pics?
Welcome to TrainBoard! North American railroading is in a near constant state of change these days. Stay tuned and you'll see a lot of interesting variations.
Hi I'll just take this opportunity to thank the senders of my first three replies As for your request Eagle2 if I can find anything you might be interested in i will give it a try!! Really, the current UK scene is summed up in two sentences: Multiple units and freight business lost to trucks. That might sound familiar I suspect:crying: Yet we are told our railways have never been busier. A long freight train in the UK is thirty cars on average and switching (shunting) is almost a thing of the past!! Oh yes, those thirty cars run in fixed rakes so it's really a one inch to one inch model railroad/ railway. Sad:question: Sorry but we are destroying something valuable we gave to the world. That irritates me. Never mind at least you guys still have interesting railroads
The same is happening here. It's become more important to create hiking and biking trails, all the while crying about roadway congestion and pollution. Our major railroads have cherry picked the easiest to serve and most profitable industries, leaving those remaining customers to spin off rail operations and trucks. Short term investment, and very shortsighted thinking. But that's what our business "educators" teach. What I can gather from great distance, the UK has far better public appreciation of rail preservation and restoration efforts. At least some history is preserved. Over here, history is too often an irritation. Scrap it for measly dollars, bulldoze and burn it. Then something they somehow feel is useful can be built, such as a parking lot or better yet, an empty lot full of trash and debris.
As an observation, interesting is in the eye of the beholder. The DMU's/EMU's are quite different to most of what we have, and I suspect I'm not alone in appreciating the contrast in locomotives and cars between the two sides of the pond.
Hi BRCW, Welcome to the train Board, glad to have you on board. I applaud that you at least appreciate the finer locations within the Colonies to model, if not the Boston & Maine by name, the esteemed parent of its Guilford and Pan Am off-spring. I look forward to photos of your interpretation and artistry.
Welcome aboard, BRCW26010. Thank you for explaining the origin of your "handle." I suspected it was based upon a locomotive of some sort.
In fact Eagle2 after I wrote that the same thought did occur to me, so it's piccies then We'll try York (home of the National Rail Museum (NRM)) and Doncaster - in the fullness of time
