How do Real Trains Influence Your Model Train Layout?

Real trains influence my modeling in every way. I've always been someone who wants to be exact as possible, and that's what I try to do. I model Amtrak in the present day with an emphasis on routes running in Southern California. 

A locomotive I'm currently having repainted to match the real thing is a Lionel NPCU, which went in as a Phase III unit and will come out in the Veterans scheme. I'd like to eventually add all of Amtrak's heritage units (except 406) and add more 21" passenger equipment, even if it means more repainting/hacking/custom building. 

I can definitely agree with you Gary, MTH does put a lot of real train history into their catalogs. There were a lot of unique and interesting gimmick locomotives in the last catalog to save on tooling.

I am a prototype modeler, and quite serious about my trains, not to the point of "rivet counting", but going all scale. I don't really worry about small details, for me it's about the big picture and operations. I love the logistical nature of trains, where they go and what they haul. I also love the industries they serve.

Here's an example of something that I'm working on right now. This is a flour mill in South Minneapolis.

Working from that image, I created this. There's still a lot of work left on this, but it's a good start.

Another example, working from this image:

I created this:

My whole layout is going to be like this. Scenes from the real world. So to answer the question, anything I see on the rails around here is fair game.

The only steam I'll run is Milwaukee Road 261, and a set of K-line 21" cars, and UP 3985 and the new UP excursion set,and only because I've seen them both here. The only regular passenger service is the Amtrak Empire Builder, which I have four sets of different eras.

The trains I see most of the time are in motion, so it is the overall effect from maybe five feet away that I strive for on my railroad. In my opinion, a Rail King steamer with 7 or 8 Rail King 13" long heavyweight passenger cars in tow meets my 1950s memories of the Long Island Railroad. Ideally, I would have a G5 Ten Wheeler with P54 cars as the main consist on my railroad, but those trains are not available in the Rail King line.

As for freight, coal trains strike my fancy, so a Rail King Y6b with 12 2-bay hoppers in tow gives me a likeable appearance.

My interest in prototype railroading and railroad history is directly responsible for my continued interest in model trains.  In fact; had I no interest in real railroads, I doubt I would have any interest in model railroading.

Curt

Hello, I specialize with New England railroads (particularly, Boston & Maine) and industries to keep my inventory manageable and costs dowm. However, I still have accumulated more stuff than I need.

Not really; however, I will purchase a couple of WM coal hoppers because I have found out that WM shay #6 was not associated with logging during its revenue years (it is at Cass now) but was built to haul coal from a coal mine on WM that had an 11 % grade.   Also, in creating an MU I am using diesels with the steam engine that was appropriate for the time frame of that engine (Chessie GP40 with the Allegheny,  a PA to MU with the Daylight GS4, and a UP SD35 with the FEF 3).

In response to the subject line, I don't.

Sincerely, I admire those of you who embrace the prototypical, and I'm one of the first to admire a great layout, but for me, my TOY trains take me back to the 50's & 60's and I transition into my "happy" mode.  Whatever floats yer boat, right?  I strive to find modern replacements for my favorites - Virginian FM's, Santa Fe F3s, Hudsons (heck - ANY hudson...), etc etc etc.

For me, the influence and interest were not so much inspired by how "do" real trains affect me, but by how much they did affect me, as a boy.

Simply put, back in the 50's, when I was a boy, trains were everywhere in the metropolitan Pittsburgh area, and especially in my hometown of McKeesport, wherein trains traveled right across the main drag several times a day as they proceeded into and out of the steel mill there. We could be close enough to them to feel their power and see their might very close-up.Somehow, PRR became a chief interest among my purchases.

The presence of the steel mills in life influenced me, also, in my having a factory area on the layout, within view of a neighborhood of houses, just like in real life for me, along with a row of well-worn bars for the workers to patronize on their way home from work, just like in real life in McKeesport, in those days.

Then, of course, my parents' Christmas train layout was the clincher.

