how did you pick a rail line
- Thread starter budinoh
- Start date
iomalley
Barely-employed Brakeman
My father worked for CN, and I eventually worked for CN too, albeit briefly, and the era I model is when my favourite equipment ran. So I chose CN for 'comfort' reasons...
Tuna
Member
I'm totally into steam and I model 2 railroads: UP and The Alton Railroad.
UP because they are the last Class 1 railroad operating steam.
The Alton Railroad because "Alton" is my name.
Alton RR stuff is hard to find most of the time but I have several freight cars and an "Alton Limited" passenger set.
UP because they are the last Class 1 railroad operating steam.
The Alton Railroad because "Alton" is my name.
Alton RR stuff is hard to find most of the time but I have several freight cars and an "Alton Limited" passenger set.
I chose Conrail as they ran right behind my house for the first 14 years of my life, I just love the bright blue locomotives. Since Conrail no longer exists, it leaves me a lot of freedom when it comes to modeling them in current times. I get to pull a lot of things I find interesting on other current day Class 1's and adapt them to fit my needs.
I actually model 2 railroads from different eras. For modern era, I do Montana Rail Link. I chose them for 3 reasons......#1 I can watch their mainline from my front porch, #2 they run a lot of older engines like GP9's/35's/ SD9's/35's/40's/45's as well as modern SD70ACe's, and #3 They carry a lot of BNSF bridge traffic which lets me run BNSF stuff as well.
I also model Milwaukee Road in the transition era. They had a major presence in the area I live (south-central Montana) and I grew up just a few blocks from their major service center in Sioux City Iowa. So I can run my Milwaukee stuff on the same scenery as my MRL, and running transition era lets me run steam and passenger trains and older freight cars.
I also model Milwaukee Road in the transition era. They had a major presence in the area I live (south-central Montana) and I grew up just a few blocks from their major service center in Sioux City Iowa. So I can run my Milwaukee stuff on the same scenery as my MRL, and running transition era lets me run steam and passenger trains and older freight cars.
I grew up in New Haven RR territory and about 3 miles from their Readville shops. You didn't have to go very far to see passenger or freight or RDC's on a daily basis. So familiarity and access was one reason. I also like Alco's, of which the NH was a big buyer. In the 50's & 60's as the NH struggled with bankrutcy they would put together a power consist of almost anything that could make the run and that gives me the freedom to mix engines to suit my mood. My railroad is not modelled after any specific location on the NH but I do at least keep industries, etc to what is normally found here in SE New England. I paint and run my own motive power in addition to a good number of NH equip. Not strictly following the prototype NH affords a lot of modeller's license even though the NH is used for my inspiration and ideas.
KCSRailfan
KCS Railfan,and Modeler.
I model the KCS,because I grew up with the KCS,and its my fav Class 1 RR. Its one of the few Class Is that I see some older power running every now and then,and they just have some great paint schemes.
-Damian
-Damian
Beachbum
Member
Ah. Well. My grandparents lived next to a CNW ore line in Upper Michigan, I lived for awhile a few blocks from a Soo division point yard and my best friend in grade school's dad was a Soo brakie (went with him once to fire up the caboose stove), but I used to watch Santa Fe commercials when I was very young in Chicago so Chico was my main guy - Ship and Travel Santa Fe, All the Way! So I model ATSF in N-scale with one BNSF patch job. And there's nothing quite like a Yellow Bonnet paint job.
I've lived near and ridden the BNSF (METRA) for many years but I model the Bay Line in HO now. I like Florida beaches and the Deep South and the Bay Line is / was a cool little regional. Plus I own some GW stock, so...
I've lived near and ridden the BNSF (METRA) for many years but I model the Bay Line in HO now. I like Florida beaches and the Deep South and the Bay Line is / was a cool little regional. Plus I own some GW stock, so...
jbovinette
Florida Railroads
Deep South!
