Era & Theme Questions

cyb0rg

New Member
I'm working on my very first layout, which can be seen here. I've always been a fan of steam engines, so along with the available size (roughly 4x6) that was my most influencing factor when making my layout. Given my available space an modest budget, I simply can't make an accurate model like I really want to. Instead, I've opted to use some artistic license and come up with something based on the real thing.

There's always a story behind a fallen flag railroad, and it was important to me to find something regional that I could relate to. The Cleveland area Erie/Erie Lackawanna and the Newburgh & South Shore railroads turned up in my research. As well as being fallen flags, they both ran in the 1920s-1930s and I felt they were a good source of inspiration for my layout. As a huge plus, there are TONS of online archive photos available of trackage, buildings and locos. I will not be lacking in prototype information, which is important for anyone as wet behind the ears as myself.

I won't bore everyone with details about which locos were used, but I'm wondering how all this translates into use on my layout. I want to be historically accuate, IE using the right locos for the right purpose during the right timeframe. Please check out the link to my layout, and remember the 4x6 size. The minimum radius is 11". Actually I think the whole thing is 11". I know I won't be able to run something like a 2-8-8-0 on this layout, but what locos would look "fitting" in scale size on something like this?

For it's size, my layout does include a lot of yard space as I want operations and switching to be a big part of my railroading. There will also be passenger and freight trains. Can anyone provide me with some info on what types of locos I should use in both the yard and for general use?

This is N scale.
 
The Erie used Pacifics and Mikes at that time. I know that Kato makes an Erie 2-8-2 Mike in N scale for $129.00. That'll probably be the largest loco you need to run for your freight...a Pacific would do for the passenger operation. The Erie also had 0-6-0 and 0-8-0 switchers. Here's a link to Geo. Elwood's Erie-Lackawanna page on his Fallen Flags site: http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/el/el.html
There you'll get ideas of what was around on the roster by the dates of the photographs. You may also want to check eBay for a used copy of 'Erie Power'...I have a copy if you need some more info. :wave:

Russ
 

cyb0rg

New Member
Thanks for the info!
smile.gif


I stumbled across the fallen flags site a couple days ago during one of my research sessions, and I've been reading it ever since. There's a lot of great info and pictures there.
 
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