Notes on Designing, Building and Operating Model Railroads

 

A wide variety of locomotives and rolling stock are available in all scales through hobby shops, on-line vendors, and train shows. Choosing to model a specific prototype railroad can reduce the modeling choices for these items. Setting a specific modeling era or period can further refine the modeling efforts and keep purchasing focused.

Taking this step requires a dedication to understanding the prototype railroad world of the chosen period and to make an effort to stay with the plan. Choosing a specific year can mean sacrificing the use of popular locomotives or paint and lettering styles. As an example, if 1948 or 1949 is chosen as the modeling period, then ALCo RS-3 locomotives cannot be used as they entered into service in 1950. A similar situation arises for those who model the WM of 1951 or 1952. Home road rolling stock would only have the Fast Freight emblem and locos should only have the Fireball emblem. The notable Speedletter painting and lettering style, as seen above, would become the WM standard in 1954. Understanding data points like this can assist in making choices in following a specific modeling year. 

Many model railroaders live by the mantra, “It’s my railroad and I’ll do what I want.” We are all individuals and often build railroads that reflect personal preferences. This is fine. I have been enjoying prototype modeling for a few years now. I find the focus of a specific point in time is a greater challenge to present the railroad modeling as an authentic slice of the past.

A couple of prototype modeling examples have been featured in the model press many times. The La Mesa Railroad Club at the San Diego Model Railroad Museum has been working on an amazing presentation of a portion of the joint Santa Fe/Southern Pacific mainline over Tehachapi Pass in southern California. Noted modeler Jack Burgess has done exceptional work modeling August of 1939 on his Yosemite Valley Railroad. These efforts, and others, have inspired many to model a specific portion of a railroad at a specific point in time.

Past Experiences

My last modeling project focused on the Western Maryland Railway in Elkins, West Virginia, in November 1926. Setting this period to model was the result of gathering data from many sources. Notes were combined into a database spreadsheet to understand the data relationships and the calendar. Elkins locomotive assignments; last production of coke at nearby coke operations; new coal mines opening south of Elkins on the C&I branch; the purchase of the Coal & Coke Railway by the B&O in the early 1920s; and the opening and closing of local rail-served industries are important points of information. Collectively, these data points illuminate the local rail picture. Creating a spread sheet brings all of these items into one document for easy review.

An appeal of modeling the WM in 1926 was that it did not resemble the railroad familiar to many modelers and railfans. Locomotives only wore a simple ‘W.M.’ on the tenders. Rolling stock had no emblem. Some freight cars sported the railroad name spelled out, such as the hopper seen above. Many other WM freight cars only had reporting marks as identification. The WM caboose fleet consisted of wood sheathed, 4-wheel bobbers. The distinctive steel sheathed, 8-wheel cabooses would enter service in the 1933. Local passenger runs out of Elkins were pulled by 4-4-0 and 4-6-0 locomotives nearing the end of their careers. All of these points combined to paint a most interesting railroad picture and offered a worthy modeling challenge.

The New Project

But that was my last project, in my previous home. What should I do about this project? Two railroads, the Wheeling & Lake Erie and the Newburgh & South Shore, are the focus with a large US Steel operation sitting behind the immediate rail scene and served by both railroads. I am continually inspired by one of the resources I discovered long ago, an early 1920s photo album of the N&SS. I have visited this site over a hundred times and have marveled at the images. I often find something new in an image I’ve seen repeatedly; a freight car, track arrangement, industry, or a building in the background. This N&SS resource reinforces a desire to continue modeling the mid-1920 period. Determining a specific month and year will take more effort. A better understanding of the operations timeline at the large Newburgh Works of US Steel will be a big step. Here’s one of those N&SS images taken at the east end of Marcelline Yard.

Image from the Cleveland State University Library and the Cleveland Memory Project.

Another modeling factor reflects an earlier preference from the previous layout. The national freight car fleet was very different in 1926 compared to the fleet at the end of steam in the mid-1950s. A comparison of box cars from different eras can be seen in the lead image of this post. Wood-sheathed box cars were dominant in 1926. A few thousand steel-sheathed PRR X29 and B&O M-26 cars were added to the fleet between 1924 and 1926. The W&LE took delivery of 1000 similar steel-sheathed box cars in early 1925. Mill gondolas were 48-feet long. USRA box cars, hoppers, and gondolas would be running in well-weathered original paint and lettering. Shorter composite gondolas and 36-foot box cars were a large portion of this earlier freight car fleet. Many of my original WM layout purchases can be used for this new project.

Am I choosing an era because I already have many pieces that fit the puzzle? Well, yes and no. It is convenient that previous purchases can be used on the new layout, but there is another attraction to this pre-Depression period. Shortly after the mid-1920s, the look of railroads began to change. Many smaller regional lines would soon be absorbed into larger systems, a process that would erase the W&LE in 1949. Superpower steam was making a successful entry onto some railroads. Older steam power was working out their last days. The freight car fleet would dramatically change in the next 25 years as larger and taller steel-sheathed box cars would become standard. Mill gondolas would stretch to 65-feet in length. 70-ton offset-side hoppers would become prevalent. The advent of the covered hopper would change rail service for the cement industry and the hauling of other bulk cargoes. Diesel power would be introduced in the 1930s and forever change the railroad scene.

1926 offers a different rail picture of a slice in time that has been nearly forgotten. It is my inspiration and I look forward to this modeling challenge.

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NOTE: My apologies for the lag between posts. I have rejoined the ranks of the employed. Earning a paycheck is always a good thing, but my quantity of free time has been reduced. Life is a balancing act. I hope to post a couple of times each month with modeling progress and other tidbits. Thanks for reading and feel free to leave a comment below.

    - Eric

This entry was posted on Monday, August 31st, 2009 at 02:54 and is filed under modeling, designing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.