Subconscious Inspiration in Model Railroading


GuilfordRailman

Well-Known Member
As I’ve been working on my layout, it occurred to me that part of this layout has been inspired by an area I visited as a child and completely forgot about until now. I recalled a trip with my family to the Green Mountain Railroad in Bellows Falls, VT and began my search on google maps.

I believe I found the area of interest!

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While there are only some common elements, this is the scene I was visualizing as I thought about what I wanted to include in my new layout!

Perhaps subconscious inspiration is where we begin to create our own mini worlds as model railroaders? Anyone have similar moments like this?
 
I recalled a trip with my family to the Green Mountain Railroad in Bellows Falls, VT and began my search on google maps.

I believe I found the area of interest!

Perhaps subconscious inspiration is where we begin to create our own mini worlds as model railroaders? Anyone have similar moments like this?
That is so cool. I would like to see that same image from say ... the 1940s or 50s.

I have several of the moments. Have looked in vain to find them on google maps just as you, but failed on all counts. I thought I remembered one US highway 50 near Peabody Kansas a place where one railroad crossed over the highway. The highway did a steep dip and curve to get under it. It was low clearance especially for a main highway with the yellow signs all over. The railroad crossing the highway to the north was on a really high grade, almost like a river retaining wall. In that town there was a second railroad that was more parallel the highway. I was thinking it was Rock Island and Santa Fe, but cannot find any evidence of either now. I mean Peabody has Santa Fe and former Rock Island tracks and highway 50, but no where near the curves and alignment my imagination says I remember.
 
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That is so cool. I would like to see that same image from say ... the 1940s or 50s.

I have several of the moments. Have looked in vain to find them on google maps just as you, but failed on all counts. I thought I remembered one US highway 50 near Peabody Kansas a place where one railroad crossed over the highway. The highway did a steep dip and curve to get under it. It was low clearance especially for a main highway with the yellow signs all over. The railroad crossing to the highway, to the north was on a really high grade, almost like a river retaining wall. In that town there was a second railroad that was more parallel the highway. I was thinking it was Rock Island and Santa Fe, but cannot find any evidence of either now. I mean Peabody has Santa Fe and former Rock Island tracks and highway 50, but no where near the curves and alignment my imagination says I remember.
I would love to see photos of this area from the 40s and 50s!

I’m surprised I came up with the location at all! It has been quite a while since I spent time in Bellows Falls, VT but for some reason it just came to me while I was taking photos of the layout progress. There are others I have tried to find in the past but like yourself, I’ve had no such luck. Perhaps one day you’ll find what you’re looking for:)
 



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