how did you pick a rail line


I came about my choice of the Grand Trunk Western in a round about way. When I was growing up and where I was growing up, it was all Penn Central, Southern and B&O. To confuse things even more, when we would visit my grandparents it was GTW and Illinois Central. So I grew up liking all of those roads and when I started in HO I bought engines and cars for each. Southern was the first to fall from my buying list and as I grew older and the others fell by the wayside. Having one grandpa worked for the GTW for 40 years made the decision pretty easy. After getting married and moving to Arkansas I discovered the Frisco and now have a little bit that roads steam engines. Now I collect GTW and Frisco, but for different years. GTW in 1953 and that is because I did not want any GP-9's to replace my beloved steam powered passenger trains and SLSF in 1945 as they still had a great paint scheme on the engines and a giant blue and white 4-8-4.

Steve
 
I chose the specific piece of UP / former SP line that I've been drawn to since passing it countless times as a kid (it parallels the 10 Fwy in Southern California for some miles), and it hits all my modelling interests: heavy industry, modern commercial (tilt-up concrete distribution centers), all manner of mixed freight (and heavy on centerbeam flats, bulkhead flats & boxcars), heavy weathering, tons of graffiti, elements of industrial evolution (abandoned factories and rail service alongside new) and just an overall gritty feel. For my modeling interests, it doesn't get much better than this: UPY1144
 
I chose the specific piece of UP / former SP line that I've been drawn to since passing it countless times as a kid (it parallels the 10 Fwy in Southern California for some miles), and it hits all my modelling interests: heavy industry, modern commercial (tilt-up concrete distribution centers), all manner of mixed freight (and heavy on centerbeam flats, bulkhead flats & boxcars), heavy weathering, tons of graffiti, elements of industrial evolution (abandoned factories and rail service alongside new) and just an overall gritty feel. For my modeling interests, it doesn't get much better than this: UPY1144



colton/fontana or san bernardino/loma linda?
 
Well I guess as a new member to the forum, but not new to the hobby. This is as good a place as any to make my first post. When I was a little one I grew up with the NYC now the LIRR running through my back yard. Jamaica yard was only a couple of blocks from my parents house. I grew up watching the steamers getting coal and water in the yard and dragging their passenger cars through to New York City. I fell in love with steamers and am creating a model my own imagination where many steam engines from various roads can run wild.

I just like to watch steam engines with all that linkage running.

BJ
 
Conrail ran next to my house so I grew up modeling the trains I was seeing: Conrail, a bit of CSX and then Norfolk and Southern.

Since then I've lost my layout due to a move and I am now starting over after over a decade. I decided I wanted to do classic steam as I have always loved steam locomotives but they were gone long before I came along. I have this iconic image of steam locos pulling coal trains through Appalachia. So that started to narrow down the roads and I starting doing research. I ended up choosing to model the C&O at some point during the later half of the 1930' through the early '40s.
 
The first train ride I remember riding was the California Zephyr between Denver and Glenwood Springs. I love the colors of D&RGW, and it's in my back yard. We still take our Scouts on the Ski Train to Winter Park each summer.
 
I am curious how you picked the line you chose. Was it the color, the scenery it ran through, being familier with it, seeing it everyday or what.

Back in the late 70's early 80's the BIG Canadian railways began to start abandoning various branch lines around the prairies due to low revenues or lack of same which proved too costly to continue to operate and maintain for the lack of traffic. This spurred the idea of a small independant rail service to purchase some of these lines and operate them as feeder lines to the larger companies - CN & CP. My freelance railway was born of this concept and I spent 14 years modelling it. Now after a 16 year break I am starting over again and Branch Line Railways (1980) will live again!
 
I originally modeled the PC/PRR because it was local.

Then I modeled the LV because it had such a variety of engine paint scheme. As I researched the LV I realized it didn't haul squat in the 1970's. I then changed to the RDG, migrated from the 1970's to the 1950's .

I modeled the C&F branch because it touched the LV, CNJ and LNE. Gradually changed to the W&N branch between Wilmington, DE and Reading Then about 3 years ago the bug bit to backdate from 1950 to 1900 and that's where I am today, the Wilmington & Northern Branch of the Philadelphia & Reading in 1900-1905 .
 
I was born On the Pasadena Subdivision when i was a Pup. During that time Amtrak would run Trains between San berdu,and LAUPT. My dad would travel on the Southwest chief or desert wind,That had a huge influence on me. Then we moved to Sedona AZ,and on the weekends we would go to Flagstaff,so Thats why i Model ATSF.

I model SP because during my summer break,I would go to my grandmas house in Pomona CA,which served both SP & ATSF. I would see alot of Bloody Nose,CNW & UP power. Then I would see my other grandparents who lived in Hesperia on top of cajon.
so yes More ATSF & UP.
 
Well, I dont have a real layout just yet but I have choosen to go with BNSF for frieght and Metrolink for local passanger. I've picked these simply because where I live (Corona, Ca), I see one of these be it freight from BNSF or passanger from Metrolink ever 20 minutes or so! And thats why I picked them!
 
I've changed over the years. When I was a kid, It was all Burlington. Chinese red and gray was it for me. Then it hit me. None of the engines nearby looked anything like a CB&Q engine........duh...thats cuz I lived on the right coast! Closer to home, I had the B&O to the south, and the Western Maryland to the north, so I went with the WM. Fast forward another 10 years, and I'm now a conductor on an excursion train pulled by Maryland Midland engines over former WM main lines! Then I started modeling the Midland!
Still, I did keep 1 Chinese Red engine (Tenshodo GP35) and run it from time to time, but the bulk of the fleet is WM black. Occasionaly I will do a time shift, and put away all the black and pull out the orange and blue Midland units. Its the same railroad, just different operators!!:D
 
Southeast...Southwest

Ship it on the FRISCO!

frisco_coonskin.jpg
 
The Sacramento Northern ran through towns I lived as a kid in this order. Montclair Hills District of Oakand, Canyon, Moraga and Walnut Creek, CA. What are the chances of that happening for such a small RR?

So to me, trains had to have pantographs and overhead wires or they looked funny. After building SN stuff for about 15 years I drifted over to WP and then SP in the 50s. Someday my new SP layout will have an extension with SN for interchange.

The photo here was a little SN layout I built years ago.
 
Started out buying ICG then put everything away for 17 years. Now I'm modeling the same St Louis to KC route but with a freelanced railroad. Chicago & Alton built the line and I grew up watching the ICG roll through. KCS operates the line currently but I caught a CSX train on the line a year ago.
 



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