Commuting in 1:100

[nkp_174]

Modeling a local railroad in a custom scale.

There are really two major limitations: money and time. So, this isn't a practical option for me as I lack the money to burn on the supplies, time to perform the work, and space for the layout. All resources best spent on what I have.

But it is still fun to dream ideas up...

From the 1870s through 1899, The College Hill Railroad connected the upscale community of College Hill with the City of Cincinnati (which College Hill is now a part of). The road was killed by the street cars and automobiles, but was still interesting. The route was from the CH&D (present day CSX Cincinnati-Detroit mainline) up the hills in between Winton Road and Hamilton Ave to the parking lot behind the College Hill Presbyterian Church.

The road had a few locomotives, I believe the biggest was a Porter 0-6-0t (or equivalent). It was a 3' line. The route had steep grades and is quite scenic. The terrain is sufficiently rugged that much of it was never developed despite being near the center of a metropolis of 2mil+ people. Even today, you feel like you are far from civilization...which is great for a railroad!

The idea is that an N-scale 0-6-0 has the correct driver size...and n-scale track is the correct gauge...at 1:100 scale. This allows for kitbashing power from either the rabbit running B-man 0-6-0s or an Atlas 2-6-0. The track would be standard N-scale track as the ties are close to correct. The key building would be the church and station at College Hill...and possibly the bridges on the route. The small scale would allow for a layout along the lines of 2x8 or 3x8. The trackplan would be an oval which would look like a point-to-point but allow continuous running...a scenic backdrop down the middle.

It would be great for generating local interest in railroads...and is well supported by the presence of local rail historian John H. White Jr's books on the subject.

Michael
(fun to dream...a mistake to build!)

[Bigsteel]

i always wanted to see more cincinnati shortline inspired model railroads,they're really interesting with all our grades and interesting industries,not to mention our very unique architecture.but trying to manage that in a completely scratchbuilt scale hock: ,a bit to daunting for me .although,they do make quite a bit of 1/96 scale models...hmm...no,stop josh,no other layouts (starts arguing with self) .but i guess any scale has to start somewhere.--josh

[nkp_174]

i always wanted to see more cincinnati shortline inspired model railroads,they're really interesting with all our grades and interesting industries,not to mention our very unique architecture.but trying to manage that in a completely scratchbuilt scale hock: ,a bit to daunting for me .although,they do make quite a bit of 1/96 scale models...hmm...no,stop josh,no other layouts (starts arguing with self) .but i guess any scale has to start somewhere.--josh

We are really blessed...not only is our city quite beautiful, but so many cool railroads! I've learned how nice we have it from traveling all over the US and throughout Europe.

I think the key to making this work is that it was basically a rural line...on the edge of the Spring Grove Cemetery and through Laboiteaux Woods...so that few scratch built buildings would be needed...and the changes to the locomotive would be purely cosmetic. Ironically, our Bible Study tonight got moved from a home to College Hill Presbyterian Church...so we sort of went to the old station grounds

The draw to a smaller scale would be for keeping the space requirements small for a layout. I don't want to run a Cincinnati locomotive through Colorado...I want to run it through part Cincinnati! I really love some of the lines downtown...especially the ones that no longer exist (the old stations)...but those would definitely be a nightmare in a custom scale! Z, N, or HO would be the way to go. I love the S-scale layout at the Museum center.

According to Hilton, the road at an 0-4-0 steam dummy and a pair of Porter 0-6-0ts. I plan on building a Porter 0-6-0 in On3...but for the Colorado Central. The rolling stock consisted of a coach, a combine, and 3 freight cars. Grades were 4.5%...a trestle 600' long and 60' tall...3mi of original mainline plus a 3.5mi extension to Mt. Healthy. I wish I had my dad's copy of White's "Some Historic Cincinnati Railroads"...it has pictures of the road.

The Cincinnati, Lebanon, & Northern could be cool...especially from when it was dual gauge from the City to Blue Ash.

Michael

[nachoman]

I am sure you have seen the trains in the museum in old union terminal. Perhaps you could interest them in some kind of display depicting this railroad? Building in any weird scale would not be that difficult, so long as you can use track and mechanisms from another scale. But, I would be more inclined to start in a known scale, and then just re-gauge the mechanisms. Re-gauging a few locomotives and cars seems much less work than having to custom make all the accessories - automobiles, street lamps, structures, FIGURES... Since you are talking about pre-1900, you will wind up scratching all the buildings and rolling stock anyway, but I am not sure where you could find 1:100 figures.