Once married, my wife was totally interested in my taking over the entire basement, if needed (which it was), with a model train layout. As I constructed and reconstructed the layout several times, since 1995, I grew to be interested in having it at least look something like realistic, as much as my imagination could make possible, often featuring some of the old small-businesses that characterized my hometown area, though operating it prototypically never interested me for my own playtime. I just wanted the trains to go in uninterrupted smooth circles, with no hiccups or stumbles so I could speak with guests while the whole ten trains and one trolley menagerie rolled along, as everybody drank their champagne (each operating session is a celebration) and compared their personal little discoveries of little details and vignettes here-n-there.

FrankM

P.S. I gave the circa of vehicles on the layout only a passing-interest, keeping an eye more on their average age representation than on whether they would be accurately representing a particular era. Frankly, I indulged myself, considering myself at play, not at work, as I made my layout, over time, taking my time, with vehicle purchases, selecting cars, in particular, that I had wished I had owned in the past, in real life, more than I remained faithful to a 40's, 50's, or 60's look. That became especially true as I developed the habit of welcoming children to reach up onto the layout for a favorite vehicle to take home with them, something I have done for some adults as well.

I don't follow any prototype but I only run trains I like and enjoy. From steam to modern diesel. 

My modern may be my Veterens engines and cars while my steam may be pulling passenger trains of various road names. 

I run my trains to enjoy them. Even though I grew up with the post war era of the fifty's and  sixties it cemented my love of trains.

Dave

Once beyond the toddler age, how could you be interested in the models if you are not interested in the reason that the models exist? I would even ask that question of a Pre-War Tinplate guy.

Got my set (and layout) when I was 7, Xmas 1955. My 2055 always looked real to me. As did the cars. No bright colors, no fantasy cars (OK, excuse the yellow barrel unloader car - but real freight cars were yellow sometimes) - just my "real" railroad. Had I not been influenced by the real thing even then I'm not sure that I would have been so interested in watching my train go around and around in an oval (OK again - I did have 2 spurs and one passing/station siding). Of course, in my head, it wasn't just an oval, as most of us understand.

To me, it's gotta be "real"*, or what's the point?

*Nice Tinplate? Beautiful; not real. Tinplate is like the "dessert" of model railroading. Icing on the cake.

Honestly? Not much at all. I am all about the “toy” aspect of this hobby. I’ll certainly stop and watch a real train when possible, but it has no real influence on my layout.

 That being said, my employer does business with all the class 1 railroads, and that really kicked off with the BNSF. So I do insist on having a BNSF locomotive running around my layout. 

Moonson posted:

For me, the influence and interest were not so much inspired by how "do" real trains affect me, but by how much they did affect me, as a boy.

Simply put, back in the 50's, when I was a boy, trains were everywhere in the metropolitan Pittsburgh area, and especially in my hometown of McKeesport, wherein trains traveled right across the main drag several times a day as they proceeded into and out of the steel mill there. We could be close enough to them to feel their power and see their might very close-up.Somehow, PRR became a chief interest among my purchases.

The presence of the steel mills in life influenced me, also, in my having a factory area on the layout, within view of a neighborhood of houses, just like in real life for me, along with a row of well-worn bars for the workers to patronize on their way home from work, just like in real life in McKeesport, in those days.

Then, of course, my parents' Christmas train layout was the clincher.

Once married, my wife was totally interested in my taking over the entire basement, if needed (which it was), with a model train layout. As I constructed and reconstructed the layout several times, since 1995, I grew to be interested in having it at least look something like realistic, as much as my imagination could make possible, often featuring some of the old small-businesses that characterized my hometown area, though operating it prototypically never interested me for my own playtime. I just wanted the trains to go in uninterrupted smooth circles, with no hiccups or stumbles so I could speak with guests while the whole ten trains and one trolley menagerie rolled along, as everybody drank their champagne (each operating session is a celebration) and compared their personal little discoveries of little details and vignettes here-n-there.

