Skip to main content

I model my home town short line of the Tallulah Falls Railroad. It operated from 1871 until 1961. It ran from Cornelia Georgia to Franklin North Carolina. It spanned 58 miles with 48 trestles. All the trestles were wood except the Tallulah lake trestle which was steel and concrete.  Here's one of the six hopper cars I built to haul stone from Rabun quarry.

IMG_20170212_202707

IMG_20170212_202549

IMG_20170212_202612

IMG_20160907_194518

IMG_20160907_194802

IMG_20160907_194916

 

Attachments

Images (6)
  • IMG_20170212_202707
  • IMG_20170212_202549
  • IMG_20170212_202612
  • IMG_20160907_194518
  • IMG_20160907_194802
  • IMG_20160907_194916
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

While l am incorporating aspects of NE Colorado's Great Western sugar beet road into my freelance effort, the nearby to my hometown short-lines both made the famous Beebe and Clegg book "Mixed Train Daily". They were the Louisville, New Albany, and Corydon, which had a brief reincarnation as a dinner train, after years of providing combine caboose passenger service, and the Frankfort and Cincinnati, "Bourbon Route", which climbed up out of Frankfort's deep Kentucky River valley to serve several bourbon distilleries, including a now abandoned stone castle, on its way to a junction with the L&N at Paris, KY.

There were a lot of short line railroads in Pennsylvania that got bought up by either the Pennsylvania RR or Philadelphia & Reading Railways who later became known as the Reading Railroad in the 1920's. I try to model the Reading railroad; either Reading Lines(the freight side of Reading) or Reading Company(the passenger side of Reading). Also I have some freight cars in Reading & Northern RR from MTH.

Currently there is the Reading & Northern railroad that is operating out of an area near Allentown PA. It is a short line RR but has a lot of freight traffic between 2 major railroads(CSX & Norfolk Southern, if I am correct) in Pennsylvania and is looking to expand into passenger service near Reading & Hamburg PA. Reading & Northern also services the Prell shampoo factory near Mahopany PA.

I'm sure there are other states that had a lot of short line railroads but those are the ones I know of. I know that Georgia and North Carolina had some small railroads as well.

Lee Fritz

Last edited by phillyreading

I got the San Diego Imperial Valley Genset that was originally owned by Rail America which was what MTH's Model depicted. They were shortly sold to Genesee and Wyoming which made it look like a pumpkin.

I don't Model it that great because they run on the San Diego Trolley Lines at night when the Trolley is not in service and It depends on what goes down to the border because BNSF Brings it in and SDIV does drop off and pick up service for BNSF. I usually run freight cars I see in the SDIV yard next to the SDT yard and BNSF yard. I hope MTH does another run of the Genset I would love it's opposite number and color, their is only 2 Gensets on their roster.

phillyreading posted:

There were a lot of short line railroads in Pennsylvania that got bought up by either the Pennsylvania RR or Philadelphia & Reading Railways who later became known as the Reading Railroad in the 1920's. I try to model the Reading railroad; either Reading Lines(the freight side of Reading) or Reading Company(the passenger side of Reading). Also I have some freight cars in Reading & Northern RR from MTH.

Currently there is the Reading & Northern railroad that is operating out of an area near Allentown PA. It is a short line RR but has a lot of freight traffic between 2 major railroads(CSX & Norfolk Southern, if I am correct) in Pennsylvania and is looking to expand into passenger service near Reading & Hamburg PA. Reading & Northern also services the Prell shampoo factory near Mahopany PA.

I'm sure there are other states that had a lot of short line railroads but those are the ones I know of. I know that Georgia and North Carolina had some small railroads as well.

Lee Fritz

I've ridden the Reading & Northern steam excursion from Port Clinton PA to Jim Thorpe PA. Great trip! They are adding a station in Muhlenberg Township as well. I believe they have about 370 miles of track. They haul a lot of anthracite coal. Of those I've met from the railroad, I can say they are great people.

