Question: Prototypes versus fiction?


DaytonPiquaRR

DaytonPiquaRR

Freelance
My prototype is after the turn of the century (the hundred years before now), during the steam era. The thing is, I want to base my layout on a prototype, but after manipulating the main lines and industry to fit where it makes sense and is visually interesting, I find that I have a lot of space I could be using for rail, but factually did not exist at that time. I want to add spurs and things that are fiction and be somewhat true to the prototype.

I notice my proto is mainly about general mercantile, passengers, interurban, and the really cool industry of a factory that actually manufactures rail cars - The Barney & Smith Car Co. But, my city of Dayton pioneered aviation in many ways and had an R & D air field around that time that preceded our current base of Wright Patterson AFB. I thought it would be nice to write some fiction and pretend all forms of transport exploded at that time and the railroads built spurs to feed material and product to and from these first air fields, something that really didn't happen that way.

Is there a name for a layout like that, because that is what I am wanting to do?
 
I'd just recommend against creating a spaghetti bowl of track and remember, railroads are cheap - they try not to ever put in an inch more rail than they have to.
 
SpaceMouse said:
What are you planning to do with your extra rail?
Click to expand...

Basically, invent some industry to put there. I don't want a piece of the layout that is roughly 3' x 3' and only have one section of track passing through. I wished it had some more points for trains to go in that area. Of course it would no longer represent the prototype, but still.

I had never heard of Protolancing. Sounds about what I wan't to do.
 
Don't discount just creating a cityscape in that 3x3 area. Cities were mostly buildings, streets, and people with the railroad being just a part of the scene. You can create a lot of interesting scenes that are both fun to do and give non-model railroaders something interesting to look at. More people have commented on my cat stuck up in a tree scene than ever said I had a really nice yard setup. :)
 
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Not sure where your "extra" space is, but Jim's suggestion makes sense. with a cityscape or small town, you could add all kinds of industries for your railroad to serve , although you'd have to pick a few to use. A coalyard for heating, a grain elevator, a feed mill, a freight depot...... You can fill the space, add some new destinations for your trains, but not use a lot of track, and still remain true to your prototype.
 
It's hard to say without knowing what you are doing and what your schematic looks like, but it is possible to move one of the layout design elements down and add some that is protoptypical to the end of the layout?
 
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