FrankM

P.S. I gave the circa of vehicles on the layout only a passing-interest, keeping an eye more on their average age representation than on whether they would be accurately representing a particular era. Frankly, I indulged myself, considering myself at play, not at work, as I made my layout, over time, taking my time, with vehicle purchases, selecting cars, in particular, that I had wished I had owned in the past, in real life, more than I remained faithful to a 40's, 50's, or 60's look. That became especially true as I developed the habit of welcoming children to reach up onto the layout for a favorite vehicle to take home with them, something I have done for some adults as well.

 

Frank I cannot put into words how similar our experiences and childhood history are! It truly is amazing.

gandydancer1950 posted:

Moonson posted:

For me, the influence and interest were not so much inspired by how "do" real trains affect me, but by how much they did affect me, as a boy.

Simply put, back in the 50's, when I was a boy, trains were everywhere in the metropolitan Pittsburgh area, and especially in my hometown of McKeesport, wherein trains traveled right across the main drag several times a day as they proceeded into and out of the steel mill there. We could be close enough to them to feel their power and see their might very close-up.Somehow, PRR became a chief interest among my purchases.

The presence of the steel mills in life influenced me, also, in my having a factory area on the layout, within view of a neighborhood of houses, just like in real life for me, along with a row of well-worn bars for the workers to patronize on their way home from work, just like in real life in McKeesport, in those days.

Then, of course, my parents' Christmas train layout was the clincher.

Once married, my wife was totally interested in my taking over the entire basement, if needed (which it was), with a model train layout. As I constructed and reconstructed the layout several times, since 1995, I grew to be interested in having it at least look something like realistic, as much as my imagination could make possible, often featuring some of the old small-businesses that characterized my hometown area, though operating it prototypically never interested me for my own playtime. I just wanted the trains to go in uninterrupted smooth circles, with no hiccups or stumbles so I could speak with guests while the whole ten trains and one trolley menagerie rolled along, as everybody drank their champagne (each operating session is a celebration) and compared their personal little discoveries of little details and vignettes here-n-there.

FrankM

P.S. I gave the circa of vehicles on the layout only a passing-interest, keeping an eye more on their average age representation than on whether they would be accurately representing a particular era. Frankly, I indulged myself, considering myself at play, not at work, as I made my layout, over time, taking my time, with vehicle purchases, selecting cars, in particular, that I had wished I had owned in the past, in real life, more than I remained faithful to a 40's, 50's, or 60's look. That became especially true as I developed the habit of welcoming children to reach up onto the layout for a favorite vehicle to take home with them, something I have done for some adults as well.

 

Frank I cannot put into words how similar our experiences and childhood history are! It truly is amazing.

Except, I'm a Cleveland Browns fan!

I could say I just play with toy trains, which I do. I don't count rivets but I do run consists that at least mirror some prototypes but at the same time I take artistic license. An example is imitating the Canadian Pacific's basically coast to coast (Montreal to Vancouver) "Canadian" of the mid 1950's  but instead of heading it up with a set Lionel F3's in CP colors I run it behind a pair of Williams, CP decorated, Train Masters.   Of course the Williams isn't quite right lacking the full width nose of those that had the dual steam generators such service required and so far as I know the Train Masters even with double generators never pulled the cross continent name passenger trains, but I think it looks just too cool to not do it.

Bogie

I was born and raised in Carbondale PA and my family all worked for the D&H. Besides the D&H, the Erie and NYO&W ran through town when I was growing up; so my holiday layout has Lionel  Erie 2032s pulling a consist of hoppers loaded with anthracite, MTH D&H PAs on the point of an employee excursion special with a streamline passenger consist, and custom painted Lionel MPC O&W F3s hauling a mixed "Anthracite Express" which includes a Stegmaier beer covered hopper, Wyoming Valley kielbasa reefer, Mrs. T's pierogi box car and other cars with anthracite livery.  Pics to follow later.

gandydancer1950 posted:

Moonson posted:

For me, the influence and interest were not so much inspired by how "do" real trains affect me, but by how much they did affect me, as a boy.

Simply put, back in the 50's, when I was a boy, trains were everywhere....