I live near Colebrookdale Railroad based in Boyertown PA. Great short line with some motivated people. They're running a GP10. I want to have a GP9 customized to look like it soon.

I don't but I would like to model Butler, Pa., where I live, maybe back in the 1930s. four RRs served this small city and it had steel, RR car mfg, oil, glass, bricks & refractory,lime, and coal, and autos plus passengers. If you went back a little further you could stir in two interurbans in the soup. Not bad for a town with about 30 thousand people. Forgot agricultural products too.

Badge109 posted:
phillyreading posted:

There were a lot of short line railroads in Pennsylvania that got bought up by either the Pennsylvania RR or Philadelphia & Reading Railways who later became known as the Reading Railroad in the 1920's. I try to model the Reading railroad; either Reading Lines(the freight side of Reading) or Reading Company(the passenger side of Reading). Also I have some freight cars in Reading & Northern RR from MTH.

Currently there is the Reading & Northern railroad that is operating out of an area near Allentown PA. It is a short line RR but has a lot of freight traffic between 2 major railroads(CSX & Norfolk Southern, if I am correct) in Pennsylvania and is looking to expand into passenger service near Reading & Hamburg PA. Reading & Northern also services the Prell shampoo factory near Mahopany PA.

I'm sure there are other states that had a lot of short line railroads but those are the ones I know of. I know that Georgia and North Carolina had some small railroads as well.

Lee Fritz

I've ridden the Reading & Northern steam excursion from Port Clinton PA to Jim Thorpe PA. Great trip! They are adding a station in Muhlenberg Township as well. I believe they have about 370 miles of track. They haul a lot of anthracite coal. Of those I've met from the railroad, I can say they are great people.

I live near Colebrookdale Railroad based in Boyertown PA. Great short line with some motivated people. They're running a GP10. I want to have a GP9 customized to look like it soon.

The Reading & Northern which is the main part of the company hauls freight, not always coal because the demand for coal is way down. The Reading & Northern is a company that does a lot of short hauling for major railroads like Norfolk Southern. Have you ever heard of Mahoopany PA? That is where Prell shampoo is made and the R & N hauls the freight for them from their terminal to major railroads.

I know about the Muhlenberg Township train station near highway 61 and Bellevue Ave. The R & N already owns the track rights.

Lee Fritz

jim pastorius posted:

I don't but I would like to model Butler, Pa., where I live, maybe back in the 1930s. four RRs served this small city and it had steel, RR car mfg, oil, glass, bricks & refractory,lime, and coal, and autos plus passengers. If you went back a little further you could stir in two interurbans in the soup. Not bad for a town with about 30 thousand people. Forgot agricultural products too.

I am not sure off hand what railroads ran in that area but Pennsylvania is considered the railroad capital of the US in the late 1800's because of all the short line railroads that used to run there.

Lee Fritz

My model railroad theme is built on the former Buffalo Rochester and Pittsburgh Railway that served my home town of Rochester.  That line was later merged into the B&O.  I also draw inspiration from the former "Hojack Line" of the NYC that ran along the shore of lake Ontario.  I do enjoy r researching these roads and even discovering structures and industries along the former road beds

Rusty,

   The name I use (Pine Creek Railroad) is the original name of the WAG Wellsville, Addison & Galeton Railroad (Sole Leather Line) that ran thru our mountains, although my layouts are all child like wonderland, I use the Pine Creek Railroad name to identify my Christmas layouts, even have a Legacy Shay engine and skeleton logging cars, along with the Box cars and Logging Caboose for all to see.  I guess you could say I use my home town railroad as inspiration for the Christmas layouts.

PCRR/Dave

 

DSCN1436

 

DSCN1518

 

DSCN1439

 

DSCN1409

Attachments

Images (4)
  • DSCN1409
  • DSCN1439
  • DSCN1518
  • DSCN1436
Last edited by Pine Creek Railroad
colorado hirailer posted:

Kalmbach, l think, or somebody, used to put out maps of railroads in the US at certain times . I would like to have one for 1940.  Are such maps still available, from them or ?

