Help and advice for a new railroader

[steve fay]

As work has got under way for my railway room I'm thinking about what to put in.

My o gauge project Ranelagh bridge will be an end to end down one side I'm wondering what to put down the other.

As I'm already doing one British prototype I'm thinking about a first adventure in American HO. I have visited the states a few times and driving through death valley alongside a double deck container train that seemed to go on forever is a memory I will never forget.

This layout will be a roundy roundy fiddle yard under Ranelagh bridge scenic side on the other, as some times it is nice just to watch trains go by.

My prototype??

Well this is where I need help ad I haven't got a clue about American railroads. I have done a bit of research and

I would like Union Pacific around Cheyenne ( Sherman hill) in the mid 1950s

I've found a cracking web site full of colour photos with challengers big boys gas turbines and diesels.

As I've never modelled American I'm not sure which manufactures to use, I would want models to the same quality as the current Hornby Bachmann offerings. DCC sound .

I also need help in the right locomotives steam and diesel other than the ones mentioned and rolling stock for the mid 50s.

OK over to you guys

Many thanks

Steve

[trisonic]

By the mid - fifties steam was pretty much on the way out - although Big Boys were working up to 1959 - I hope you have a lot of space. My suggestion is to get some books on the UP for that era; look at Carstens Publications or Kalmbach (they tend to have a more Mid-West bias) for example and a start. I'm not well up on UP in the fifties - it's a vast subject and you really need to do some reading.

 

As for models in general, Atlas and Athearn are producing new stuff right now that is so superior to British R-T-R models as to be almost embarrassing. The company you mentioned does produce US outline but I don't own any. Their On30 stuff is popular.............

 

Good luck, Pete.

[warbonnetuk]

Firstly welcome to the joys of North American outline modelling

 

I do model a bit of UP in HO so I'll expand on Pete's post to recommend a number of books published by Morning Sun:

 

Union Pacific Official Color Photography Vols 1 & 2

Union Pacific Colour Guide to Freight & Passenger Equipment Vol 1 & 2

Union Pacific Steam in Colour

 

Kalmbach publish a book called 'Union Pacific across Sherman Hill'

 

One good DVD that I have is a Pentrex one called 'Union Pacific Classic Collectors' Series that covers Big Boys, Challengers plus other assorted UP steam that was still around on your period.

 

If you haven't found it already I'd recomment the 'UtahRails' website as an excellent source of roster info on both UP past and present.

 

Echo Pete's comments about reading up before parting with your readies to avoid any expensive mistakes and make use of as many web forums as you can find. There is also a UP Historical Society in the US

 

In terms of locos pretty much all the big steamers you need have been done in plastic / brass hybrid in the last couple of years. Big Boys have been produded by Athearn (avoid MRC chipped early ones), Broadway, Trix and Hornby International. Challengers have been done by Athearn, MTH, Lionel. Athearn has done a FEF 2 & 3. Broadway have produced a TTT (2-10-2) and a 4-8-2 and will be releasing (some time!!) a 4-12-2. MTH have produced a 4-12-2 already. Note sure is you are planning to operate on DC or DCC but I'll caveat MTH products to say that they use their own version of DCC which is pretty much incompatible with anything else.

 

Hope this helps

 

Dan Spalding

[dave1905]

You are choosing a prototype with huge engines,long trains and wide open spaces through basically high desert. So if you are planning for the "roundy-roundy" to have 30" radius curves and large vistas of open area it will look like Sherman Hill. If you are planning to have a circle of 18" radius track it will not. Not saying you can't. Depends on whether you want to watch an engine go by or a train go by.

[Hunslet]

Hi Steve,

My H0 scale layout is about what you are contemplating !

It is based on Dale Junction on Sherman Hill between Cheyenne and Laramie and consists of two loops of 8ft diameter connected together by a narow section against a wall. The layout is in the garage and both loops fold to allow car access. The narrow section is fixed.

The period is the 50's so i can use steam, Diesel and turbine power and has track 3 which was built in the early 50s joining the main line..

My stock includes Turbines by Lionel and Athearn, Diesel by Broadway, Genesis, Proto2000 and Athearn, Steam by Broadway, Trix, MTH, and Precision Craft.

Stock is from Athearn, Trix and Intermountain.

Control is from Lenz DCC with point control through a push-button panel with addiional remote control via IR system.

The folowing videos give an idea of the Dale Junction area and show trains joining the main line from track 3.

 

 

Genesis F7 AB units with GP9B hauling PFE empty west.

 

 

Precision Craft Big Boy Freight west

 

 

 

I have found that books by A.J.Wolff on Diesels on Sherman Hill and his Turbine book are good sources of photos if you can find them.

Colin.

[steve fay]

Thanks for the replies

I will be using the gaugemaster prodigy advance wireless. So DCC sound is a must.

The web site I was talking about is western rail images, it's worth a look just for the fantastic photography. The area I'm looking at is big cut on Sherman hill between Spear & Dale creek. it's a single line in a cutting. This will hopefully allow m'e to capture the appearance without needing acres of room. The room will be 13 foot X 10 foot.

My O gauge project will be down the one side then the American down the other and around the sides.

This project is somewhere to watch the trains go by as my O gauge will be a shunty light engine movements.

Can you give m'e some good shops in the UK and sound chip suppliers

Looking at the photos on western rail images the locos I would be looking at are;

Challenger

Big boy

Gas turbine

EMD GP-9

UP 4-8-4

There are a few others but I'm not sure what there correct designations are.

Thanks again.

[F-UnitMad]

... I would want models to the same quality as the current Hornby Bachmann offerings.

You'll not be wanting the really good stuff, then..??

US models reached "current Hornby standards" about 30 to 40 years ago......

[steve fay]

Yes it seems the current American stuff has left the british stuff behind along time ago.

I'm thinking about peco code 83! Are there better alternatives?

[Adrian Wintle]

Peco code 83 is the newest track system and looks very good. I've heard good things about it. I model in N, so I don't have any first-hand experience with it.

 

As you are interested in DCC Sound, I'd advise avoiding MRC sound chips - QSI or Soundtraxx are much better.

 

Adrian

[Glorious NSE]

http://www.modeljunction.info/ would be my first suggestion for a trader - they have the Genesis GP9s listed for advance orders both with and without sound.

 

Most manufacturers do shortish one-off runs of products, if you want very specific stuff then pre-ordering is almost essential unfortunately.

 

We find Peco C83 a good product, and as your prototype was heavy-duty railroading by 50s standards then I would think it wouldn't be a bad match.

 

 

[steve fay]

Glorious NSE

Thanks for the advice. I've pre ordered a EMD GP9 with sound.

[shortliner]

Just had an email from Factory Direct - 2 Blueline sound equipped SD7/9 for $199.99, non sound for $119.99 while they last

[steve fay]

I have now got 3 Walls of my railway room done and had a good look at the space I have. I'm going to slightly alter the plan to a folded figure 8. Large radius curves

Fiddle yard under the main scenic section seen as it's Sherman hill I might as well have some gradients.

I really got to stop watching you tube as I've just pre ordered some SD 70s in UP heritage liveries seems like I will be doing up to date and 50s.

Hopefully have my first loco by next week.