jwb
04-02-2013, 01:09 PM
Some guys here know that I maintain a list of very short prototype railroads at <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.trainweb.org/lfnwfan/html/veryshortlines.htm">http://www.trainweb.org/lfnwfan/html/veryshortlines.htm</a><!-- m --> -- in fact, several guys here have helped me out with photos and other data, and I'm grateful.
Recently a Big Blue member PMed me asking if I'd provide links there or start a thread here on how to model these railroads. (My criteria are basically standard gauge, common carrier, connected to the main North American network, and 10 miles long or less). This actually leaves out some lines that don't quite make it, like the Middletown & Hummelstown, Amador Central, Ventura County Ry, Santa Maria Valley, and many others, so if anyone is interested in those, have at it!
Also, at least two guys who post photos of their layouts here are inspired at least in part by some railroads that are in fact on my list. Reinhard/Faraway has done 70-tonners for the Modesto & Empire Traction, which is a prototype very similar to the California style industrial operation he models. Len Turner appears to be inspired by East Texas short lines, two of which, the Angelina & Neches River and the Moscow, Camden & San Augustine, are on my list (and very much worth modeling). So partly, anyone who wants to model very short lines has some good examples right here.
Also, the late Carl Arendt's vision of very small layouts certainly included very short lines, and there are many, many examples of small layouts on his site. But also, it seems to me that there's a certain bias in modeling toward the small and interesting. My own ideal of a layout based on a very short line would include a lot of the features that's on one line on my list, the Strasburg. A good video showing the potential of the Strasburg for modeling is at <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m04dQQNllTs">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m04dQQNllTs</a><!-- m -->
If I were going to follow up on doing something in the spirit of the Strasburg -- which is also not too far from the spirit of modelers like John Allen -- I'd be looking to include small to medium size steam, WITH SOUND, some sort of tourist passenger operation as well as freight, and various other features to maximize interest in a smaller space, like making sure things like crossing flashers are operational.
Recently a Big Blue member PMed me asking if I'd provide links there or start a thread here on how to model these railroads. (My criteria are basically standard gauge, common carrier, connected to the main North American network, and 10 miles long or less). This actually leaves out some lines that don't quite make it, like the Middletown & Hummelstown, Amador Central, Ventura County Ry, Santa Maria Valley, and many others, so if anyone is interested in those, have at it!
Also, at least two guys who post photos of their layouts here are inspired at least in part by some railroads that are in fact on my list. Reinhard/Faraway has done 70-tonners for the Modesto & Empire Traction, which is a prototype very similar to the California style industrial operation he models. Len Turner appears to be inspired by East Texas short lines, two of which, the Angelina & Neches River and the Moscow, Camden & San Augustine, are on my list (and very much worth modeling). So partly, anyone who wants to model very short lines has some good examples right here.
Also, the late Carl Arendt's vision of very small layouts certainly included very short lines, and there are many, many examples of small layouts on his site. But also, it seems to me that there's a certain bias in modeling toward the small and interesting. My own ideal of a layout based on a very short line would include a lot of the features that's on one line on my list, the Strasburg. A good video showing the potential of the Strasburg for modeling is at <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m04dQQNllTs">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m04dQQNllTs</a><!-- m -->
If I were going to follow up on doing something in the spirit of the Strasburg -- which is also not too far from the spirit of modelers like John Allen -- I'd be looking to include small to medium size steam, WITH SOUND, some sort of tourist passenger operation as well as freight, and various other features to maximize interest in a smaller space, like making sure things like crossing flashers are operational.
I have always been attracted to shortlines and branchlines as well which is why my model railroad is a shortline that interchanges with a real shortline (Graham County Railroad) and a real branchline (Murphy branch of the Southern).