Layouts

[Mr.Train]

 To get an idea of what is going on in the world I have some stupid questions. What locomotives do you have on your layout (steam or diesel).What is the time period? Where is the setting? And finally what is the main frieght? I know this is wierd but I'm trying to gather my ideas and thoughts for my first railroad.
Thanks for reading

[renniks]

   Mr Train,

   It is YOUR layout and if someone desn't like it you help them thru the Exit.

   Eric UK

[renniks]

   Should be ----doesn't-----.

   Eric UK

[Santa Fe buff]

Mr. Train,
There are quadrillions of things you could do with a single idea. I'm giving you only a few.

Here's my prediction of my layout:
A 1990s industrial branch off of a major BNSF mainline. Coal is shunted from a coal loader to "Home Coal", a coal unloading and selling depot. The roster majority is ex-ATSFs and ex-BNs with BNSF patch-outs. Equipment is various, and ranges from several companies no longer in existence. I'm operating on a 4x8, and therefore, I'm only having a double loop with a bridge or two at the most. Also, Amtrak commuters run daily through the area with the Phase III scheme. My locomotive range are EMD GP units with ALCO RS units; F40PH Amtrak units; 1-3 GE Dash units.

Here's some tips:

Find a railroad; research it; pick or make up a route; make a freight/service that will be used on said railroad; pick locomotives; what time period of that said railroad seems the most appealing to you.

Here's another example:

Railroad: The Livonia, Avon & Lakeville.
Research: http://www.lalrr.com/
Route: Avon-Lakeville -- http://www.lalrr.com/rail_service.html
Service: Mixed Freight (i.e. Tankers & Grain)
Locomotives: Various ALCO units.
Period: 1997 -- Conrail divided along branches. --- http://www.lalrr.com/history.html
Models/Manufacture/Scale: ALCO; HO scale; Atlas Model Railroad Co. -- http://www.atlasrr.com/Images/HOLocomotives/hoc420/0508/10000318_TQ.jpg
http://www.atlasrr.com/HOLoco/hoc420b.htm

Here's what you should do:
Skim around the web, look at various model railroad manufactures, and railroads. Note what each one has compared to another. THINK- WHAT DO YOU want in a railroad? Look at your list/research, pick the one that suits your plans/wants.

Finally, get out there, and model!

Josh

[SteamGene]

I agree that it's your railroad, but I like the idea of asking for ideas. 
My under construction layout is in a detatched two car garage and portrays the Valley sub division of the Alleghany Divison of the Virginia Tidewater and Piedmont Railroad, my private line.  The layout is set in late September, early October 1957 but because of a clause in the incorporation papers, the VT&P is almost all steam- there are rumors that a second hand SW-9 may come on the property soon.  Changing history a bit, the C&O continues to run steam on the Valley sub, over which it has trackage rights, to act as a short cut to its northern West Virginia coal mines, which VT&P share. 
Coal is a major commodity, but produce and meat from the Shenandoah Valley are also major shippers, as well as chemicals and plastics from the DuPont plant in Basic City. 
Towns are a combination of real (Gordonsville and Basic City, Va; Sugar Grove, WV) and imaginary (Leesboro {major city on the layout}, Nicksburg, Noah Junction, Bradyton, Paultown, and Hannahville. 
I hope this helps. 
Gene

[pdlethbridge]

I have locos for 2 era's, steam and diesel. 50's and 80's, gives me a change of pace. 2-gp35's and a sd45 and a 0-6-0t, 4-4-0, 3-8-0 and a 2-10-0. The scenery doesn't have to change to do this.

[Conrail Quality]

I don't really have a time or setting for my layout, except for the vague idea that it's after desielization on a semi-electrified railroad somewhere in the northeast. I have a mix of Conrail and Amtrak, with both diesels and electrics. Basically, I just buy the models I want and fabricate an explanation for it later. The way I see it it's my railroad, who says I have a setting for it?

