Well another weekend has passed, and I don't have much to report as far as layout progress is concerned. I did manage to re-design it a bit. I also have begun to compose the "back story" of this layout. I wonder if I am the only hobbyist who feels that he needs to do this. Not sure I can explain this properly. To me, a railroad needs a reason to exist. Obviously getting goods and people from point A to point B is reason enough, but doesn't it go deeper? In the halcyon days of the late 1800's, little towns were begging the roads to construct branch lines into them. To have a railroad was to be connected to the outside world. It meant economic strength, social opportunity and municipal bragging rights.
And so it came to pass that the little hamlet of Shiretown needed a railroad. Situated on a plain of naturally fine silica sand, Shiretown craftsmen had begun making glass, both ornamental and as windows. Horse and wagon proved a difficult method of shipping, especially during mud season. They beseeched the B Line to connect them to Beaufield. And so the Shiretown branch came into being. The line was later abandoned, but has recently been restored as a commuter rail operation, and a happy coincidence is that The Shiretown Glass Company has begun to ship their goods via rail again. Local farmers, always productive, now also have the railroad as a shipping option. This is the railroad that I am modeling.
Another thing I did this weekend was to take my neice and nephew into Boston on (of course) the train! We were treated to the sight of a private coach sitting on one of the tracks at South Station.[G2:44607]
So it was a good weekend, but not one full of accomplishments.
Not Much to Report
Albey25
Rest assured , Albey25, you are not the only one to have created a 'Back Story' - all those who freelance model (aka 'do their own thing') tend to have to do what you have had to. It's creating your 'Road's 'history' and as you have pointed out, gives you something to base what you do on. It makes perfect sense, and has created a very nice 'story'.
I especially liked the 'Glass' aspect of your operation - will you be running specialised wagons to carry this product?
Please keep us informed about 'developments, and thanks for sharing.
Komata
"TVR - serving the Northern Taranaki . . . "
will you be running
will you be running specialised wagons to carry this product?
Funny you should ask. I was considering some way of "padding" flat cars or even gondola cars, and inserting a load of scale glass, just to suggest a prototype. I will probably look into how sheets of glass are really shipped and go from there.
Also, thanks for the nice comments on the "back story" concept. As far as I am concerned, without the story, you just have toy trains.
Al
Histories, stories, backgrounds, etc!
It was only after I had read a few "histories" here at nScale.net that the thought of coming up with some sort of back ground for AL even entered my head! Then, with the encouragement and assistance of both Komata and 69Z28 the history of AL came into being!
Not sure if you have had the chance to read it, but if interested, please start with this blog entry: http://www.nscale.net/blog-entry/bryanc/2007/08/27/history-alligator-lines-introduction
And BTW, congratulations on your planning. I, to, am intrigued by the glass aspect of your plans. Something truly different! Should be very interesting to watch it all unfold! Please keep us up to date!
Cheers!
Bryan C
Alligator Lines "The Eclectic Line of the South"
http://ALines.home.att.net
History
Another important point about that, your rr future
"You don't know where you're going if you don't know where you came from" - Anonymous
Albey25 wrote:Well another
Iwouldn't say that your the only hobbiest to model a subway. I have attempted it in HO scale "Coney Island Line" the "D" train in Brooklyn. But now I would love to do it again in N-Scale however I am having a hard time modeling a subway with American made subway train models. Where if you have; did you find them??? The concrete platform could be made from the same material that we use for rocks(Hydrocal). But just using cardboard rather than rubber molds. or you can purchase them from Japanrailways.com, or Kato Japan also. Not to worry about a Concrete Contractor. I have alot of ideas for a N-Scale subway just no subway cars??? :( Japanrailways has some but they are built quite different the electric comes from above for one; and the cost is around $240.00 with shipping from Japan. You can find them on Ebay. I can talk subways all day. Done alot of research. PM or YIM if you ever want to chat on the topic. Keep that dream alive :)