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These days it seems that many folks are leaning toward protoype modeling. A post by Vitual Bird made me start thinking about this. Which do you prefer?? Currently I freelance a fictional road, with as much realism as I can pack in . My next railroad, though, will be modeling the protoype. I enjoy the freedom of freelance, but crave the concept of running a "real" railroad . Happy Modeling!! John
Posts: 204 | From: Montrose | Registered: Jul 2000
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I prefer to model a freelance railroad. My Elias Valley Railroad is a made-up railroad. I like to do whatever I want to with it and not follow a real railroad.
Dean
------------------ Elias Valley Railroad (N-scale) www.geocities.com/evrr
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I recommend the best of both worlds - a freelance railroad based on the operational practices of your favourite RR.Thus you are freed of the constrictions of modelling a real place, but can design stations to use elements of real locations which appeal to you. In the same way you are free to run any locos and rolling stock YOU like rather than be restricted to a particular era.
Posts: 1 | From: Melbourne,Victoria,Australia | Registered: Jul 2000
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John, As you know, I model the Rio Grande in a prototypical fashion. That is not to say that I don't like to take some "modelers licence", but alot of the fun in this sport is going out and photographing the prototype sites and learning about them from a historical(sometimes hystarical)perspective-and then trying to reproduce it acuratly. It's amazing what gets forgotten about in 50 or 60 years. Anyway that is a lot of the facination of the hobby to me. It's good to be home. Scott
Posts: 127 | From: Gunnison, CO, USA | Registered: Jul 2000
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Hey Scott, Glad to see ya here. I don't know if I mentioned this or not but my company excavated two section houses along the RGS right-of-way last year as part of a pipeline project we were working on. Although the write up is still in it's infancy, there are some neat things that turned up. I am planning on some popular articles in either MR or Short-Line Gazette. When I say my next railroad will be prototypical, I should say "within limits of fun..." I DO NOT want to become a rivet counter !! The big question is, do I model the Colorado and Midland in HO or go for RGS in the new On30 guage?? Decisions decisions !! Happy Modeling !! John
Posts: 204 | From: Montrose | Registered: Jul 2000
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I am a prototypical freelancer! I got this idea, from the club I belong to (check out www.nvrra.org)and reading about the Calamais (sp?) Prarie Railroad. My route is the Gauley River Railraod in West Virginia. I came up with my route by getting a Delorme Gazetter of WVA. I then looked for a plausible route that did not have rail service and could connect two Class 1 railroads. The railroads I chose were N&W and Conrail. I came up with a reason for this route to exist and took it from there. This method allows me to buy prototypical rolling stock, but I don't have to worry about people coming and saying that a certain bridge was not the type I built, or that town didn't have that type of building, or this town didn't have that big of yard. You catch my drift.
Whatever you do. Have fun.
------------------ AJ Y6b
Posts: 30 | From: Eastern Mass, USA | Registered: Aug 2000
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I guess I am in the same category Although the CSW did not exist, I treat it as though it were an extension (subsidiary) of the Colorado Midland. This way there is a mixture of paint schemes between the CSW and CM. My motive power is not prototypical, but all of the engines come from my earlier layouts. Since the CSW was really built as a learning module for my kids, prototype engines were not really a concern...they "feel" right, and run well . Happy Modeling!! John
------------------ Colorado and Southwestern, the Top of the Rockies! http://jstrainstation.homestead.com
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My railroad is based on this areas railroads in 1880's - 1900. Minning in the desert, and logging in the eastern part of the Sierras. I made up my history and follow no true proto-type.
------------------ NVTiny Desert Springs & Rattler Gap Railroad http://www.trainweb.org/dsrg/dsrg.htm
Posts: 23 | From: Silver Springs, NV. USA | Registered: Jul 2000
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John, As you know, I model a prototype, D&RGW, but that is not to say that certain"liberties" arn't taken. For example I have designed a point to point RR but it also has a circular loop for continuous operation so when I feel like it I can just let trains run and I'm kidding myself if I think I've got the room(or the talent) to get everthing "just right" in even a small prototype scene. To me, much of the fun in this hobby is going out and looking around the country to learn about what used to be and then try to create a RR in some historical perspective. I find it facinating just how much people have forgotton about. Even stuff that is only 60 or 70 years past. As a "prototype"modeler, probably the toughest thing to learn and model is operations. What industries were on the division I'm modeling and how did they actually operate as well as correct signaling car movements etc. All this stuff makes it more of a chalange and increases the diversity and long range interest in the hobby. Anyway,that's my 2 cents worth. Probably sorry you asked now. Model on, Scott
Posts: 127 | From: Gunnison, CO, USA | Registered: Jul 2000
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Scott, Not sorry I asked, in fact it's always good to hear your opinion . I would like to do the same type of operating (based on Colorado Midland practice) if and when the CSW gets up and running again !! Happy Modeling!! John
------------------ Colorado and Southwestern, the Top of the Rockies! http://jstrainstation.homestead.com
quote:Originally posted by jcater: These days it seems that many folks are leaning toward protoype modeling. A post by Vitual Bird made me start thinking about this. Which do you prefer?? Currently I freelance a fictional road, with as much realism as I can pack in . My next railroad, though, will be modeling the protoype. I enjoy the freedom of freelance, but crave the concept of running a "real" railroad . Happy Modeling!! John
I currently enjoy the freedom of freelance model railroading. I model in H.O. scale, the Lehigh & Susquehanna based on my favorite prototypes, the CNJ and the LV.
quote:Originally posted by millcstl: To me, much of the fun in this hobby is going out and looking around the country to learn about what used to be and then try to create a RR in some historical perspective. Scott
Hey Scott..
long time no hear, well from me anyway.
I agree with this totally!!!!!!
But I live in Aussie! so runnin down the lines with a camera doesnt help me .000000001%!
I am forced to suffer with the internet, and since I decided to go freelance instead of the Appalachian, it makes life easier, you dont have people saying crap like, "Oh thats not how it is and its not to scale either.."
WHO CARES... its all about fun!
Hey John... how is yer new layout comin along? any newz?
------------------ RR: K, C, & Bird Butt Railroad - SP, NS, and ROCK admirer. Its a coal mining region of a place far far away, that shares with SP, NS, and some CSX.. Also some Custom RARE Bird RR sd40-2's coming! Era:
Time stands still round these parts, and we have everything from Steam, to Diesels of today.
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. My next railroad, though, will be modeling the protoype. I enjoy the freedom of freelance, but crave the concept of running a "real" railroad 
.
!! The big question is, do I model the Colorado and Midland in HO or go for RGS in the new On30 guage?? Decisions decisions 
Although the CSW did not exist, I treat it as though it were an extension (subsidiary) of the Colorado Midland. This way there is a mixture of paint schemes between the CSW and CM. My motive power is not prototypical, but all of the engines come from my earlier layouts. Since the CSW was really built as a learning module for my kids, prototype engines were not really a concern...they "feel" right, and run well 
. Happy Modeling!!
