The Contenders.

[artpics]

How the heck did you draw that so quickly?!

[asciibaron]

there you go Lee - you are on my wavelength.

i might build that  albeit expanded to 9'x 4'

[2-8-8-0]

Im not as young as I wish I was, and yeah, small space and modest means are definate limits. I apologize if it seems as though im not doing research and just bombarding you with questions; that isnt my intention, and Ill do it less. I DO research all of this, if a certain road catches my eye, I get a few books on it and find whatever web resources I can (the only one of the roads I mentioned that I do not own books on is NYC, and thats because I havent found any I like yet). Still dosent assist in selecting something and saying "thats it!" so yeah, I start threads like this; kind of a free association/idea session. And they help.

Lee I love the little WM layout plan. Even if I dont run WM around it, the track plan and overall layout is pretty versatile, its small, and its something I think I can handle, given my available funds and space. Thanks much for taking the time to draw it, I have printed it and am going to see what I can wrangle out of that, and it should be something I could complete (and see trains going roundy round) in a relatively short length of time.

My number 1 interest, period, is Great Lakes shipping; if it were feasible to build a layout for laker models, I would be all over that. But, they take space, and lots of it. I dont want to plop a 260' canaller down next to 4 huletts and call it a "laker" because, simply, it isnt. The average laker of the period was 550-650 feet, and if I cant get one or two in the space I have, I wont even try. I do have an idea on that, though, and it has something to do with that divider on Lee's awesome little plan.

As far as trains, or modeling, well...I like to see my trains doing things real trains did. The overall scene is the important part I suppose; a roundhouse alone dosent do much for me, but a roundhouse in a busy yard, with locos and people scurrying about their duties, that's it. Real trains run long distances (represented by roundy rounding) and I like to be able to do that as well; I had an HO layout several years ago I designed loosely (emphasis here) on the B&Os M&K Junction engine house and yard, because thats all I had room for (complete with green spray painted "grass" and pink foam mountain!) No roundy round, and moving engines and cars around the yard didnt do it.

Thanks very much for the great feedback, and yes, it helped. ALL of it helped
 

[DKS]

If anyone is still interested, you can just about do what Lee had proposed. Using real track, this is what Third Crossing looks like...
 

[Bob Bufkin]

This has probably been asked before but what software are you using to draw these layout plans.

[DKS]

This has probably been asked before but what software are you using to draw these layout plans.

AnyRail.

http://www.anyrail.com/index_en.html

After trying a bunch of other track planning apps, I chose this because a) it's much easier to use, and b) it doesn't crash. (That said, evidently AnyRail crashes on Steve, so go figure.)

[chessie system fan]

Here's photographic proof of a spot on the B&O somewhere in WV almost like what Lee has drawn.  The only difference is that B&O owned both levels.

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/bo/bo-s7154bhn.jpg

This is probably one of the coolest scenes I've ever seen and just begs to be modeled on a small layout!

[asciibaron]

Here's photographic proof of a spot on the B&O somewhere in WV almost like what Lee has drawn.  The only difference is that B&O owned both levels.

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/bo/bo-s7154bhn.jpg

This is probably one of the coolest scenes I've ever seen and just begs to be modeled on a small layout!

that is Kingwood Tunnel in Tunnelton WV at the top of Newburg Grade.  the lower tunnel is the newer one.  they come out at the same level on the other side.

[Mark5]

Pick something ya like, research it and go with it!

I was lucky in that I spent a bunch of my childhood around a particular area (railroading wise) so I've never really been confused about what I want to model.

Mark

[2-8-8-0]

Pick something ya like, research it and go with it!

I was lucky in that I spent a bunch of my childhood around a particular area (railroading wise) so I've never really been confused about what I want to model.

Mark

I did. Made up my mind, and will stick with it. WM and C&O (at different times, unless im feelin lazy) can both look quite at home on a layout like the one Lee designed, not like (in N anyway) a river and mountains in northern W Va look all that much different from one in the southern parts. Besides, I have a lotta C&O steam already ;D and could even call it the NF&G and stick an NYC loco or two in the mix. Sounds good to me!

But yeah, the advice has been taken to heart. Thanks. (and yes, I knew there were no H7s or H8s on the branches I mentioned. Just, who models C&O and DOSENT want an allegheny or H-7??)

[Packer]

Hello folks.

Anyone reading my posts has no doubt noticed I am having some troubles picking a prototype. I am down to three eras/locales, the "contenders" if you will. I still have a thang for modern NS diesels, but can run those anytime the bug hits  ;D so am not counting that as a "prototype"

And the contenders are:

Chesapeake & Ohio, White Oak sub or maybe NF&G, in the "mid to late 1940s".

Western Maryland, in the "early 1960s" and where else but along the Potomac!

PRR/NYC/NKP around Ashtabula, Ohio, in "the late 1940s"

The other guys gave you pretty good advice.

But you could do what I did and go with something so off the wall it's hard to explain.

I had been debating doing SP/DRGW with some SF in the early 90s, SP or SF in the 50s, or the CSX around 2000. For some reason (okay, P2K SD9 on the bay for a whopping $30) I went with BN from 1977-87. Haven't looked back yet, but have though about adding some SP or DRGW power for variety (I grew up on the SP shortly after the DRGW/SP merger, and they pooled power a lot)

It's funny since I don't recall seeing a BN engine until sometime in the 21st century.

[AlkemScaleModels]

Pick something ya like, research it and go with it!

I was lucky in that I spent a bunch of my childhood around a particular area (railroading wise) so I've never really been confused about what I want to model.

Mark

I did. Made up my mind, and will stick with it. WM and C&O (at different times, unless im feelin lazy) can both look quite at home on a layout like the one Lee designed, not like (in N anyway) a river and mountains in northern W Va look all that much different from one in the southern parts. Besides, I have a lotta C&O steam already ;D and could even call it the NF&G and stick an NYC loco or two in the mix. Sounds good to me!

But yeah, the advice has been taken to heart. Thanks. (and yes, I knew there were no H7s or H8s on the branches I mentioned. Just, who models C&O and DOSENT want an allegheny or H-7??)

One of the reasons I switched to the C&O Mtn Sub was to avoid the H-7/H-8s. (The main reason was single main track in the mountains)

I sold two of the H-8s but I have one left if you are interested?

[2-8-8-0]

I am interested, yessir!

[RockGp40]

I am late to this conversation, but in the past couple of weeks on the Maryland and Delaware RR, I have spotted boxcars with COER reporting marks. As this isn't one of the usual cars spotted, I researched the reporting marks which turns out to be the Crab Orchard and Egyptian RR (new to me, never had heard of them) in Illinois. They have a website, 15 miles or so of track, two Class I interchanges, and were the last to use steam (1986) in revenue service.

[wm3798]

If anyone is still interested, you can just about do what Lee had proposed. Using real track, this is what Third Crossing looks like...
 

I feel a traveling layout coming on...  Can I have it whipped up in time for Hershey?  Could this be our opportunity to have the Railwire Door Layout Extravaganza we discussed some years ago?  Will Habitat notice if their box truck goes missing for a week in June next year?

Think of it,
The Juniata Division and yard
The Conrail Kidney
The C&O Virginia Central with yard (Dave, we can make Brian go, too)
The Third Crossing .. and I'd include a yard to at least allow for interchange between the three loops...
The BYR

Who else has a door?  How much floor space would we have to rent to put on such program?