Inspired by a single locomotive in the hobby shop case

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I think this is something that many of us have experienced at one time or another: being struck by inspiration while browsing at the hobby shop (which is one of the reasons that the decline of brick and mortar establishments is so sad).

Today I ran by MBK to pickup a few magazines ahead of a trip to the beach. While walking down the N Scale aisle, I saw these in the case:
http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Atlas-Master-Line-N-U23B-PRL-p/atl-40000663.htm



Now, I don't model modern stuff, and didn't have any real interest in the PRL, however, it was so nice looking, I'm really tempted to go back and pick it up.

But it doesn't end there. On my drive into the office, I started brainstorming a quick and dirty layout to support it.

Maybe a smallish thing, smaller than a door, like a mini-kidney.

Would I include any ops potential? On one side have an interchange, on the other, a single industry and a team track (to tie the power down on).

Or maybe, I'd just do a couple of scenic vignettes.

Hmmm...

I'll leave you with a Youtube video.

[davefoxx]

Ed,

At the risk of pushing you into a third layout when you might have your hands already full with the first two, I like this idea.  I have to say back when I had given the Virginia Central away in 2009 or so, I was left with the possibility of moving on to modeling something new.  That Aberdeen & Rockfish R.R. Co. GP38 #400 was the locomotive that inspired me to move my modeling from the C&O in Virginia back down into North Carolina.  The interesting part of this story is that I was able to come full circle back to the Seaboard System, which I have had an interest in since the 1980s, and model both the A&R and SBD on my current layout.

The East Penn is similarly a short line railroad as the A&R with just enough character to make it interesting to build a small layout.  If you need a break from the other layouts, building a small layout can be therapeutic and also a test bed for new scenery techniques.  Can I interest you into handlaying the track?

DFF

[jimmo]

Damn you Ed, now I want one...

[wcfn100]

I guess that's one good thing about not living anywhere near you modeling interest.

If I was still in MN, I'm sure I would have picked up one of these is if saw it at a shop and thus a whole new distraction.





Jason

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Ed,

At the risk of pushing you into a third layout when you might have your hands already full with the first two, I like this idea.  I have to say back when I had given the Virginia Central away in 2009 or so, I was left with the possibility of moving on to modeling something new.  That Aberdeen & Rockfish R.R. Co. GP38 #400 was the locomotive that inspired me to move my modeling from the C&O in Virginia back down into North Carolina.  The interesting part of this story is that I was able to come full circle back to the Seaboard System, which I have had an interest in since the 1980s, and model both the A&R and SBD on my current layout.

The East Penn is similarly a short line railroad as the A&R with just enough character to make it interesting to build a small layout.  If you need a break from the other layouts, building a small layout can be therapeutic and also a test bed for new scenery techniques.  Can I interest you into handlaying the track?

DFF

Exactly.

There's "big work" to do on the other active layout, and by doing something small, this would be a nice fill-in.

Now that I think about it, I do have a 2x4 frame laying around... I think all I'd need is some styrofoam to get started.

Well, nothing's happening in the short term, since I'm going to be heading out of town for a week.

But it is fun to think about.

[u18b]

Ed,

This is an interesting post.

Because from a manufacturer's view---  there are two kinds of people who buy a certain loco in a paint scheme:
A.  Avid followers of that road
B.  Spontaneous buyers who think something is striking, or even "pretty."

That's one reason why this loco from a small road has a chance under option B.



And this scheme has so few representatives- even though it is of a major road.   It meets criterion A but not B.

[victor miranda]

hi Ed,

this post is in the realm of advice.

My outlook is do the layout and then get the loco.
(I get the loco and never do the layout.
thus a basement full of locos...)
so I offer advice I don't follow.

here is the advice...
(answer this to yourself not to me...)
if you are considering getting the loco to avoid doing something,
skip getting the loco.


Keep in mind you are allowed to get a loco because you like it.
I have a Hiawatha 4-4-2 for that reason.
(and some others...)

victor

[davefoxx]

...and this is why the CofG scheme is my favorite NS heritage unit.

DFF

[jpec]

It's that damn U23B...they're like GP38's...train crack

Jeff

[rschaffter]

When the Kato P42 came out, I was tempted to use it and some Superliner cars as a 'Train of the Future" demonstrator on my transition era layout.  I've managed to resist the temptation thus far...

[jpec]

Piggybacking on DFF's observation, think of Ed's other layouts as the whole football game...the "kidney" concept is a screen pass...quick, dirty and over in a hurry...still might have to make a few trees each night though...

Ed, have you ever looked at the Gold Hill Central layout MR did for their 50th Anniversary right before the Seaboard Central? It's a roundy-round with some ops & interchange potential. I built a version of it as my last HO layout, moving the locale a few thousand miles east to make it a WV shortline...that 4 x 6 size would scale down nicely to N...I wanted to do it for the raffle layout last year but Dear Leader talked me in to doing the T-Trak & Trolley one we did... come to think of it, I do have a lot of unused foam lying about...

Jeff

[DKS]

...quick, dirty and over in a hurry...

TWSS.

[pjm20]

When the Kato P42 came out, I was tempted to use it and some Superliner cars as a 'Train of the Future" demonstrator on my transition era layout.  I've managed to resist the temptation thus far...

I used to know what you are feeling right now. I am modeling the Pennsy in 1930, but when railfanning and seeing those nice Amfleets and P42s in Phase IV/V, and then Kato releases them, well I failed and I now have more Amfleets then Pullman heavyweights.  So that is why I used to know what you felt. 

[loyalton]

Now would this have happened if any of you ran across a online photo of the model? For me, it's far enough removed so I could easily resist buying it. Then again, if/when I came across a proto photo that I liked, I could see myself tracking down the N version, even an undec to paint up.

[Dave V]

Seeing the Blackstone narrow gauge (C-19) 2-8-0s at my LHSs has very much tempted me back to HOn3.