I have a commercial Atlas from 1950. It only shows railroad lines as the interstates and big trucking companies had not been established as the major freight carriers yet. If you would like I can scan to a PDF a state or area you would be interested in. If you pick State it may be several let's as this book roughly 2 feet by 3 feet. 

Last edited by Loose-Caboose

I'm not sure if what I model qualifies. It is definitely local, but only a small part of it could be called a short line. In reality, the Minnesota Commercial is a terminal or transfer railroad. It takes cars from the major railroads, and switches local industries, as well as moves cars between the BNSF, CP and UP.

The Commercial is responsible for switching the Hiawatha Milling District.

IMG_6776

I'm just getting started with the structures here.

IMG_6792

The commercial in action at Hiawatha.

TRAINS_0711

The "canyon" of elevators and mills.

TRAINS_0706

This will be the Commercial's yard.

IMG_6393

2014-07-22 001 2014-07-22 002

Attachments

Images (6)
  • IMG_6776
  • IMG_6792
  • IMG_6393
  • TRAINS_0711
  • TRAINS_0706
  • 2014-07-22 001 2014-07-22 002

 I have a    Prototype   freelance short line   Called the coal and  steel railroad 

 Based on Y&SRR and NCIR

 

 

 In the picture is the freight locomotive

4C2E10D7-7F57-4620-A8AC-10536306956A

Passenger locomotive for the railroad

07ADE25A-A07C-4E98-9814-BE36F0DB8BC0

 Coal And Steel Railroad  interchanges with steel  milll Railroad, Erie,B&O,P&LE,NYC  and PRR.

 Main priority on the railroad  is hauling steel and coke  but also has some General freight  from other businesses.

 There’s  four  divisions of the railroad. 

 

 

 A plant railroad  operated by  Bethlehem Steel

682E631E-760F-471E-A877-EEA02AFD43CB

 

 

note

 Still need to paint and decal the locomotives to My Railroad 

Attachments

Images (3)
  • 682E631E-760F-471E-A877-EEA02AFD43CB: A plant railroad  operated by  Bethlehem Steel
  • 4C2E10D7-7F57-4620-A8AC-10536306956A: In the picture is the freight  locomotive
  • 07ADE25A-A07C-4E98-9814-BE36F0DB8BC0: Passenger locomotive for the railroad
Last edited by Pennsylvania & Ohio rr conway yard

With more time, energy and money, I would model the Putnam Division of the New York Central, known as "the Put."

It no longer exists, but it would be exciting to model it. It ran from the Bronx in NYC up to Brewster, NY. Industries would include dairy farms in Northern Westchester County,  and iron/coal mines in Brewster, NY in Putnam County. I also believe there would be transportation of lumber and produce including fruit from orchards and vegetables from farms.

It ran short mixed freight trains, short passenger trains, and sometimes mixed freight and passenger consists.

A great era to model would be from 1945 to 1958 when the Put ran small steam engines (Atlantics) and small diesels (44 ton and maybe smaller).

The trains on the Put would run through beautiful scenery including along the Bronx River and Saw Mill River, and parkways would be under construction by those same river names. Also, there would be a gorgeous Victorian style station at Potantico Hills (near the Rockefeller Estate) and other smaller and simpler stations along the Put, including Yorktown Heights (where I live) and Baldwin Place where there were dairy farms. Lionel's operating milk cars and platform would be perfect on the Put. Also the 97 coal loader in Brewster, and the operating coal dump and log dump cars. Operating fork lift and saw mill would be nice on a model of the Put.

There are books with pictures of the Put that are available, often at train shows in White Plains, NY. 

Problem is that I'm quite content with my current eclectic O Gauge layout, tinkering with my trains and scenery and writing things on this on line forum, most of which are silly but a lot of fun. 

I would love to have a more serious and skilled modeller than me take on the project of resurrecting the Put so I can visit it, see it and maybe run my small steam and Diesel engines on it.

Add Reply

Post

OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×