Frank I cannot put into words how similar our experiences and childhood history are! It truly is amazing.

That's very nice to hear, Gandy.

FrankM

Sorry to say I never saw the Milwaukee Road but for modeling there are a lot of great books and videos available. Also my wife and I drove much of the line in the west and learned a lot about the road, it's building and old bridges. Don

gandydancer1950 posted:

gandydancer1950 posted:

Moonson posted:

For me, the influence and interest were not so much inspired by how "do" real trains affect me, but by how much they did affect me, as a boy.

Simply put, back in the 50's, when I was a boy, trains were everywhere in the metropolitan Pittsburgh area, and especially in my hometown of McKeesport, wherein trains traveled right across the main drag several times a day as they proceeded into and out of the steel mill there. We could be close enough to them to feel their power and see their might very close-up.Somehow, PRR became a chief interest among my purchases.

The presence of the steel mills in life influenced me, also, in my having a factory area on the layout, within view of a neighborhood of houses, just like in real life for me, along with a row of well-worn bars for the workers to patronize on their way home from work, just like in real life in McKeesport, in those days.

Then, of course, my parents' Christmas train layout was the clincher.

Once married, my wife was totally interested in my taking over the entire basement, if needed (which it was), with a model train layout. As I constructed and reconstructed the layout several times, since 1995, I grew to be interested in having it at least look something like realistic, as much as my imagination could make possible, often featuring some of the old small-businesses that characterized my hometown area, though operating it prototypically never interested me for my own playtime. I just wanted the trains to go in uninterrupted smooth circles, with no hiccups or stumbles so I could speak with guests while the whole ten trains and one trolley menagerie rolled along, as everybody drank their champagne (each operating session is a celebration) and compared their personal little discoveries of little details and vignettes here-n-there.

FrankM

P.S. I gave the circa of vehicles on the layout only a passing-interest, keeping an eye more on their average age representation than on whether they would be accurately representing a particular era. Frankly, I indulged myself, considering myself at play, not at work, as I made my layout, over time, taking my time, with vehicle purchases, selecting cars, in particular, that I had wished I had owned in the past, in real life, more than I remained faithful to a 40's, 50's, or 60's look. That became especially true as I developed the habit of welcoming children to reach up onto the layout for a favorite vehicle to take home with them, something I have done for some adults as well.

 

Frank I cannot put into words how similar our experiences and childhood history are! It truly is amazing.

Except, I'm a Cleveland Browns fan!

 

gandydancer1950 posted:

gandydancer1950 posted:

gandydancer1950 posted:

Moonson posted:

For me, the influence and interest were not so much inspired by how "do" real trains affect me, but by how much they did affect me, as a boy.

Simply put, back in the 50's, when I was a boy, trains were everywhere in the metropolitan Pittsburgh area, and especially in my hometown of McKeesport, wherein trains traveled right across the main drag several times a day as they proceeded into and out of the steel mill there. We could be close enough to them to feel their power and see their might very close-up.Somehow, PRR became a chief interest among my purchases.

The presence of the steel mills in life influenced me, also, in my having a factory area on the layout, within view of a neighborhood of houses, just like in real life for me, along with a row of well-worn bars for the workers to patronize on their way home from work, just like in real life in McKeesport, in those days.

Then, of course, my parents' Christmas train layout was the clincher.

Once married, my wife was totally interested in my taking over the entire basement, if needed (which it was), with a model train layout. As I constructed and reconstructed the layout several times, since 1995, I grew to be interested in having it at least look something like realistic, as much as my imagination could make possible, often featuring some of the old small-businesses that characterized my hometown area, though operating it prototypically never interested me for my own playtime. I just wanted the trains to go in uninterrupted smooth circles, with no hiccups or stumbles so I could speak with guests while the whole ten trains and one trolley menagerie rolled along, as everybody drank their champagne (each operating session is a celebration) and compared their personal little discoveries of little details and vignettes here-n-there.

