HO rapid transit tracks n stations


Are you asking about the Union Loop elevated line? If so, I'm unaware of any specific model of that prototype. You could build it with Plastruct shapes and some model girder bridges. The Plastruct catalog is available at http://www.plastruct.com/Pages/Catalog.html#DL. The tracks are standard gauge railroad tracks but you'd have to spike and solder a fair amount of track to the elevated structure. The junctions are particularly difficult but are easier now with availability of Fast Track switch jigs (https://www.handlaidtrack.com/pdfs.php). You'd also have to model the third rail. It would be a major undertaking but it could be done.
 
jbaakko said:
http://imaginethatlaserart.com/
Imagine That has kits for Chicago's "L" system.
Click to expand...

I've been to Chicago, have a book on the "L", and know that no one kit will do. The structure looks different in different places (though most of the Loop is the same, as it was built all pretty much at once). Some places it overhangs a little past the supports. Some places it doesn't. Some places the supports are farther apart than in other places. And let's not get into modeling the stations.

Like Jim said, it would be a major undertaking, but it could be done. At the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, they model it (though not all that well), so you could check that out.
 
DaWolf85 said:
Then you'd need either 3200 series cars or 2400 series cars. 3200s were delivered beginning in 1993, so you probably shouldn't have very many, if any at all.
Click to expand...

Here's the list of cars that probaly ran the Loop and subways below it around then(cars in bold I'l probaly use, I might even complete a collection the cars, through my starters are Budd 2200s);
Cincinnati Car 4000(historic charters only)
St. Louis Car 6000/I-50
Pullman-Standard 2000
Budd 2200
Boeing-Vertol 2400
Budd/TransitAmerica 2600
Morrison-Knudsen 3200
 
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Good find, Josh, didn't even know Laser Art existed. A little pricey but they are low demand items. Jack, the basic structures will help but, as Wolf said, you almsot need street by street pictures for your time period. By then, many of the older L's steel girder structures were being replaced by cast concrete. It's a pretty complicated couple of miles of trackage.
 
statelake174 said:
Here's the list of cars that probaly ran the Loop and subways below it around then(cars in bold I'l probaly use, I might even complete a collection the cars, through my starters are Budd 2200s);
Cincinnati Car 4000(historic charters only)
St. Louis Car 6000/I-50
Pullman-Stanard 2000
Budd 2200
Boeing-Vertol 2400
Budd/TransitAmerica 2600
Morrison-Knudsen 3200
Click to expand...

Was not aware that so many different types of cars were being used then...
Then again, the MBTA in Boston, where I live, had some Brill trolleys adapted for snowplow use up until the 90's, so I probably should have expected more than just two types of trains.
It's interesting, though, I don't even think my book on the L even mentions half those cars.\

statelake174 said:
Here's a model of the "L";
http://www.geocities.com/kidat50/
Click to expand...
Those trains don't even attempt a third rail :(
 
And street cars with no tracks. :confused: He's got a nice start on the structure of the Loop but it clearly needs more work to be finished.
 
DaWolf85 said:
Was not aware that so many different types of cars were being used then...
Then again, the MBTA in Boston, where I live, had some Brill trolleys adapted for snowplow use up until the 90's, so I probably should have expected more than just two types of trains.
It's interesting, though, I don't even think my book on the L even mentions half those cars.\


Those trains don't even attempt a third rail :(
Click to expand...

Apperently, there is a third rail on the model Loop, but there is no third rail in the model subway.:confused:
 
statelake174 said:
Apperently, there is a third rail on the model Loop, but there is no third rail in the model subway.:confused:
Click to expand...

It's easier to lay a third rail on the elevated structure, as there is quite a bit of track-to-track separation (maybe a bit more on this model than in real life, but a good five feet in RL nonetheless)
 
For background, you want to search out books by Eric Bronski. At one time he ran a side business called Bronze Key Models or something like that which supplied some Chicago-specific pieces. Don't know if that is still active.
 
DaWolf85 said:
I've been to Chicago, have a book on the "L", and know that no one kit will do. The structure looks different in different places (though most of the Loop is the same, as it was built all pretty much at once). Some places it overhangs a little past the supports. Some places it doesn't. Some places the supports are farther apart than in other places. And let's not get into modeling the stations.

Like Jim said, it would be a major undertaking, but it could be done. At the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, they model it (though not all that well), so you could check that out.
Click to expand...
Those kits come with the overhang, and can be built with, or without.
 
Hello State Lake

Don't know if you are still on board in this forum here, or still in the hobby, since back in 2009, but here is a current reply to this old thread, from me.

The "geocities" website link to "kid at 50" 's Chicago CTA Ho Scale EL Layout webpage, is long dead. Here is the current link to his (Jim Kestner's) FLICKR Website of photos of his layout.... long since fully finished and detailed from the year 2009 days !

https://www.flickr.com/photos/kidat62/sets/ ---- Jim's FLICK Photo Album SETS page

https://www.flickr.com/photos/kidat62/ ---- Jim's FLICKR Photostream Page

Jim is an old friend of mine and a member for a decade now in my "NYC Transit Modelers Group" forum board, and a very skilled modeler and historian of Chicago transit.

Regards - Joe F
 
You say that you have been to Chicago, while there did you goto the Museum of Transportation and Technology? Their model train layout is phenomenal and they have a downtown Ell section that is really great.
There are a lot of videos online - do a search of The Great Train Story and you'll find a bunch.

One other resource that might be useful is the company that actually built the layout, here's their homepage:

http://www.smarttinc.com/#/content/homepage/s15.jpg
 
nearboston - It's MSI, Museum of Science and Industry and a great place to spend a day.
 
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