Since I am a TOTAL NEWBIE to N scale... Would y'all mind chiming in on the pros vs. cons of modeling the three following railroads in N scale?: Milwaukee Road or Santa Fe or Rio Grande (since I live in Colorado) I currently model the Milwaukee in HO scale. I spend a LOT of time to insure resonable prototypical accuracy in my models. I will continue to model the Milwaukee in HO. I'm going to N scale so I can build a layout in my apartment. I don't want to spend copious amounts of time custom painting the N scale equipment if I don't have to. Equipment availability is in a given road name is a big factor. Thanks for your input!
If you are a diehard Milwakee Road fan then stay with it they have a lot less stuff in N scale but you can still find a lot of stuff now you might have to kitbash a few things now and then. If you wish to model the Santa Fe in N scale they have a lot more models then the Milwakee road so you don't have to kitbash much with Santa Fe. Its up to you. Sometimes when I model CSX I can't find what I'm looking for so I have to improvise, so I kitbash we all do it now and then that's what makes this hobby so cool.
Without doing any analysis, I would say that in N Scale there's more equipment in ATSF and DRGW than there is in MILW... however, the prototype accuracy of this equipment is going to vary all over the board. Fox Valley Models has recently done some MILW horizontal rib boxcars, a nice addition to the N Scale fleet. They sell out quickly and can be hard to find, but they are certainly a signature car of the Milwaukee Road.
It's getting easier and easier to be a Milwaukee Road modeler in N scale all the time. Fox Valley Models' ribside boxcars are a recent addition, and they are nice models. In addition, they will be releasing the 1935 Hiawatha in about July of next year. Now, for sheer amount of RTR availability, I would say ATSF is hands-down the best of the three you mentioned. Rarely does a model get released that DOESN'T come in some sort of ATSF scheme. I like doing some kitbashing and repainting, so this wasn't a major issue for me. It once was that almost everything came in Santa Fe and Pennsy and maybe a couple more roadnames, but Santa Fe and Pennsy were the given. Anyway, enjoy your new modeling endeavors.
Unless you are like me and want RSD15's and Fairbanks Morse and Alco switchers, Santa Fe is covered pretty well for most of the diesel era from the 50's till the BNSF merger.
Bob- Most likely Santa Fe has the most motive power, RTR. However, there is a good amount of Milw in RTR diesels. Either already available, or forthcoming: FT, F7, FP7, FP45, E8, GP30, GP40, SD7/9, SD40-2, NW2, SW1200.... All from the better quality manufacturers. That seems to like pretty good coverage for a start! As for painting any, from what I have seen of your HO, you'd easily be able to bang out a fleet of painted shells. Boxcab E50
You could finish the Rio Grande Tennessee Pass layout that Bernard Kempinski tore down recently to make way for his O-scale civil war model railroad: Bernard Kempinski's Rio Grande Tennessee Pass in N-scale (dismantled) http://alkemscalemodels.net/TennPass/Pages/Intro.html Jamie
Welcome aboard! Sit and stay for a while....... Well for 2 of the lines, ATSF and DRGW you can get a two for one there modeling the Colorado Joint Line where ATSF, CBQ, BN, BNSF, SP, UP, MP, C&S and DRGW all had shared track rights. It ran from Denver to Pueblo. And the shared tracks have been in place since 1918 The cool part is that this is still in operation as the UP and the BNSF. So you can almost anything running and be correct. Another cool thing about Colorado! I need to live there I think!
Thanks for the advice guys! I've given it some thought. It would simply feel strange to model something other than the Milwaukee Road. I guess those new highly detailed Santa Fe cabooses they had at the hobby shop caught my eye... I am going to stick with my where my heart is. The Milwaukee Road. I probably won't restrict myself to a given era as I do in HO, however. My interest in N scale right now is focused on being able to build an run a layout. Thanks again.
You should be able to find diesels in N scale with the Milwaukee road name. You can buy undecorated versions and kitbash them into the Milwaukee road name. BLI has a Milwaukee E-7 with sound. I just bought two A' units to go along with the Milwaukee 40 foot boxcars from FVM. These boxcars seem to be an on going series with FVM.
Milw all the way, like the Grande as well. Santa Fe used to be nice til they took over BN (kidding, do not flame me). Lots of choices with Milw., GPs on a branch, Sd's on the main, switchers doing a city scene.
Well, you're in good company. I have been shifting my focus slowly toward more Milwaukee Road modeling in N scale, and there are plenty of other N scalers who've done way more Milwaukee than I have. This is a good place for proto info, too, over in the Fallen Flag forum.
Well, I don't really have any space that will be dedicated. I am planning on building a door layout. (36x53) It will have to live in the garage being stowed when the car is in there. I'm going to rig up a swing-arm assembly that will hopefully allow it to raise and lower while remaining in the horizontal plane.
Great choice,Bob.Did you see the thread on the switcher kit bash?It is going to be an MP15AC.Also Steve is working on a Milwaukee Road MP15AC,may be they will release these in 2010 along with a SW1500.
If MILW is where the heart lies, then follow it. There has been releases of equipment in the past - SD40-2's from Kato (rare and pull top prices secondhand), GP40's, GP38-2's, H16-44's, VO-1000's and a few others from Atlas and are hard to come by. There are other manufacturers doing, or have done, MILW as well. As for the other two, Santa Fe offers the greatest variety of diesel locomotives over D&RGW (unless you like SD40/45T-2's) and are generally readily available.
Kato has a couple very nice NW2's, also. I have had a good experience so far with my sound equipped FP45 bu Athearn