FrankM

P.S. I gave the circa of vehicles on the layout only a passing-interest, keeping an eye more on their average age representation than on whether they would be accurately representing a particular era. Frankly, I indulged myself, considering myself at play, not at work, as I made my layout, over time, taking my time, with vehicle purchases, selecting cars, in particular, that I had wished I had owned in the past, in real life, more than I remained faithful to a 40's, 50's, or 60's look. That became especially true as I developed the habit of welcoming children to reach up onto the layout for a favorite vehicle to take home with them, something I have done for some adults as well.

 

Frank I cannot put into words how similar our experiences and childhood history are! It truly is amazing.

Except, I'm a Cleveland Browns fan!

 

gandydancer1950 posted:

gandydancer1950 posted:

gandydancer1950 posted:

Moonson posted:

For me, the influence and interest were not so much inspired by how "do" real trains affect me, but by how much they did affect me, as a boy.

Simply put, back in the 50's, when I was a boy, trains were everywhere in the metropolitan Pittsburgh area, and especially in my hometown of McKeesport, wherein trains traveled right across the main drag several times a day as they proceeded into and out of the steel mill there. We could be close enough to them to feel their power and see their might very close-up.Somehow, PRR became a chief interest among my purchases.

The presence of the steel mills in life influenced me, also, in my having a factory area on the layout, within view of a neighborhood of houses, just like in real life for me, along with a row of well-worn bars for the workers to patronize on their way home from work, just like in real life in McKeesport, in those days.

Then, of course, my parents' Christmas train layout was the clincher.

Once married, my wife was totally interested in my taking over the entire basement, if needed (which it was), with a model train layout. As I constructed and reconstructed the layout several times, since 1995, I grew to be interested in having it at least look something like realistic, as much as my imagination could make possible, often featuring some of the old small-businesses that characterized my hometown area, though operating it prototypically never interested me for my own playtime. I just wanted the trains to go in uninterrupted smooth circles, with no hiccups or stumbles so I could speak with guests while the whole ten trains and one trolley menagerie rolled along, as everybody drank their champagne (each operating session is a celebration) and compared their personal little discoveries of little details and vignettes here-n-there.

FrankM

P.S. I gave the circa of vehicles on the layout only a passing-interest, keeping an eye more on their average age representation than on whether they would be accurately representing a particular era. Frankly, I indulged myself, considering myself at play, not at work, as I made my layout, over time, taking my time, with vehicle purchases, selecting cars, in particular, that I had wished I had owned in the past, in real life, more than I remained faithful to a 40's, 50's, or 60's look. That became especially true as I developed the habit of welcoming children to reach up onto the layout for a favorite vehicle to take home with them, something I have done for some adults as well.

 

Frank I cannot put into words how similar our experiences and childhood history are! It truly is amazing.

Except, I'm a Cleveland Browns fan!

 

Bottom left corner my 671RR Lionel set....1952, all uphill from then, with cowboy boots.

My family had a long history with the N&W. For the most part, I have attempted to limit myself to N&W and Fallen Flags associated with the N&W. This has saved me a fortune. I'm a sucker for streamlined steamers. My roster could easily triple or quadruple if I lifted my "N&W Only" ban.

Where I have "lost-it" are beer reefers, especially club cars from OGR forum members.

To me, it's all about re-living the greatest decade of the Santa Fe Railway, which I genuinely do.  When I operate one of my trains, I am really there, on the train, and, at the same time, at trackside.

Now don't call the Texas State Hospital on me.  I'm harmless.  

Number 90 posted:

To me, it's all about re-living the greatest decade of the Santa Fe Railway, which I genuinely do.  When I operate one of my trains, I am really there, on the train, and, at the same time, at trackside.....  

Hi Number90/Tom, I greatly respect your granting yourself such freedom, and especially respect and applaud your telling us about it here. Bravo!

FrankM 

Tom Tee posted:

Is there some way to reply with a quote and not reprint a host of photos?