Timothy

[WGL]

 I live in west-central Wisconsin, but I'm originally from northern Minnesota.
I wanted to bring back the Great Northern railway, so I got a Spectrum SD-45 for freight, such as iron ore cars & boxcars.  I got an F7A-B for an Empire Builder passenger train.  I wanted one steam locomotive, so I got a Heavy Mikado.  GN had the heaviest of them all, if I recall my reading correctly.  The eras of my locomotives include the 1940s, '50s & '60s.

  Here in Wisconsin, the Union Pacific is the train that runs by our town, so I got a Spectrum SD-45.  I did some research about what UP carries through here, so under our Christmas tree with the SD-45 is an automobile carrier & an auto parts car.  There is a Quality Liquid Feeds with a siding for tank cars, so I got tank cars.  Maybe I should have a hops hopper car for making Milwaukee beer.   

[Yampa Bob]

I have trains from all eras, vintage, steam, diesel, excursion, frieght, from 1870 to present. Scenery is minimal, I like seeing the trains, not hiding them.

[jsmvmd]

Dear Mr. Train,

As a suggestion, you might visit some local model railroad clubs to see what they do about scenery, track, engine and rolling stock, and power supplies and control systems.  Our clubs have extravagant stuff, but you will get some ideas what you might like.

A google search for your area will turn up some clubs.  Strasburg, PA has a nice LS line that the kids can run.

I like Atlantic Central's ideas about running a railroad, and will use a lot of them in my up and coming layout.  He is a forum member, and has said a lot here.

Best Wishes,

Jack

[Paul W.]

Mr. Train,
the internet and sites like this one are a wealth of knowledge. To decide what time frame to model, ask yourself, do you like steam or diesel, this can narrow down the time period (unless you have mostly diesels and steam as excursions).
Available space that you have for your layout can also be a deciding factor in what kind of layout to do. If space is not an issue, you can do whatever you can imagine, but if space is limited, you may want to do an industrial switching yard or something like that.

Ultimately it's your RR and the only one who has to be happy with it, is you

Welcome to this great hobby

[CNE Runner]

My layout is of the folding variety and is housed on one wall of our two-car garage. The drawback to this arrangement is that operation suffers in the heart of the summer (we live in northeastern Alabama) and the middle of winter. As you probably already surmised, the garage is neither heated nor air-conditioned. Actually I mainly model a small NY branchline, the Newburgh, Dutchess & Connecticut, in the fall of 1899. My motive power consists of two Bachmann Spectrum American 4-4-0s. Most of the rolling stock consists of Roundhouse box cars/reefers and several Bachmann gondolas (rebuilt, repainted/decorated and weathered)...I have far more cars than I could ever possibly run (but what difference does that make?).

Occasionally I get the uncontrollable urge to run some diesel power and more modern rolling stock. To accomplish this I replace the 19th century structures with more modern buildings. As we speak, the only modern locomotives I run is an Atlas MP15DC and a Bachmann GP40. These units are used with the rather large collection of 40' box cars and reefers I kept from a previous layout(s). Using two different eras allows me to "spice up" my operating sessions - even though the trackwork remains the same in each time period...operating procedures differ greatly from the 19th century to the 20th.

Over the winter, I use my time to build craftsman structure kits. I am currently scratchbuilding the Hopewell Junction, NY depot as it appeared in the 1890s. One of the enemies of model railroading is boredom. What does one do after the layout is completed? As I mentioned above, I combat this with continuous construction projects and difficult switching (shunting) puzzles.

I guess the major point I can make is that one can have a model railroad if one is creative. Yes, I would love to have an indoor, non-folding layout. Unfortunately I have to make do with the situation. After all I can still run trains!

[Terry Toenges]

With regard to space - Generally, the newer the era - the bigger/longer the equipment (cars/locos).
I like the pre-1900's because you can have more equipment in a small space because the cars and locos were shorter. With shorter ones you can have smaller radius curves.

[Terry Toenges]

CNE- I have friends who live just down the road from Hopewell Junction. I've been through there a few times on my way to visit them.