Freelance Lines

[Radisson.mcguire]

Out of curiosity who all here has a freelance line they model?

[Jimbo]

Me.

Personally, I prefer the term “fictional” railroad vs. freelance… because, in my mind, everyone
“freelances” to some extent.  Just because the road names on all the equipment are of real railroads doesn’t mean that a modeler is modeling a prototype.
For example, some people model “what-if” scenarios… such as “what if Santa Fe went through the Rockies?”  Is this freelance, even though Santa Fe was a real railroad, but the setting is fantasy?
In that vein, I think of “freelancing” to be a spectrum between strict prototype (modeling actual setting, NO compromises, not even selective compression) all the way to pure whimsy.  Most people model between these two extremes, with most leaning toward the former.

I model a fictional railroad with a generally plausible backstory and setting.  So… how strongly freelance does this make me?

Jim

[Radisson.mcguire]

I consider what I am doing as proto freelanced. The line exists same for the industries. But instead of the line being controlled by watco it's controlled by a class 3 shortline called the Alabama Central. The line runs from Montgomery AL to Maplesville AL

[brokemoto]

Personally, I prefer the term “fictional” railroad vs. freelance…
I model a fictional railroad with a generally plausible backstory and setting.

I never liked the term "free-lance", either.  I prefer "non-historic" but "fictional" or "fictitious" is fine, as well.

I model prototypes that run on a slightly altered version of a railroad that did exist.  I added a "fictitious" railroad, the Short Creek & Nopedale to it.  I gave it a raison d'être.  I tailored the equipment to its purpose and got some good advice from veteran modellers about a realistic equipment roster. I have had to make some alterations to that advice as some models perform better than others.

[Radisson.mcguire]

What dose your locomotives roster look like?

[Radisson.mcguire]

My roster is primarily EMD power
400 GP8
401 CF7
402 CF7
500 GP35E
5151 GP38-2 HH
440 GP40-2

[robert3985]

Although I consider myself to be a "prototype" modeler, I have to make compromises for a few reasons, including (1) equipment availability (2) structures, scenery & equipment fitting into my ten-year time period (3) limitations on what model equipment is capable of vs what the prototype would do for everyday train operation at certain points on the layout, and finally (4) overall size necessitating compression of train lengths and reproduced prototype track plans.

I agree with preferring the term "fictional" over "freelance" unless you're not interested at all in capturing something that looks at least semi-realistic...or if you're interested in model railroading as an expression of "art" such as Malcom Furlow's layouts, which were caricatures with lots of humor and fantasy thrown in.  Another "fictional" modeler was John Allen with his fictional Gorre & Daphetid basement-filling highly scenicked and mountainous model railroad, that had such things as a Stegosaurus doing switching at one location and timers in steam engines that would necessitate stopping periodically for "water" before the tenders ran "dry" as well as certain unobtrusive cars that were equipped with analog devices that would show a bright red "hotbox" under a truck if they were handled too roughly.  Regular Gorre & Daphetid crew would get a laugh at uninitiated visitors waiting patiently at a low-level subway station cutaway that was equipped with lights and sound, but where the subway train would never arrive! lol

My own experience with a "fictional" model railroad was being a crew member and doing scenery on Lee Nicolas' HO scale Utah Colorado Western (UCW) in Corinne Utah which represents a fictional bridge railroad between Denver and Salt Lake City, with shared trackage rights between the UCW, UP and CB&Q in 1967.  Lee calls his layout design philosophy "Prototype Freelance" design because he's worked for at least 50 years on the same layout to make it as operationally realistic as possible,...and it is, including generating the paperwork, an actual prototype dispatch machine (along with a Dispatcher), an Agent's Office, phones, helper service, fully operational signaling and many other prototype attributes.  Google "Lee Nicholas UCW model train layout" for a lot of information over the years as it's evolved, as well as videos of it on both FB and YT.

