What Would You Do?
#7
I know I'm late to this thread but I think about this alot.

I didn't fall in love with trains that are easy to model. I've always want to model the Northeast Corridor, and that means electrics and commuter trains. I really found myself drawn to that early Conrail period, right before electric freight was discontinued and all of the Conrail GG1s were retired. There are a lot of issues with modeling this:

1.) Catenary. I'm not afraid of it, i've built some and while its not awful, it's not a simple obstacle.
2.) Commuter trains. No one makes them. They almost all need to be acquired from limited resin kits or brass, which makes them, difficult and/or expensive.
3.) Electric locomotives/MU Cars. There are many conspicuous gaps in model production that would make modeling the electrified zones somewhat difficult.
4.) Size. Passenger trains need broad curves, a 4-6 track broadway eats up real estate.

Honestly, the only reason I would stick to this prototype is that over the last decade is because by luck and persistence, I've been able to accumulate enough appropriate trains. I scooped up lots of resin Arrow and Silverliner MUs, I found some brass E44s, and Walthers just blew me away by mass producing Metroliners (i never would have imagined that in a million years).

If I were to model a modern Industrial Short Line or a Transition Era PRR Branchline, it would be that much easier to do it prototypically and not have to worry about the trains, or be stalking eBay and having to struggle with the defeat knowing that i might only get a few shots at acquiring a particular car or engine due to rarity.

SO....

A.) I would stick to my current era, but if I HAD to change, I would be split between the 50s or the recent past.
B.) Well, its hard to pick anything more complex than a 4 track electrified mainline, so I'd probably be downsizing regardless. I'd like some mainline action, but I'd definitely look for some switching.
C.) Prototype for sure. I don't know that freelance gives me the same excitement. I like learning about things, I like to "preserve the past".
D.) I think I'd be tempted to stick with what I currently model, even if I had to let go of my Northeast Corridor ambitions. Except for my electrics/passenger-commuter trains, it would be easy to roll most of my locomotives and rolling stock into one of the many non-electrified freight lines in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

There are a lot of times though that I feel I made a poor choice, but then the flipside is that almost no one is doing what I'm doing. There has been a lot of new PRR electrified layouts around lately, but I don't see anyone seriously trying to model that early Conrail era, or those sunset years of the GG1s. Heck, just from doing the research, its clear that alot of that decade has slipped from people's memory, so maybe it requires attention.
Modeling New Jersey Under the Wire 1978-1979.  
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Messages In This Thread
What Would You Do? - by Brakie - 10-20-2019, 07:13 PM
RE: What Would You Do? - by faraway - 10-21-2019, 02:46 AM
RE: What Would You Do? - by Tyson Rayles - 10-21-2019, 05:18 AM
RE: What Would You Do? - by TinGoat - 10-21-2019, 07:11 AM
RE: What Would You Do? - by ezdays - 10-21-2019, 10:20 AM
RE: What Would You Do? - by ngauger - 10-21-2019, 06:15 PM
RE: What Would You Do? - by Green_Elite_Cab - 11-19-2019, 03:26 PM
RE: What Would You Do? - by deckroid - 01-03-2020, 07:37 PM
RE: What Would You Do? - by doctorwayne - 01-04-2020, 12:02 AM
RE: What Would You Do? - by deckroid - 01-04-2020, 03:18 PM

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