Prototypes Someone Else Should Model

[jagged ben]

Not that I've chosen a prototype for a home layout yet, but it would have to include both ATSF and SP which eliminates the following otherwise very serious contenders, roughly in order of priority.

Camas Prairie
Any Oregon or California shortline
SP Modoc line
Feather River Canyon
Tennessee Pass

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I've always liked the idea of modelling SPSF shortly post merger. I realize this doesn't exactly fit the brief, but they put some much effort into it publicly that we can all imagine what those trains would look like.

Oh man, that's a good one.

Another fun idea: Chessie actually got the EL instead of it falling through at the 11th hour. Disco painted SD45-2s over Starucca, anyone?

[Englewood]

Abo Canyon. Gorgeous scenery, and lots and lots of trains.

[TiogaTracks]

NYC's Pine Creek route on their PA Division between Wellsboro and Newberry. Erie trackage rights to Newberry get you the PRR, NYC, Erie, and Reading all in one yard.

This.  I would love to see NYC Mohawks, Mallets, or even just PC SD-45s storming the Grand Canyon of PA.  Especially if it’s a near-scale representation of that beautiful landscape, with scenery dwarfing the trains.

The prototype I picked, then had to give up on was Philadelphia area shipyards in WWII, featuring PRR, Reading, and Philadelphia Transportation Co. streetcars.  Lots of potential for any size, mixing the greats of steam and traction.

-Steven

[Kentuckian]

The Lexington, KY belt line. I believe it is now owned by RJ Corman, former CSX, former C&O. Depending on era, interchanges with Southern and L&N.

This is a very tempting HO scale switching layout for me. In the 1980’s, when I went to school at the University of Kentucky, there were still several small industries. Smuckers Jif peanut butter factory, a rail served bakery that could have been the prototype for Walthers Red Wing Milling, Clay Ingalls building supplies, Wide materials (steel structural shapes supplier), General Electric light bulb factory, Triple Crown Feeds, UK coal-fired power plant, multiple scrap yards, Lexington marble, various moving and storage warehouses, grocery distribution warehouses, appliance distributor, book distributor, International Paper warehouse, etc. If there was room, Netherland yard too.

Covered hoppers, flat cars, boxcars, occasional coal hopper for the power plant, and scrap gons would all be seen. The occasional tank car for fuel oil.

Most of these same or similar industries were extant during the transition era. Most - but not all - are still there today. Lots of switching, lots of structures. I believe it would be fun.

[Simon D.]

How about the double bow knot on the Mount Tamalpais and Muir Woods Scenic Railway? https://railwaywondersoftheworld.com/mount_tamalpais_railway.html.


It would just need an Atlas Shay and a couple of Jackson Sharp cars.

[w neal]

I'm modeling the entire world, just a scene at a time. I have one theme at home and my traveling layouts take on new themes over time. They encompass prototype and freelance subjects. Currently I'm in a freelance theme for the Ohio N Scale Meet, but beware the ides of November...









But seriously, why only one theme? I'm enjoying a new road show layout every 2 to 6 years. You can't model it all, but it sure is fun creating a sample platter over time.

"Lets see now, for this train show I think I'll take the (insert RR name here) layout."

[SAH]

The Monon
Central of Georgia
Old Norfolk Southern
Spokane International

Had I stayed in Georgia I'd probably be modeling the C of G now.
Or maybe the Tennessee Alabama & Georgia (The TAG Route)
Or maybe the Georgia RR 
All compelling modelling subjects

Before I left NC I was bitten by the old Norfolk Southern bug.  Whew, that was close.

Closer to home, the B&O from Warren to Fairport Harbor, OH.  What's not to like about EM-1s double heading on a R.O.W. built for narrow gauge.
B&O's CH&D between Toledo and Dayton, OH is another good one.
As is DT&I.

[R L Smith]

The EL between Owego and Binghamton NY, 1970-1972.

