Prototype modeling - how far can you take it?

[nachoman]

As many of you know, my layout is what is commonly referred to as a "proto-lance". That is, I have a prototype that is the basis for my railroad, but my towns and railroad are fictional. This gives me the inspiration to make a believable railroad, without having to spend too much effort on specifics. I chose this route because I felt that I would not be able to model my prototype (the Morenci Southern Railroad) to my satisfaction. My worry was that I would be constantly bugged by details that I didn't get "right". I also chose a timeframe - summer 1919, when the mining business was beginning to slow after WWI, but before the underground copper mines gave way to huge open pits.

While my railroad is fictional, I still read about railroads of the region in order to decide what is "believable". That is the basis for proto-lancing. This research tells me what kind of freight and passenger cars rolled at the time, what types of commodities they carried, and how many trains they ran per day. I have learned that my "prototype" had a plush business car, used reefers on the 18-mile line, and typical train lengths and schedules. But, that is not the only information available...

If I wanted to strictly model a prototype, I could choose a specific month, or a specific day. Having nailed down a specific date, I could look up what the weather was on that day, and perhaps I would learn there was a large storm the day prior washing out a bridge or that the area had been suffering through months of drought and the scenery was brown. Maybe I would learn there was a cold snap, forcing people to get out their jackets and coats for a few days. That information is readily available by researching local newspaper archives or photographs.

Let's not stop there - I could learn perhaps there was a carnival or parade in town that week - something to model with hundreds of LPBs. Or perhaps there was a traveling automobile club through town at that time, or a hotly-contested local election. That information is available. Research on my "prototype" reveals pictures of funeral trains and workers' strikes. There are also pictures of "deportation" trains where hundreds of Mexican decedents were rounded up and transported back to Mexico. These are all bits of information available to those who want to strictly adhere to their prototype.

I chose not to be a prototype modeler for fear of rivet counting myself to insanity and non-productivity. Taking it a step further, we have the ability to "rivet count" our historical culture, our climate, and our history. I plan to incorporate some of the cultural elements into my "proto-lanced" layout as a means of creating a believable southern Arizona mining town. Perhaps I will have a carnival, or the annual Cinco De Mayo celebration. For the prototype modelers, how far can you take it, or how far would you take it?