this doesn't sound good...

[SirTainly]

Edited for how RR's are viewed in terms of geography by US model railroaders in terms of Eastern Rd and Western Rd names.

With that you've proved why there's a Western bias, 2/3rd of the USA is in the "west".

[Chris333]

But around 3/4 of all the rails are in the East!

[Dave V]

That's Exactrail's offerings, but by no means even close to a listing of all US railroads, past and present, with their geographical alignment.  Prior to merger mania, the Eastern US was home to dozens of medium-sized lines like the Lehigh Valley, Erie, DL&W, New Haven, B&M, CNJ, P&LE, etc., etc., etc. plus a ridiculous number of shortlines.

The West had their share, but I don't think there were nearly as many independent lines per state as back East.

[SirTainly]

Chris, mileage of rails isn't really the deciding factor in model roadnames, it's number of paint variations for a given model that will sell, so that's a bit of a red herring.

Dave, if you start adding in Western logging/farm roads the number goes up too, but as I said above, number is not the key thing, it's popularity and marketability.

And something of my own musing, perhaps the west is more popular because the scenery is less urban, I would imagine a lot of modellers are put off by the cost and or complexity of having to build enough kits to populate a town.

[2-8-8-0]

In Ohio alone, in the "golden age":

B&O
C&O
NYC
NW
PRR
NKP
B&LE
DT&I
W&LE
Erie
AC&Y
GTW
And this is lumping all of NYC's various pet lines under, simply, NYC

And I am quite sure I am forgetting some.

[wcfn100]

Sounds like you all need a WESTERN Seaboard Models...

Exactrail.



Jason

Hmm..... well; let's just see.............

Here's their current on line n scale listing.....

RailRoad
Alaska (1) . North.........really north
ATSF (2) . Central - South- South west
B&O (1) . Eastern
BN (3) . Pacific Northwest
BNSF (3) . Western - Central
CGW (1) . Central
CN (1) . Canada
CP (1) . Canada
CR (1) . Eastern - Central
CSXT (2) ....Eastern - Central
DME (1) ....Central ?
DRGW (1) .... Southwestern
EXRC (1) .got no bloody idea.....
FEC (1) . Southeastern.............
GM&O (1) . Central - southern
GN (1) . Pacific Northwest
IC (2) . Central - Southern
ICG (2) . Cebtral - Southern
L&N (1) . Central - Southern
MILW (2) . Western - Central
NOKL (1) ....all over the place ?
NP (1) .... Pacific Northwest
NS (1) . Central - Eastern
NW (1) . Central - Eastern
SCL (2) ... Central - Southern
Soo/CP (1) ... Canada - Northern Central
SOU (1) .... Southern
SP (5) ... Southern - Western
SP&S (1) . Pacific Northwest
SRY (2) . Southern
TTX (2) .All over the place
UP (2) . Southwestern... but really all over the place
WAB (1) . Eastern - Central
WC (1) . Northern Central
WP (1)  Southwestern


Ok; so; this seems like a broadly based geographic sampling...............or am I missing something.....?

I only count prototype cars.    

Besides, look at your list.  Who has the most?


Jason

[Chris333]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Railroads_of_the_United_States_in_1918_-_Project_Gutenberg_eText_16960.png

I like 1870 better:
http://railroads.unl.edu/documents/jpeg/medium/rail.str.0244.01.jpg
 

[bbussey]

Even if not entirely true, the perception is that ExactRail in N scale focuses on Southern Pacific prototypes and schemes.  The Gunderson boxcar and gondola are clear SP prototypes ... while the AC&F boxcar, Thrall gondola, CD4000 and Vert-a-Pak are strong SP models (even though an ExactRail SP Vert-a-Pak has yet to be released).  To date, the only ExactRail N scale model not to have SP ties is the Trinity hopper.

That's a pretty strong SP connection.  So, anyone wanting G26 gons decorated for SP will have to continue to custom paint and decal them. 

Other than Atlas, no other manufacturer strongly features the North American east coast railroads, so ESM will remain focused on that area for the foreseeable future.

Hopefully, there will be some discussion at the mfg breakfast in Houston and someone will report back more mfgs responses and concerns...

The Manufacturers' Breakfast is Friday morning this year.  There is a sizable number of manufacturers here in Sugar Land so probably there will be some news hitting the boards by the afternoon.

[Rossford Yard]

I tried my hardest to schedule some business down in Houston so I could be there, but it just isn't going to work out.  I will count on internet reports from those there.  (sings) "Its the most wonderful time of the year.....the products are coming and locos are humming....Its the most wonderful time...OF....THE..... YEEEEEAAAARR!" ;D

[Ian MacMillan]

Edited for how RR's are viewed in terms of geography by US model railroaders in terms of Eastern Rd and Western Rd names.

With that you've proved why there's a Western bias, 2/3rd of the USA is in the "west".

Well hey the Mississippi has pretty much always been considered the dividing line even though its not half way! : :

[keystonecrossings]

Devastating news... this will probably delay the BLI PRR M1's... ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[2-8-8-0]

Devastating news... this will probably delay the BLI PRR M1's... ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Even though I actually now need a couple of these, this made me laugh like a hyena at work. Thanks!

[wm3798]

You forgot the Western Maryland, which is universally beloved but is sometimes confusing to people because it has the word "Western" in it even though it's a decidedly east coast road.

It's also enjoyed some solid popularity among N scale modelers, with classics like the eternal Atlas 90 ton hopper (in two paint schemes... 3 if you count Chessie, which I don't) going back nearly 40 years when the WM was a contemporary scheme.  Atlas sells out, Intermountain sells out, even Life Like BL-2's are a rare find in the after market.

So why wouldn't Kato think they could sell a few of these?


It's beyond me.

Oh, and for what it's worth, I know of WM N scale modelers in Baltimore, Atlanta, Ohio, Omaha, and even San Francisco.  We also have fans around the world, but apparently not in Japan.  Le Sigh.

Lee

[Rossford Yard]

Lee,

I bought one of the WM SD 40 from the first run and would buy again.  That said, if you need one, I could part with the one I do have since I have now updated my layout to 2005.

[2-8-8-0]

WM was a 5 star road, and probably wins the award for most modeler friendly road of all time. Beautiful scenery, loads of bridges and tunnels, a roster small enough you can actually represent it, and kept their equipment and facilities so clean it bordered on OCD; WM is still a contender for my "prototype"

I suppose people (me) prefer to model the huge roads, such as my other contender, PRR/NYC...even though some, like Dave Vollmer, have done amazing things in little spaces.

Still, though, I love WM. The one road I actually prefer to think of in the early diesel years, as opposed to steam!