planning on modeling from Phili to Pitt


railBuilderDhd

railBuilderDhd

Active Member
I was thinking of doing a layout loosely modeled after the PRR and the rail from the docks in Philadelphia to Pittsburgh. By doing this I can get a dock on the layout and a yard that has modern well cars and containers as well as a dock with a large coal operation. I was hoping some may have knowledge on this area and the progress of PRR from the days of steam to the modern day diesels that are now running this line. I know I'm not going to model this to be a true-to-life but I would like it to be somewhat real.
I'm modeling in HO and do not have the final size I'll be working in because I'll be moving in a year or so and figure there will be more room after the move for my layout. For now, I'm planning on a area about 4x8.
Let me know if you have any questions.
dhd
 
Since you are planning a linear type prototype, why not do a shelf layout? It's easier to put up, easier to take down, and you can model a series of scenes that takes you from Philly to Pittsburgh with no view blocks to worry about.

The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania at http://www.rrmuseumpa.org/about/welcome/history.htm should give you a lot of the history of the Pennsylvania RR and other railroads that ran in Pennsylvania. If it's steam you want, that ended in 1957, and it was only a short jump to 1968 and the disastrous Penn Central merger. Consequently, the history of PRR diesel locomotives is a good bit shorter than other large rail systems. There were some good ones around but they lasted less than 20 years or so in the PRR paint scheme.
 
I guess I could do a shelf layout but I'm not trying to model the rail from Phili to Pitt exactly, I want to model based on this area. From this I can model docks (Phili) all the way to mountains like they are near Pitt.
I’m not going to build a true-to-life layout but I would like to have the trains and the building all seem like they are from the same era. I don’t want to have something like a diesel show up on a layout that’s from the 30’s.
I was hopeful to get this long enough that I can run long trains but I’m such a newbie at this point I don’t even know how many cars I can expect to have on a train at one time. I don’t even know if the layout I start with now will make it to the new home and be incorporated into the layout I build there but I would like to be able to build off it if turns out looking good.
 
There's a lot of railroad between Philly and Pitt and a lot of time between the 50's and now. I think you need to focus. You say you don't want it to be an exact replica, but I'm guessing you don't want it to be a joke either. I think you need to focus and make a few decisions. The sooner you make your decisions, the less work and money you will spend following multiple dreams.
 
Chip,
You are correct and I know that I need to make decisions I'm working that out now. One decision I’ve made is I’m going to start in the direction of a modern era layout that will include a yard and docks. This will keep me busy till I move and then if I’m not happy with the era I can change over to the earlier era. I wouldn’t consider any money spent lost if I’ve enjoyed the time and gained experiences. There is so much to learn about and not just model railroads but the real rail that we model. I just want to enjoy the time and remember I’m not going to put the final layout in a museum but will be in my basement for my enjoyment.
Thanks for your input and I look forward to gaining more from you and others as I learn more.
dhd
 
On a 4x8 layout, a long train would be 12-15 cars before you get into the dog chasing it's tail. If you did a shelf layout that was 2'x16', a 25 car train would look good. The dock and yards will take up most of a 4x8 layout. If you really want to get the feeling you're hauling long trains over the Pennsy mainline, you'll need more space than a 4x8. Maybe just starting out with the docks and the yards and getting that done is the best way to start towards a bigger layout later.
 
Jim,
That's exactly how I was thinking of moving forward with this layout. I would build the dock and yard and that would be good for now with switching and all till I move and continue "down the line". The mainline is not a model I can build where I live now but I hope I will be able to when I move to a larger home.
dhd
 
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