I model the Deep South. Lines like, Atlantic Coast Line, Southern, Florida East Coast, Central of Georgia, & Seaboard Air Line/Seaboard Coast Line. I wasn't around at the time to see these legendary companies run but have a fantastic heritage in the up bringing of the south to what it is today.
jbovinette
I model the Deep South. Lines like, Atlantic Coast Line, Southern, Florida East Coast, Central of Georgia, & Seaboard Air Line/Seaboard Coast Line. I wasn't around at the time to see these legendary companies run but have a fantastic heritage in the up bringing of the south to what it is today.
jbovinette
lmackattack
old school
IC/ICG and C&NW
Dad was a trucker and I remember going into all the intermodal yards with him. The ICG/IC was my best liked railway as they used a logo of a Pig with wheels on the intermodal trailers. We also were invited into the engines and cabooses often as Dad knew some of the yard workers. 4-5 years old and being in such a large noisy machine was pretty cool. Also C&NW was near my home and always saw them pass by. As a young kid these things stuck in my memory and now I model them.
Dad was a trucker and I remember going into all the intermodal yards with him. The ICG/IC was my best liked railway as they used a logo of a Pig with wheels on the intermodal trailers. We also were invited into the engines and cabooses often as Dad knew some of the yard workers. 4-5 years old and being in such a large noisy machine was pretty cool. Also C&NW was near my home and always saw them pass by. As a young kid these things stuck in my memory and now I model them.
tomustang
I'm Blunt..
Ditto. . . .
cncproadwarrior
North of the 49th
When you're Canadian, CN & CP are a must. Then one usually models a local railroad or two. I'm doing the "obligatory" CN and CP and have also discovered the Ottawa Central Railway and Ontario Northland. I added a "dash" (I just couldn't resist ) of SOO and GT and presto! I have a varied multicoloured model railroad.
) of SOO and GT and presto! I have a varied multicoloured model railroad. 
Well lets see. When I started all we seemed to have was CN and CP. In my location all there was, was CN. So I bought some CN locos (they're still in the boxes)
Along came the short lines (something different) and I was hooked as the short lines are as close to freelance as you can get. They do their own thing just like a modeler does
Cheers
Willis
Along came the short lines (something different) and I was hooked as the short lines are as close to freelance as you can get. They do their own thing just like a modeler does
Cheers
Willis
When i settle on one, i'll let you all know... Most of my stuff is UP (blech) and CNW though. My dad worked as a car knocker in Proviso in the 70's, my mom and aunt grew up around the yard in Bellwood and Melrose Park. Plus i started out on the UP running on the former CNW. When i started, old CNW engines were somewhat common, and i always liked the colours over the UP's boring yellow and grey. Plus they might just have the coolest railroad logo ever. I also like the late Illinois Central scheme, the black with white letters and the "death star" Logo are pretty cool. Lately I've been tempted by the Florida East Coast colours though, so not sure which way i'm gonna go
Most of my stuff is UP (blech) and CNW though. My dad worked as a car knocker in Proviso in the 70's, my mom and aunt grew up around the yard in Bellwood and Melrose Park. Plus i started out on the UP running on the former CNW. When i started, old CNW engines were somewhat common, and i always liked the colours over the UP's boring yellow and grey. Plus they might just have the coolest railroad logo ever. I also like the late Illinois Central scheme, the black with white letters and the "death star" Logo are pretty cool. Lately I've been tempted by the Florida East Coast colours though, so not sure which way i'm gonna go
Trussrod
Well-Known Member
Hi Bud,
I'm working on the C&S West Short Line RR. For me, I've always enjoyed Steam & Mountainous terrain so the D&RGW, C&S & RGS seemed like logical choices to model although I'm probably taking liberties in many respects as my layout is of my own creation and I'm not trying to duplicate any particular location of any of the above roads. Hopefully I'll come up with the effect I want though?
Also I'm modeling Std gauge HO and much of the equipment on the above roads were Narrow Guage. But I think they probably had some Standard Gauge too, at least on my layout they will. I may incorporate some Narrow gauge though but I'll just have to wait till I see how things turn out as most of my equipment is Std gauge.
You'll get it figured out.
I'm working on the C&S West Short Line RR. For me, I've always enjoyed Steam & Mountainous terrain so the D&RGW, C&S & RGS seemed like logical choices to model although I'm probably taking liberties in many respects as my layout is of my own creation and I'm not trying to duplicate any particular location of any of the above roads. Hopefully I'll come up with the effect I want though?
Also I'm modeling Std gauge HO and much of the equipment on the above roads were Narrow Guage. But I think they probably had some Standard Gauge too, at least on my layout they will. I may incorporate some Narrow gauge though but I'll just have to wait till I see how things turn out as most of my equipment is Std gauge.
You'll get it figured out.