There were three routes to the east of Binghamton - The former DL&W to Scranton, the former Erie to Port Jervis, and the D&H to Albany. All of that westbound traffic funneled down to a double-track main main west of Bingo. UPS trailer trains (multiple sections), auto racks, coal, mixed freight - all the variety you could want in rolling stock.

But wait - there's more!  At that time EL and D&H were under the Dereco umbrella, so D&H power was common west of Bingo. And the LV and D&H had daily transfer trains between Waverly and Bingo on EL trackage rights, joining the EL main at Owego. Any and all types of LV power was used, as it was often the test run for locomotives just out of the Sayre shops.

But wait - there's more! EL had pool power from the BN on the UPS trains, so any BN or its predecessor roads' locomotives would show up frequently.  MILW wasn't unusual, and the occasional UP units were seen.  N&W power made regular appearances too, as the corporate parent.

Why 1970-1972? Teh SD-45's were brand new, and the pooled UPS trains began in 1970.  June 1972 was the beginning of the end thanks to Agnes...

My $0.02.  YMMV

[mcjaco]

I've always liked the idea of modelling SPSF shortly post merger. I realize this doesn't exactly fit the brief, but they put some much effort into it publicly that we can all imagine what those trains would look like.

I swear there's a HO guy that models that....i know i've seen a blog somewhere.  EDIT:  He has a youtube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC56eO8z_PU1hf5xxo4KSI2Q

like @JMaurer1 I'm a NWP fan.  Have wanted to model the CFNR or NWP (90s) for some time.  Just don't have the space of time right now. 

[davefoxx]

The Southern Ry. and Saluda Grade.  Unit coal trains with a lot of power, including radio-control cars and mid-train helpers.  Mixed manifests tripling the hill.  Setting retainers.  A timing section and a runaway track.  Mountain railroading at its finest.  Of course, there's kudzu a plenty!

DFF

[Missaberoad]

The Southern Ry. and Saluda Grade.  Unit coal trains with a lot of power, including radio-control cars and mid-train helpers.  Mixed manifests tripling the hill.  Setting retainers.  A timing section and a runaway track.  Mountain railroading at its finest.  Of course, there's kudzu a plenty!

DFF

No no no... Thats the prototype you should model so I can enjoy it vicariously 

[bbunge]

Very cool. The thing I really like about high desert railroads is that you can still easily find evidence of the railroad roadbed trace using Google Earth 100+ years later.

For fun.  Not quite 100 years and not in the West.  It's easy to trace out the ROW of the Chesapeake Beach RR (~1898 -> 1935) that ran between Washington DC and Chesapeake Beach, MD.  The ROW in places is straight for miles and miles.  Several chunks are roads, more and more it becomes paths.  Here is a snap shot from Prince George's County MD.  Almost all of the development wasn't there 20 years ago.  The CBRR was a low cost operation that ran on the edge, all 2nd hand equipment, cheap everything including cheap coal.  In the winter time, you can dig along the tree line and find nice size pieces of clinker buried along the ROW.  My kid played little league on the fields by the bottom arrow.  It was sort of fun imaging worn out, dirty, clunking, 19th century 4-4-0's and period cars, open platforms and open windows, passing by with Federal employees from DC heading to the beach to escape the heat, stink and bugs of the swampy city.

Bob

[davefoxx]

No no no... Thats the prototype you should model so I can enjoy it vicariously 

Haha!  Don't tempt me!

DFF

[thomasjmdavis]

On the "tropes" thread, I tossed in the idea of doing the Chicago Heights Terminal Transfer Railroad.  This is the ideal model railroad.  It has a central "loop" for continuous running, interchanges with B&OCT on the north, NYC on the east, EJ&E more or less in the middle. and parent C&EI and MILW on the south.  Has several "unprototypical" very small yards, including a tiny classification yard, and serves a large number of industries in a small space. C&EI historical society has a copy of their article online-
http://ceihs.org/chtt/
http://ceihs.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/CHTT-_Page_4-1.jpg