regions

[Wiredup]

Hey all,
So I'm currently in the process of rebuilding my layout. Currently the bencwork is in place and I've got the basic plan...but now I need more than just the track plan... I need a 'region' to mimic for scenery and industrial purposes.

The plan is:



My motive power consists of a lot of steam and some early diesel locos. 2/3's are Canadian National, 1/3 is Canadian Pacific... I got some other locos that I got because their gorgeous (Challenger, Daylight) but are not prototypical of Canadian operations.... Out of my buildings, all I currently have thats not directly related to the main terminal is a Forestry Co. kit from Walthers.

Obviously I'm modeling Canada... but what would be a good area to use as an inspiration for my layout's scenery...and what should I call it? The Pacific South Eastern really doesn't work without the mountains. And this layout only has gentle rolling hills....

[MasonJar]

An extensive yard, double mainline, predominantly Canadian roads with some US, gently rolling hills.

Sounds like Southern Ontario...!

Canada Southern? (That's a real road that NYC used as a short cut to Detroit. Also saw some CPR passenger traffic. Pere Marquette also ran in this general vicinity.)

So how about Ontario Southern? Ontario Southwestern? London & Eastern Ontario?

And you could always kitbash that forestry building into something else.

Andrew

[Wiredup]

thats not a bad idea, I like it. And CN's U1f's were doing regular passenger service in that area as well...

Seeing as how the kit's still unbuilt and sitting in the box, I'm sure I could sell it...

Would UP have serviced Detroit with the Challengers?


What kind of industry would I be looking at in the transition era in southern ontario?

[Triplex]

Neither UP nor SP reached Detroit, let alone Canada. UP doesn't go east of Chicago.

[MasonJar]

I'd have to agree with Triplex... and I don't think that there were motive power pools like you see today.

As for 1950s in southern Ontario - the authoritative books (at least for CNR) have to be Ian WIlson's Steam... series. See <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://canadianbranchline.com/">http://canadianbranchline.com/</a><!-- m --> for more.

There were all kinds of industries, small and large, that existed across southern Ontario. Furniture factories, tractor factories, chemical companies, coal/ice/bulk goods dealers, fuel dealers, team tracks, appliances, machinery, paint, grain elevators, livestock shipments, less-than-carload, mail, etc, etc.


Andrew