YES! QUOTES CAN BE EDITED! Simply click on the photo and hit the delete key. You can also select text and photos in large blocks and use the delete key again. I agree, quoting photos indiscriminately is very annoying. My finger gets tired of scrolling.

I do not differentiate between model railroading and real railroading.  The principles are the same.

OldBogie posted:

I could say I just play with toy trains, which I do. I don't count rivets but I do run consists that at least mirror some prototypes but at the same time I take artistic license. An example is imitating the Canadian Pacific's basically coast to coast (Montreal to Vancouver) "Canadian" of the mid 1950's  but instead of heading it up with a set Lionel F3's in CP colors I run it behind a pair of Williams, CP decorated, Train Masters.   Of course the Williams isn't quite right lacking the full width nose of those that had the dual steam generators such service required and so far as I know the Train Masters even with double generators never pulled the cross continent name passenger trains, but I think it looks just too cool to not do it.

Bogie

Well, it ain't the Canadian, but it's a Train Master being monitored in passenger service:

BTW, the four wide short hood Train Master's (8901-8904) were rebuilt in 1959 with standard width short hoods and set up for short hood forward operation.

Rusty

In the planning stages of my layout, I picked up a lot of back issues of Classic Trains--what an eye-opener! The "birds-eye view" photo series had an immediate impact on my track planning, particularly in the engne terminal servicing area. The published stuff about modeling division point terminals is mostly useless. Kalmbach's book on the subject gets lost in the trees and misses the forest! What? You have a turntable and a roundhouse with coal dock and water tower? well then, you're done! Not exactly. I don't stick to prototype engines and rolling stock. But I do like following prototype practice because it's way moe interesting than builing a copy of someone else's model RR.

Don

Don Merz 070317 posted:

What? You have a turntable and a roundhouse with coal dock and water tower? well then, you're done! Not exactly.

Don

 

While true, space limitations in general may require one to install only the major components of the engine terminal to capture the "feel" in order to create the atmosphere.  The atmosphere can be just as important as every structure and detail being modeled:

Rusty

Absolutely. For instance, a la the Joliet Rocket, here’s my MTH NKP no. 765 pulling an odd assortment of vintage passenger equipment on the Milwaukee Lionel Railroad Club last night.

I've now resided for more than fifty years in the New England states where the New Haven Railroad and other regional roads have become the subjects of my collecting and current layouts.

MELGAR

My layout, the Free State Junction Railway, incorporates Maryland's  four class one carriers of the post World War Two period ... Baltimore and Ohio, Western Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Norfolk and Western.  Also incorporated into the theme of my layout are the four short line operators of that same time period .... Baltimore and Annapolis, Canton, Maryland and Pennsylvania, and the Patapsco and Back Rivers.  Since the Reading Company had trackage rights over some parts of the Western Maryland, I also have a representation of that road too.  

Growing up in South River, the Raritan River Railroad bisected the town, serving many local industries - there was never a loss for encountering a train passing through usually 2-3 times a day. I'd watch them drill in the South River yard near the bridge, watch them move cars in Hercules when I went to the pool nearby and later at another pool near the station on Washington Road in Sayreville. The RR has always influenced my modeling from the time I started in HO to now.

My dad fired Mikados and Consols. for the Southern and his dad built cabooses for the L+N.  I got a Marx set about seven, then to HO, and then autos.  My GF had a book on Colorado RR's and l was hooked.  I rode the Silverton while it was D&RGW, and drove abandoned roadbeds and even out on a trestle where l had no business.  I try to freelance model railroads in eastern Colo. and just buy and build what ran there till 1941. I have photoed many railroad structures around the the country, and modeled many...so real railroads of the past influence me in this hobby.

Great thread.

I have a few simple rules.  For one, I run scale cars with scale cars.  Non-scale the few I have are run together.  They look bad together.  I also run consists that make sense to run together.  For example i am not running steam with a set of gunderson maxi-staks.  It looks bad to ME. People watching it at my house would likely never know.

After that, if i like it, i run it.  On the tracks now, are engines and cars from pretty well every decade from the 1940s to today.

Again nice topic.

John