Lee's locomotive roster is more limited than mine, since my era is a ten year period between 1947 thru 1956 on the Union Pacific and his era is set in 1967. Fictional elements arise on my layout because of changing color schemes, the switch in 1954 to oil-only steam operation, making coaling towers obsolete and no longer necessary, as well as moving all coal fired engines to districts that were still utilizing coal (Big Boys and some Challengers in particular) as well as changing colors on UP structures.  I allow any trains and cars that would have run on the prototype in 1947 to run through my ten year time slot, even though in some instances paint schemes and types of trains wouldn't have been seen together.  I fix the structure time as before March of 1954 when UP no longer ran coal fired engines from Ogden to Green River.  So, on my layout, coal-fired trains that ran before Mar. 1956 will be seen with trains that started running later than that date, such as the COLA with domes....the scenario of them being seen together being "fictional".  However, NO CAR or engine that had a build-date later than 1956 is welcome on the layout.

Since between 1947 and 1956 was a time of "transition" for Union Pacific, including post war bright paint schemes, diesel power becoming much more prominent (but still running simultaneously with steam power), my engine roster is diverse.  Steam engines would include Big Boys, both oil and coal-fired Challengers, only oil-fired FEF's in both two-tone grey (white) and gloss black paint schemes, USRA light Mikes (MacArthurs), TTT's, and Consolidations. For appearing in the Ogden Yard, SP would have had GS's and MT's of various types and color schemes, older Cab-Forwards and Consolidations with their distinctive whale-back tenders switching the yard.  Some D&RGW steam would also be present in the yard as well as WP steam.  UP, non-steam engines would include EMD E7, E8, and E9's, Alco PA/PB's, Fairbanks Morse Erie-builts on passenger trains, F3, F7 and FP-7's, and Alco FA/FB's, GP-7 and GP-9's, including cabless GP-9 booster units, various Alco and EMD switchers, Baldwin and Fairbanks-Morse diesel power, Alco RS's and Standard & Veranda GE Turbines...including the GE #50 two-cab demo unit...all on freights.  SP non-steam engines (for me) include mainly F-7's in Black Widow for freights and Daylight PA/PB's and EMD E7 & E8's.  Western Pacific would also be represented in Ogden with various F's and Geeps.

Because of the prototype location and time period I chose and Ogden being "The Crossroads of the West" as far as railroads were concerned (UP, SP, WP, D&RGW, and Bamberger (a local railroad), I have a pretty broad choice as to what engines, cars and other equipment I might find a reason to run heading east out of Ogden, or just parking in my future-planned Ogden Yard and engine facilities.

So, even prototype modelers can and do a bit of "fantasy" when conjecturing and manufacturing reasonable circumstances to run a competitor's train on their mainlines, and still stick with being a non-freelance modeler.

Maybe this is relevant, or maybe it isn't...but it was fun to write and maybe a help to those wanting a realistic-looking layout, but not wanting to model a specific road, location or time-period.

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[nkalanaga]

I model a fictional secondary mainline of the BN, from Helena to Columbia Falls, MT, in 1974.  So that LINE is freelanced, but the railroad isn't.

It also has a narrow gauge connection, which is entirely fictional, and basically "operating scenery".  It serves local mine and loggers, and runs passenger service (on-line and tourist).

So, I have a little bit of everything!

[crrcoal]

Raddisson, you should start a thread in the layout engineering forum. Would love to see photos of your layout.

[MVW]

I started out intending to do a free-lance or fictional line with a plausible tie to history. The Missouri Valley Western was going to be the result of a late 19th-century merger between the Fremont, Elkhorn & Missouri Valley and the Sioux City & Pacific, two shortlines that were rolled into the C&NW. The layout is set in the mid-'50s in western Iowa.

I intended to design my own color scheme, and have MVW equipment operating alongside C&NW equipment.

But as time went on, I gravitated toward just embracing the C&NW. Traffic and operations are based on the C&NW in 1954-55, but the cities are fictional.

If I were to do it again (I probably won't), I would probably stick to a closer rendition of the prototype. The attraction of designing a look and paint scheme couldn't hold a candle to researching the prototype.

Jim

[randgust]

When I started N scale in 1972 with a used Trix set, I decided to freelance.  Did a dark green scheme sorta like BN, with a stylized "A" on it that I actually carved on a rubber stamp....wow.  Painted up one F unit - and the fictional railroad was "Allegheny Valley".  I didn't even know what Floquil was yet, the color was Pactra dark green.

