What Kind of Railroad to Model???

[sd45elect2000]

Coincidently I am having the same issue deciding.. I have a few model RR's at work and I've been kicking around idea's with them. Kiz, I am happy you are building a layout !

I am an ex employee of the WICT, WC, MMA and currently work for the P&W. I have had a lot of interesting input from my fellow employees .

Randy

[Kisatchie]

If you really like the Southern locos, why not just make your KG&N a subsidiary of the Southern?  They had plenty of them, and the only evidence was the initials on the locos.  You could use the Southern locos and rolling stock as-is, but still freelance the railroad itself....

That's a great idea! I think I'll do that.


Hmm... does that mean my
photo won't be on the
sides of the locos...?

[davefoxx]

Not to cause too much confusion (because I like the Southern Ry. subsidiary idea), but don't forget that the Illinois Central and the Gulf, Mobile, and Ohio were around in 1968.  Perhaps that's useful information for the other end of your bridge route of the KG&N.  If you stick with 1972, then you get the merger to Illinois Central Gulf.  For some reason, I always liked the ICG.

DFF

[jimmo]

...I really wouldn't want to model the petrochemical industry with all the spaghetti tangles of piping and valves and storage tanks.

You could always do what I did and model just the gated entrance to the Pacific Chemical industrial complex (that would have taken up too much space and had way too much cluttery detail). My office/hobby room has about a three inch wide x 30 inch space behind the entrance door that wasn't being used. Now it has three tracks of industry storage for a chemical company that uses many centerflow hoppers and a few tank cars. I still have no idea what they make back there.

[davefoxx]

If you really like the Southern locos, why not just make your KG&N a subsidiary of the Southern?  They had plenty of them, and the only evidence was the initials on the locos.  You could use the Southern locos and rolling stock as-is, but still freelance the railroad itself.

There's precedent for a railroad using another road's locomotives.  For example, the Winston-Salem Southbound Ry. is known for using leased power from both of its owners' roads: originally jointly-owned by N&W and ACL (now jointly-owned by NS and CSX).

That said, I like the idea of your railroad applying small initials under the road number on the cab for the KG&N OR you could remove the Southern lettering and apply KG&N, like this:



Hope this helps,
DFF

[BOK]

During a short time in the 70s when I was between permanent railroad jobs, I worked as a consultant for then new Columbus and Greenville Railroad out of Columbus, MS.. While the CG connected with the Southern and Frisco at Coulmbus they connected several places with former owner, ICG. While they did haul a little overhead traffic most was local with small town customers.

Possibly a road for you to consider?

exprail

[randgust]

Pick up an old Official Guide from the 1970's and you'll see some of the most imaginative mapmaking of all times, and railroads that just 'fit' what sounds like a model bridge route.

Most at least ATTEMPTED to prove themselves a bridge line between east and west, like there was no way to cross the country without using them.  And the names!  I'll confine my comments to your region, Victor.

Louisiana Midland - The Natchez Gateway - Natchez to Packton.   Sure looks good on a map!

Meridian & Bigbee - looks like the only way to go west from Savannah they way they drew it.

Roscoe, Snyder & Pacific - hard to believe it wasn't a model - a 30-mile 'bridge route between the Pacific Coast and the EAST!

DeQueen & Eastern - draw the map so that 45 miles looks like 450, easily the easiest route across the US.

And I second the nomination of the Columbus & Greenville.   There's even a really good book out on that one.

[thomasjmdavis]

I would think that as long as you model a southeastern line you should be OK, because you could throw in a string of West India Fruit and Steamship ventilated boxcars loaded with bananas on an extra whenever necessary.

Given conditions in my basement from time to time, I was thinking I might do the FEC Key West line.  Very few switches or other complicated trackwork, and most of the scenery is free as long as there is a good rain once a week.