on picking a spot to model somewhere in the US.
As you might know, i model primarily the BNSF and UP with a splash of CSX lol
I am a industrial type modeler so scenery comes second for me lol. Can anyone suggest some possible modeling locations of real life areas that the BNSF, UP, or CSX serve? Im looking for lots of switching here. A couple large industries maybe, but the majority of them small to medium in size. And again, BNSF, UP, or CSX locations are a must.
if you can help me choose a spot to model, i would love to hear or see where
I will be modeling on small modules, 16-18" wide and 4-6' in length....
Thanks to anyone who can help
I think that Chicago would let you model all three roads, but you'd need to find a particular slice of it to accomplish it on nine square feet.
Wayne
I was thinking Chicago as well, but St. Louis would work too
Too funny, i posted this on another forum and got both Chicago and St. Louis as the 2 replies as well lol
The area does not have to be served by only BNSF, UP, or CSX, just as long as the road serves the area. Heck if other roads serve the area, it just gives me an excuse to get some more power in other roads hehe
Any particular areas in Chicago or St. Louis guys?
Denver Colorado , Pueblo Colorado or Phoenix AZ. no CSX though Just UP and BSFN
Jim
Man i must be blind, all im seeing is HUGE yards and long lengths of track with an industry served here and there separated by another long length of track lol
Need branchlines with a bunch of sidings
I really want to model the Miami District with CSX but Lance (the guy i posted the link to) and my buddy Kurt over at the Gauge are already doing 2 sections of the Miami Area and i dont wanna be a copy cat lol :oops:
jim currie Wrote:Denver Colorado , Pueblo Colorado or Phoenix AZ. no CSX though Just UP and BSFN
Jim
Thanks Jim, ill check these 3 out
Hi Josh,
A guy at my LHS i think i told you about has a switcher layout and has based it in Chicago with an car repair shop served by two roads and has stock from all over the country the yard being a holding transition area ... this would be a good idea on a module layout you are planning ....... his concept is it is a backwater of Chicago not many people see but it is a hive of activity.
Hope it gives you some thoughts
Josh,
There is a yard very close to Midway airport in Chicago that hosts all 3, plus IHBR (Indiana Harbor Belt) and CBR (Chicago Belt). It can easily be slectively compressed. It hosts a variety of options. Intermodal, general freight, metal processing plants, and auto racks. I don't know the name of the yard, but if you look at google earth at Midway airport, then follow archer slightly south, you will get there.
Matt
Trucklover Wrote:Man i must be blind, all im seeing is HUGE yards and long lengths of track with an industry served here and there separated by another long length of track lol
Need branchlines with a bunch of sidings
I really want to model the Miami District with CSX but Lance (the guy i posted the link to) and my buddy Kurt over at the Gauge are already doing 2 sections of the Miami Area and i dont wanna be a copy cat lol :oops:
jim currie Wrote:Denver Colorado , Pueblo Colorado or Phoenix AZ. no CSX though Just UP and BSFN
Jim
Thanks Jim, ill check these 3 out
Here is an area of Denver (East 66th Avenue and Franklin Street) I looked up on maps.live.com after reading a news report about a young conductor who was killed when a tractor trailer ran into his train while his switching train was trying to cross the road:
http://tinyurl.com/cuvov2
Same kind of feel as the Florida layout - light manufacturing, warehouses, roads and railroads close together and crossing each other.
Stein
Trucklover Wrote:I am a industrial type modeler
Milwaukee, Toledo (OH), Bridgeport (CT), St. Louis, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Gary (IN), New Britain (CT), Detroit. pick a city.
The northeast got it all...
WOW, Nick, Matt, Stien, and Tom, thanks for all the info!!!! there is a bunch of leads here that i will look into, thanks so much!!
I know that you have settled on an area of Denver, Colorado to model; but I have to throw in the Santa Ana branch of the U.P. The other are would be the Fullerton Branch on the BNSF. Both of these areas would be local for you to get pics from. There are also numerous branches on both the U.P. and the BNSF throughout So Cal. I think Miles Western was modeling the San Jac in Moreno Valley. If you go to <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.socalrailfan.com/forums/">http://www.socalrailfan.com/forums/</a><!-- m --> You will find message boards dedicated to most of the mainlines, branch line, and short lines in Southern California. They also have a link labeled "google SoCalRailfanning map", but when I went to it it seems to focus on railfanning locations for Tehachapie and Cajon.
Russ Bellinis Wrote:I know that you have settled on an area of Denver, Colorado to model; but I have to throw in the Santa Ana branch of the U.P. The other are would be the Fullerton Branch on the BNSF. Both of these areas would be local for you to get pics from. There are also numerous branches on both the U.P. and the BNSF throughout So Cal. I think Miles Western was modeling the San Jac in Moreno Valley. If you go to <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.socalrailfan.com/forums/">http://www.socalrailfan.com/forums/</a><!-- m --> You will find message boards dedicated to most of the mainlines, branch line, and short lines in Southern California. They also have a link labeled "google SoCalRailfanning map", but when I went to it it seems to focus on railfanning locations for Tehachapie and Cajon.
Russ thats some excellent information!! Thanks, ill definitely have to look into this before i get to far along with the Denver stuff. Being local, your right it would make it very easy to get pics of the area. My grandparents also own a house in the Yorba Linda area (near Fullerton) and either the UP or BNSF mainline runs right through there (and theres a LHS right by the tracks as well lol) I see both BNSF and UP locos roll through there, usually lashed together....
Thanks again for the heads up
Along with Chicago, you can model Joliet, IL as well. Joliet has BNSF, UP, not sure about CSX, Metra, Amtrak, EJ&E, possibly others as well
Josh,
Yorba Linda is adjacent to the BNSF mainline through the Santa Ana Canyon. Santa Fe used to have two routes into Los Angeles. One route was the Pasadena Subdivision that ran roughly parallel to Interstate 10 and crossed the Arroyo Seco. It was famous in the 1930's and 1940's because when famous people wanted to travel East on the Super Chief, before air travel became practical, popular, or safe, they would avoid the press by boarding the train at the Santa Fe station in Pasadena instead of using Union Station in downtown Los Angeles. The Pasadena Sub is now closed down and the Arroyo Seco trestle has been dismantled and removed. What is left is now the San Gabriel branch. The other route that Santa Fe used to get into and out of Los Angeles is the Santa Ana Canyon from Riverside and Corona and through the canyon past Yorba Linda to the Fullerton wye where the railroad split between the mainline to L A and the Surf line to San Diego. Is the hobby shop you are talking about "Milepost 38?" It was called Milepost 38 because his original location was next to the Santa Fe mainline at milepost 38. I think he moved into a different location a few years ago, but kept the name.