03-13-2009, 03:20 PM
Modeling a local railroad in a custom scale.
There are really two major limitations: money and time. So, this isn't a practical option for me as I lack the money to burn on the supplies, time to perform the work, and space for the layout. All resources best spent on what I have.
But it is still fun to dream ideas up...
From the 1870s through 1899, The College Hill Railroad connected the upscale community of College Hill with the City of Cincinnati (which College Hill is now a part of). The road was killed by the street cars and automobiles, but was still interesting. The route was from the CH&D (present day CSX Cincinnati-Detroit mainline) up the hills in between Winton Road and Hamilton Ave to the parking lot behind the College Hill Presbyterian Church.
The road had a few locomotives, I believe the biggest was a Porter 0-6-0t (or equivalent). It was a 3' line. The route had steep grades and is quite scenic. The terrain is sufficiently rugged that much of it was never developed despite being near the center of a metropolis of 2mil+ people. Even today, you feel like you are far from civilization...which is great for a railroad!
The idea is that an N-scale 0-6-0 has the correct driver size...and n-scale track is the correct gauge...at 1:100 scale. This allows for kitbashing power from either the rabbit running B-man 0-6-0s or an Atlas 2-6-0. The track would be standard N-scale track as the ties are close to correct. The key building would be the church and station at College Hill...and possibly the bridges on the route. The small scale would allow for a layout along the lines of 2x8 or 3x8. The trackplan would be an oval which would look like a point-to-point but allow continuous running...a scenic backdrop down the middle.
It would be great for generating local interest in railroads...and is well supported by the presence of local rail historian John H. White Jr's books on the subject.
Michael
(fun to dream...a mistake to build!)
There are really two major limitations: money and time. So, this isn't a practical option for me as I lack the money to burn on the supplies, time to perform the work, and space for the layout. All resources best spent on what I have.
But it is still fun to dream ideas up...
From the 1870s through 1899, The College Hill Railroad connected the upscale community of College Hill with the City of Cincinnati (which College Hill is now a part of). The road was killed by the street cars and automobiles, but was still interesting. The route was from the CH&D (present day CSX Cincinnati-Detroit mainline) up the hills in between Winton Road and Hamilton Ave to the parking lot behind the College Hill Presbyterian Church.
The road had a few locomotives, I believe the biggest was a Porter 0-6-0t (or equivalent). It was a 3' line. The route had steep grades and is quite scenic. The terrain is sufficiently rugged that much of it was never developed despite being near the center of a metropolis of 2mil+ people. Even today, you feel like you are far from civilization...which is great for a railroad!
The idea is that an N-scale 0-6-0 has the correct driver size...and n-scale track is the correct gauge...at 1:100 scale. This allows for kitbashing power from either the rabbit running B-man 0-6-0s or an Atlas 2-6-0. The track would be standard N-scale track as the ties are close to correct. The key building would be the church and station at College Hill...and possibly the bridges on the route. The small scale would allow for a layout along the lines of 2x8 or 3x8. The trackplan would be an oval which would look like a point-to-point but allow continuous running...a scenic backdrop down the middle.
It would be great for generating local interest in railroads...and is well supported by the presence of local rail historian John H. White Jr's books on the subject.
Michael
(fun to dream...a mistake to build!)
Michael
My primary goal is a large Oahu Railway layout in On3
My secondary interests are modeling the Denver, South Park, & Pacific in On3 and NKP in HO
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My primary goal is a large Oahu Railway layout in On3
My secondary interests are modeling the Denver, South Park, & Pacific in On3 and NKP in HO
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://thesouthparkline.blogspot.com/">http://thesouthparkline.blogspot.com/</a><!-- m -->