Went out west on the Santa Fe a couple months later and never looked back, I was hooked.

But imagine my surprise when I started my railroad career, and actually got to participate in the creation of the real 'Allegheny Valley Railroad" (AVR) from Conrail cast-offs, that has become of the regional success stories and now has multiple properties in the east.

https://www.carloadexpress.com/railroads/allegheny-valley-railroad/

And if you think it looks a whole lot like the power on the "Unstoppable" movie, including the herald (AWVR), they paid them well to use it and had to do very little modification....
https://preview.redd.it/for-those-who-have-seen-the-unstoppable-movie-or-have-at-v0-vambptelch0d1.png?width=500&format=png&auto=webp&s=2c983c0342e433d40ba739fd1c4cb9e3f015ebf7

I got to do it a second time in 2000, when a new shortline over the old EL main line was our client, and a 'name the railroad' survey was done of all the staff working on it.  Everybody got to anonymously put a suggestion in, including me.

And the Western New York and Pennsylvania was born, a salute the the 1895-1920 PRR predecessor railroad in this area, and now named it perfectly.  It was voted on and accepted by the board.   That was fun.   They wouldn't re-use the old herald, but the name has stuck.

So the ultimate prize in a freelance line is when you get copied by the 12"=1' guys.   You never know, the "Virginia & Ohio" may exist someday, or the "Canandaigua Southern".

We have a local regional HO modeler that took an existing historic local shortline with the ultimate "What If" basis - the Jamestown, Westfield & Northwestern (which was a lightly built trolley line that finished up with a GE 70-tonner) and imagined it up to a direct main line bridge line between EL and PC (NYC) connecting Jamestown and Westfield, which geographically, made a lot of sense for a shorter NY-Chicago connection.  Heavy traffic, CTC, both roads, great fun to operate.

[brokemoto]

What dose your locomotives roster look like?

My era is mid 1950s so my roster is a bit different.  The railroad is a thirty mile short line.  On twenty miles of it, there are four round trips five days per week; two passenger, two freight.  On Friday, there is a third passenger round trip.  Saturday has one freight round trip and two passenger.  Sunday one round trip of each kind.  The remaining ten miles has one round trip freight Monday through Friday with a drover's caboose to service the few passengers plus the express from the small engine plant (mostly parts shipments)

Passenger is still under steam:  two 2-6-0 (MDC and B-mann) and one 4-6-0 (B-mann)

The Short Creek Junction switcher is a Shay (Atlas) with another one that can serve as a back-up either at Short Creek or Short Creek Junction.  The steam persists there due to the 2,2% ruling grade into Short Creek Junction.  It might need to do helper duty.

Road freight duties are handled by three GE 44 tonners (B-mann).  Usually, only two in MU are necessary thus one serves as a backup.  The odds are against two of them in the shop at once.

The Short Creek switchers are a pair of Plymouth WDTs in MU (B-mann)

That is the usual roster.  What is below could be swapped in for something.

The idea behind the small power is that the SC&N wanted to dieselise its freight operations after the Second Wprld War.  While it is a profitable road, the management is tight-fisted.  As the DOD/War Department was selling off used surplus locomotives after 1946/7, SC&N bought several.

I do have a pair of PIKO Whitcombs, which would fit the "used surplus power" narrative but they have shown performance problems.  If I can fix the problems, they will become the main freight power.

Another possibility for main freight power would be two NW-2s (Kato).  The narrative would be war time assignment.  The WPB did not care if you were willing to pay or could pay, if it thought that the power was necessary, you got it, want it or not.  The problem is that the two that I have do not run well together.  I have been looking for another one but they are fetching two-hundred bananas used on FeePay and I will not pay that even for a NIB.

One of the things that I have learned about small diesels is that they operate better in pairs.  You get far fewer dead stalls.  You might get a hiccup here and there but that is sufferable.  The diesels in MU also will clear Kato UNITRAM turnouts without stalling.

