What do do, what to do?

[iis612]

I had an entire track plan, and concept in my head which I was going to build in N scale. However, my wife found out that I was going to make the leap and got a bit angered. I have a HUGE ho inventory that I would have had to liquidate.
I don't have the room to build my dream layout in a single level. I fear the helix.
That aside, I am going to jump off that bridge when I get to it.
Can anyone offer me some suggestions. Here is my dilemna: I want to model a line I am familiar with. I used to work for CSX out of the Saginaw, MI terminal. I thought, I would model something that I am familiar with, but I want to run steam, and transition era diesel as well. I started looking into the history of the line. It is rather extensive, dating back before 1900. In 1900 Pere Marquette was formed, and they owned that line (as well as most of the MI railines). They only ever had a total of 4 diesels in there roster as they were absorbed by C&O in 1947.
What I am looking for is a way to model all of the prototypes that ran that line PM, C&O, Chessie, CSX and Amtrak. Can anyone suggest a way to do so, and still make the structures, yards, and appliances plausible in that many RR eras?

 

[Cannonball]

Go with brick factories.
That would pretty much cover every era you're talking about.

 

[iis612]

That would be a good step. Most of the major structures at the Saginaw yard are from the PM rebuild in 1927.
I have considered freelancing as well, using that line as a template. Perhaps using revisionist history with Pere Marquette. Somehow they gained operating control of C&O? (I know that is blasphemous talk to alot of the C&O fans).
I could even create my own, "Bay City, Saginaw and Eastern"?
One of the aspects of this hobby that I love is the lack of hard and fast rules about such things.

 

[jeffrey-wimberl]

The only rule in model railroading that I pay attention to is to have fun. I drive some of the prototype fanatics nuts! Example: An 1860's woodburner lashed up with a couple of SD40's. Hey, it was being transported to a railfan meet.

 

[iis612]

The only rule in model railroading that I pay attention to is to have fun. I drive some of the prototype fanatics nuts! Example: An 1860's woodburner lashed up with a couple of SD40's. Hey, it was being transported to a railfan meet.

sign1 Maybe they were trying to pull start it?
j/k

 

[jeffrey-wimberl]

Nah! I just did it to yank the guys chain.

 

[steamhead]

Hi...Sounds like you're a prime candidate to engage in a little "Freestorical Protolancing"....Just go for it..!! :thumb:

 

[bigsteel]

"Bay City, Saginaw and Eastern"?

that hs a nice ring to it you know? :mrgreen:.this could be very interesting.but instead of owning the C&O (which is insane! id like to see you pull that trickerie off :mrgreen:) you could just have trackage rights or a large interchange for lots "O" traffic :thumb:.--josh

 

[iis612]

I also kinda liked Burton, Flint & Eastern, but that accronym is too easily associated with another. sign1

 

[Russ Bellinis]

Probably the best solution to your problem is to make many of the buildings and all details removeable.You would need to change automobiles on the layout as an example because the cars you would see in 1932 would be totally different from what yoou would see in 1962, and different again in 2002. The same with buildings. Some of the old brick buildings from the 1920's & 1930's may still be in service, but many have been knocked down to be replaced with modern concrete tilt up buildings. The answer is to do an old style building and a modern building with the same "footprint" and then switch them out as you change eras. You might even have some spots on the layouot where in 1932 for instance you would have a vacant lot, but have a building in place in 2002. In that case you would remove a buiilding to back date and replace it with an open field!

 

[riverotter]

Probably the best solution to your problem is to make many of the buildings and all details removeable.You would need to change automobiles on the layout as an example because the cars you would see in 1932 would be totally different from what yoou would see in 1962, and different again in 2002. The same with buildings. Some of the old brick buildings from the 1920's & 1930's may still be in service, but many have been knocked down to be replaced with modern concrete tilt up buildings. The answer is to do an old style building and a modern building with the same "footprint" and then switch them out as you change eras. You might even have some spots on the layouot where in 1932 for instance you would have a vacant lot, but have a building in place in 2002. In that case you would remove a buiilding to back date and replace it with an open field!

I completely agree with this suggestion! I don't want to have to make up my mind -- I want to be able to run everything from steam-diesel transition to current-day equipment, so I make everything on the layout modular, including the structures and details, such as they are (I am an operation-oriented "Barrow-ista" so I'm into minimalist scenery) so that I can change the environment as I rotate equipment onto and off of the layout. I must have adult-onset ADHD because I realized that as soon as my previous layouts were "finished" in terms of details, etc., I wanted to tear them apart. I don't want to model November 20, 1948, Ottumwa, Washington. To me this is a hobby, not a straight jacket. ;-) </end rant>

 

[zachary]

that sounds like a really neat idea

 

[iis612]

Alright, here is my plan.
I am going to scrap the idea of running several different era's as that is too much trouble.
I am going with the mid 40's (mainly 46-47) using 3 different Ry's. Pere marquette, C&O, and a freelance SF&E.

I am trying to learn how to use Xtrk so I can come up with a few different track plans, so I can make the 2 lines converge, giving the SF&E trackage rights over the PM/C&O.