[nkp_174]

I am sure you have seen the trains in the museum in old union terminal. Perhaps you could interest them in some kind of display depicting this railroad? Building in any weird scale would not be that difficult, so long as you can use track and mechanisms from another scale. But, I would be more inclined to start in a known scale, and then just re-gauge the mechanisms. Re-gauging a few locomotives and cars seems much less work than having to custom make all the accessories - automobiles, street lamps, structures, FIGURES... Since you are talking about pre-1900, you will wind up scratching all the buildings and rolling stock anyway, but I am not sure where you could find 1:100 figures.

You are familiar with our Museum Center's layout. I was shocked by it on my first trip a few years back. (especially since I used to be a tour guide in the control tower...and never knew there was such a layout!...and S scale of all scales!?!?)
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What a layout. And then there were all the other pieces throughout the facility...such as the 3/4" scale NYC 4-8-4 (or 4-8-2?). Wow.

I found a little more info today...perusing my father's book on a brief visit before a birthday part...the three narrow gauge locomotives all had 30" drivers...so they were smaller than the CC engines. The first, which was too weak, would be accurately depicted with Grandt Line's On3 Steam Dummy. There were indeed two 0-6-0ts...a 14t and a 16t...these were lighter locomotives than the Grandt Line 0-4-0! I will definitely think about them as a practical matter in On3. The passenger cars (and accordingly, probably the freight cars as well) were from Barney & Smith.

I wonder for figures, in 1:100, about the availability of 1:96 military modeler figures. I also wonder about doll house hobbyist figures...and TT scale figures would be pretty close to usable...a 6' TT figure would be 5' tall.

The time period on this road with be the late 1870s...no vehicles, no electric, no gas lights. Horseys, a difficult matter in any scale, would be needed for the stations...while only the CH&D track would be represented. If a suitable mechanism was available in HO...then HO figures and horseys would be great (besides...I have HOn3 stuff already!).

Michael

[nkp_174]

I found 1:100 and 1:120 figures...and just as important, horseys!

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[Bigsteel]

michael--im pretty sure the museum centers layout is the largest S-scale layout in america. but if you want a scratchbuilders scale they definatley picked the right one when they built it .i remember when they started it and they were building every building from scratch,that says alot when your bangin out numerous skyscrapers and a terminal,plus a full baseball stadium and a river boat hock: .its really an impressive layout (and hard to believe you missed it hock: ).i just wish i could have helped on it,looks like it would have been alot of fun.--josh

[nkp_174]

michael--im pretty sure the museum centers layout is the largest S-scale layout in america. but if you want a scratchbuilders scale they definatley picked the right one when they built it .i remember when they started it and they were building every building from scratch,that says alot when your bangin out numerous skyscrapers and a terminal,plus a full baseball stadium and a river boat hock: .its really an impressive layout (and hard to believe you missed it hock: ).i just wish i could have helped on it,looks like it would have been alot of fun.--josh

I could easily believe that it is the largest. And then there is the eye-popping entertrainment junction up north...with two cities full of scratchbuilt skyscrapers.

My dad and I dropped by the museum center's layout a month ago...they had some new locomotives running...more 2-8-0s and diesels...last time I was there it was mostly pacifics, a few old 4-8-4s, and a couple 2-8-0s.

[Bigsteel]

i actually havent been to entertrainment junction yet,is it any good? it looked to be alot of scratchbuilt stuff and not alot of store bought stuff as in alot of layouts.i also saw on the website they have a hobby shop? id love to be able to have a true train hobby store close by,dons hobby shop sucks.--josh

[nkp_174]

Well, here's what it is: a large scale layout the size of a large supermarket. The first couple scenes...logging and 19th century...are 1:20.3 with B-man gear locomotives, 4-4-0s, and 2-6-0s. They then have a transition era layout...a long coal drag behind a 2-8-8-2 was running when I was there. There is a ton of quality scratch building...especially a few of the mamoth trestles. When I was there, shortly after they'd opened, they were still in the process of detailing most of the scenes...but it was still very impressive.

It is definitely worth it! It's really a crime not to visit, imho.