Finding my focus? Or just another rabbit hole?
Things I like:
Penn Central Retro Stuff. I've developed a fondness for N scale models that were produced when Penn Central was current events. This is almost an unshakable high.
Minitrix PRR steam. Probably because these were the first "real" locomotives I owned. So naturally, I want more. I sold one of my K4s, got good coin for it, but now I wish I just sent it to
@Lemosteam for surgery. The other one I have that he did is amazing, and will have to be taken from my cold dead hands.
Odd transit things. RDCs, Doodlebugs, and Metroliners. Turbo Trains, of course, and if anyone ever does Silverliners, I'll be waiting in line with a sleeping bag and a thermos when the first shipment arrives.
I also like the flexibility my simple layout gives me to enjoy everything from 1860s Night, Switcher Madness Night, Conrail Night, Heavy Electric Night, Atlas Roco Night, Minitrix Night, Arnold Rapido Night etc. etc. etc.
But lately I've been having wicked thoughts about B&O steam. The only locomotives I've bought recently that were manufactured in this century are B&O steam. Sure, it started innocently enough with my President Polk Rivarossi Pacific. Then the flame grew a bit with a Rivarossi Mikado that I actually painted and lettered. A couple of small 0-4-0s found their way into the fleet, so the Retro ethos was maintained.
But then I scored a Model Power Mike with a proper Vanderbilt tender. And more recently an MRC/Model Power 4-4-0. On Monday, a Bachmann Doodlebug arrived in the mail. (Not steam, to be sure, but certainly, steam era).
I actually today spent actual money to get a proper USRA short tender to correct a deficiency of my Bachmann 0-6-0 (a B&O Class D30, it turns out). I had put a slope back switcher tender on it, figuring it had the right lettering (it replaced the PRR tender that came with it) Thanks to the Facetoobs, I quickly learned that I had to fix the road number AND the tender, so the hunt was on. I literally spent more money on the tender than I did when I was bottom feeding to buy the engine last year.... There's something happening here, what it is, ain't exactly clear.
It will be a while before I can fully scratch the itch, but I finally think I have something of a theme to help focus my purchases. And that theme will more than likely be, a postwar industrial branch that wanders off from the main line. I'll hope to build a reasonably busy main line circuit for roundy round traffic, railfanning locations, and some staging to keep things interesting, but the focus will be the branch, the junction, and maybe a small engine terminal.
I would figure to have a larger, high volume industry that gives the Mike an excuse to hold forth, but a handful of smaller brick stacks with lower levels of traffic would keep some lighter power busy. Perhaps a scrap yard, manufacturers of various thisses and thatses, a freight house or three. The line would be populous enough to support the doodlebug a couple of times a day.
Until I have some real estate to work with, I can't even begin to think about a track plan, and I can't yet imagine with parting with what remains of my WM fleet, but it's fun to have something new to ponder, to research, dream about... and $hop for!
But first, I'll be JFRTM!
Until next time.
Lee