I do have an A-A pair of Baldwin Sharks (E-R)  While my short line, if it existed, could afford them (Baldwins were expensive), it would be inconsistent with the management to buy them.  I keep them because they perform well.  A single E-R shark  actually will clear the UNITRAM turnout without stalling or derailing.

The usual size of freight trains is six cars and a caboose but it can get up to ten.  Passenger trains are three or four cars but four only if one is an express box car.  The consist is either baggage/baggage-passenger/coach or RPO/baggage-passenger/coach.

Thus, the smaller power, both diesel and steam, are all that is necessary.

[wm3798]

My Laurel Valley only existed as an actual layout briefly in the early 90s.  But I've managed to include it in just about everything I've done before and since.



My 1991 Laurel Valley Layout - based in the early Conrail era

My original inspiration was those annual summer trips to visit family in Ohio, starting in the late 60s.  Going out via the shiny new I-70 to Breezewood, and then on the Turnpike west to Cleveland.  I have hard and fast memories of WM trains right next to the car near Hancock, and my dad always pointing out the "old road" where the Laurel Hill Tunnel was bypassed (in 1964, the year of my emergence).  In middle school I learned that the tunnel was originally built for the South Penn, and the die was cast.

This coincided with the arrival of Conrail, then in 1980 with the Staggers Act, the emergence of hundreds of short lines that had been shed as Conrail worked to rise from its own ashes.  It was a natural.  The Laurel Valley was born, long before I had much understanding of the existing rail service in the area.  Originally totally free-style, with fictional stations, connections that made sense (if only to me) and a paint scheme that could be achieved with press type lettering from the office supply store.

Then in college, I was able to do some actual railfanning in the Laurel Highlands (the much more familiar name of the region... applying the moniker "Valley" was my first attempt at subterfuge, having inverted the topography itself to create my little Brigadoon...) and I discovered that to the south and east of the tunnel was the B&O Johnstown Branch through Somerset, which also carried WM trackage rights, and to the north and west was the old Ligonier Valley, which descended from a PRR junction at Latrobe down to Ligonier, and thence southward to the quarries between Broad Top and Laurel Hill.  Eureka!  I could model prototype connections on either side of a wall, and pass from one room to another via Laurel Hill Tunnel, (which the Turnpike Commission gratefully released to the railroad shortly after abandonment.)


All this exists only in my head, but boy do I have a lot of equipment!



I wrote a story about the interchange traffic the LRV ran over my WM layout some years ago as well.

[mkearns]

Another possibility for main freight power would be two NW-2s (Kato).  The problem is that the two that I have do not run well together.  I have been looking for another one but they are fetching two-hundred bananas used on FeePay and I will not pay that even for a NIB.

I believe that Kato recently released another run of NW2's and prices are about $100 now from the dealer or webstore of your choice.

[btrain]

I dabble a fair bit into the Freelance genre. My Lakeshore Central (https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=55445.0) is set in the early 1980s, and is inspired by the Erie Western and Indiana Hi-Rail short lines that came into formation around that period. Part of me always liked the idea of grubby ALCOs slowly pulling covered hoppers full of grain along a weedy branch line. Perhaps with a worn wooden grain elevator framing it against the last rays of sun in a summer sunset.

Freelance is nice, because I’ll see real life vignettes of structures and places that don’t even have an active rail line, and reincorporate them into fictional story I’m trying to weave. I’m always keeping the theme foremost in mind when coming up with plans, but vision of the whole thing sometimes gets lost for me in the process, which leads to static progress.

I’d saying having a strong vision will carry you well through building any model railroad, especially in freelance. It helps set good boundaries without having the burden of too many choices throwing you off kilter. I’m pretty embarrassed to admit how many times I’ve daydreamed about all the cool second hand patched out power I could run, or how many industries I can have online and so on.

I’ve learned that sticking to a prototype is more in my comfort zone. There are defined operations, rolling stock, and physical plant that keeps me focused along with helping me set benchmarks for progress.

Even though I’m also building a series of prototype Free-mon modules of the NYC/CR Toledo Division, I’m not abandoning the Lakeshore Central. I’m just applying those principles mentioned above to keep my enthusiasm from getting out of line and to stay true to my original vision.

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