Model Railroad Design (or Armchair Model Railroading)

I find that I often complicate things. While I have my ideal design for a model railroad I know that even basic pieces of it are beyond my ability at the moment (mostly space considerations, but also some monetary ones). So I try to look at what I have and see what I can figure out what I can do with that with least initial output at the moment. Most of us who have studied something about design understand many of the limitations of the 4'x8' sheet of plywood (or foam insulation).

Scott Perry of Layout Design Service, http://www.layoutdesignservice.com/, has come up with a paradigm breaking spin off of the sheet of plywood in his Heart of Georgia beginners layout, http://www.layoutdesignservice.com/lds/samples/betterbeginnerlayout.htm, which gives the ability for much wider curves and to have four scenes where the 4'x8' only really gives you the ability of two scenes.

Now I really like Scott's design, but I won't copy it. But the one foot width eight by nine foot rectangular shelf is a great plan. Deciding what to do with it is the hard part. With only twelve inches, eighty seven scale feet, it is not possible to model much more than the railroad right-of-way. There are great advantages there, to start with you save money! All those buildings not on the right-of-way cost money. You also save time in building them.

My plan was to build the New Jersey side of the Pigeon Point (Wilmington, Delaware) to Carney's Point (Deepwater, New Jersey) carfloat operation. But I have run into a number of problems at this stage and think that for this first layout, that is not the way to go. I may still try to hit the carfloat angle. I have to say, the idea of a working car float that can be used for staging and operation sounds like a really fun idea.

What is a Hobo?

A hobo is someone who rides the rails, preferably for free. "This perhaps begs the question, what is a hobo?, and what differentiates them from a tramp and a bum? Probably the most succinct definition and one with which most hoboes agree, is that of Dr Ben L. Reitman who stated that: "The hobo works and wanders, the tramp dreams and wanders and the bum drinks and wanders." (Anderson 1923, 87) Most hoboes are unanimous in that they are committed to the work ethic, as Road Hog (1997) a hobo for over forty years insists, "Real hoboes are workers...". To be sure there are some differences in emphasis, some "worked to be on the road" and others were "on the road to work". Whatever their motivations they became part of a distinct caste, that of the hobo."* They are an honorable breed that follows a code:

Hobo Code
As inscribed in the Annual Convention Congress of the Hoboes of America held on August 8, 1894 at the Hotel Alden, 917 Market St., Chicago Illinois;

1.-Decide your own life, don't let another person run or rule you.
2.-When in town, always respect the local law and officials, and try to be a gentleman at all times.
3.-Don't take advantage of someone who is in a vulnerable situation, locals or other hobos.
4.-Always try to find work, even if temporary, and always seek out jobs nobody wants. By doing so you not only help a business along, but insure employment should you return to that town again.
5.-When no employment is available, make your own work by using your added talents at crafts.
6.-Do not allow yourself to become a stupid drunk and set a bad example for locals treatment of other hobos.
7.-When jungling in town, respect handouts, do not wear them out, another hobo will be coming along who will need them as bad, if not worse than you.
8.-Always respect nature, do not leave garbage where you are jungling.
9.-If in a community jungle, always pitch in and help.
10.-Try to stay clean, and boil up wherever possible.
11.-When traveling, ride your train respectfully, take no personal chances, cause no problems with the operating crew or host railroad, act like an extra crew member.
12.-Do not cause problems in a train yard, Another hobo will be coming along who will need passage thru that yard.
13.-Do not allow other hobos to molest children, expose to authorities all molesters, they are the worst garbage to infest any society.
14.-Help all runaway children, and try to induce them to return home.
15.-Help your fellow hobos whenever and wherever needed, you may need their help someday.
16.-If present at a hobo court and you have testimony, give it, whether for or against the accused, your voice counts!
http://www.hobo.com/hobo_code.htm

*See the article written by Colin Beesley: http://www.northbankfred.com/colin1.html "The American Hobo" Also checkout all information at http://www.hobo.com/ .

Influence

I am a Reading man, I was raised a Reading man, I will always be a Reading man. But I am not without susceptible tendencies to other areas due to outside influence.

Yesterday a flat package arrived in the mail from an awesome friend, thanks Rob, in socal (southern California). The 2008 Union Pacific Calender featuring the UP's Heritage Fleet. You can see some shots of these locomotives at the following link: http://www.trainweb.org/richard/UPHeritage/UP_Heritage_Photo_Shoot.html
Between those awesome paint jobs on the new SD70ACe locomotives honoring the fallen flags of the UP and the shots of the Centenials, FEF and Challenger it is enough to make anyone become a UP man.

My current read is "Set Up Running: The Life of a Pennsylvania Railroad Engineman, 1904-1949 (Paperback)by John W. Orr (Author), James D. Porterfield (Introduction). See it at: http://www.amazon.com/Set-Running-Pennsylvania-Engineman-1904-1949/dp/027102741X
You can read reviews on Amazon, they all basically say the same thing. If you like trains or railroads, this is a must read. I can easily imagine myself backdating my modeling to steam just from reading this book. I am not even halfway through and it is already one of my favorite books.

My primary railroad influence comes from my mother and her Uncle, Roy Sillman, who was a Reading Engineman basically at the same time as OP Orr was with the PRR. Uncle Roy, Aunt Gertrude, and my Grandparents were regulars on the Reading Rambles and my grandparents operated a toystore in Olney (Philadelphia, PA) that my mother grew up working in. I grew up with trains running around the Christmas tree (Mantua W&A General), trains on a carpeted platform in the basement (American Flyer S-guage with operating log loader and passenger platform) regular trips on Reading Lines commuters from Lawndale to the Reading Terminal in downtown Philadelphia with my mother and semi regular trips to Strasburg to ride the train and meet some real famous hobo's at the picnic area. When Uncle Roy passed and I got my hands on his railroad books and pictures. Reading the Reading Power Pictorial and a few other books solidified my interest in the Reading Lines. Between the old camelbacks, the Crusader, the 4-8-4 T1's from the Rambles and the mighty (if hated by train crews) Fairbanks Morse H24-66 Trainmasters. Being a child of the modern age the sleek and powerful PRR GG-1 Electric is one of my top favorites. But I am forever, a Reading Man.

Oh, and while I am rambling on, check out Hobo News: http://www.hobo.com/news.htm.