American Ho help

[switcher 1]

You might like to invest in 'The Model Railroader's Guide to Diesel Locomotives' by Jeff Wilson.

In it you will find details of when, where, & who ran which locos, I found it very informative, as a newbie to American Railroading.

[Earl Bathurst]

Thanks for that I will invest in a copy of that book.

[MikeHohn]

In my post earlier today, I wrote "decades" where I meant "generations." To be more accurate, the GP7 was introduced in 1949, the GP38 in 1966, the 'dash 2' series in 1972, and the SD70MAC in 1992.

 

A couple of years ago I rode the Mt. Hood Railroad, which runs a tourist train to the foothills of a volcano in Oregon, passing through fruit orchards. On the way back we stopped to pick up a boxcar or so from a fruit company, because the railroad also provides freight service. The train was pulled by a diesel from the 50's or 60's. https://www.mthoodrr.com/about-us/about-mt-hood-railroad.html the point is that many early diesel units are 'preserved' in service on branchline and tourist railroad. Often with the prime mover replaced or more.

[Earl Bathurst]

Thanks for the info just had a look at that website looks a nice place.

[10000]

Consider the Vancouver area , especially the New Westminster and Surrey areas. 

Companies you can see there are South Vancouver who still run GP9's. Canadian National SD40's thro to more modern also including BCRail.

Canadian Pacific GP38's and bigger.

BNSF and Union Pacific. 

You can also see mixed company loco's on trains.

So you don't have to stick to one company.

[Earl Bathurst]

Thanks for the help10000. That sounds a promising idea. And Canadian national livery is also quiet nice along with Bnsf and union pacific.

Scott

[MikeHohn]

I assume you are still considering a direction in which to go. Developing the idea of modeling an American short line, I considered basing my layout on the Depew, Lancaster, & Western, which comprises several short lines across New York State. Railroad Model Craftsman did an article on them in about 2000. Here is their website: http://www.gvtrail.com

 

Here are pictures of some of their motive power: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locolist.aspx?id=DLWR

 

You can see they run rebuilt vintage diesels.

 

There are even larger companies. The Genesee and Wyoming (http://www.gwrr.com) owns 110 short lines, some in Australia. I imagine some run rebuilt vintage equipment, others run the latest in environmentally-friendlier genset locomotives.

 

A lot of modeling potential here. Layout emphasis would be on switching. Locomotives span the whole history of diesel--and even steam if tourist trains are operated over the line. Finally, a mix of rolling stock if a range of customers are being served. You could model contemporary, even, and not have to run long strings of coal hoppers, double stack containers trains, auto racks, or tankers.

 

Mike