On my last two layouts, I modeled both. My layout had dual mainlines which hosted PRR, Erie, NYC, B&O, Reading, B%LE, NKP and a host of other rr's that traversed the western Penna area. I am from Sharon, Pa, which is next to Youngstown, OH, and in the Shenango Valley. So, I modeled my hometown and surrounding communities, and had my own line too, and a backstory. My layout was originally called the Shenango Valley lines and in its story I included my father, uncles and cousins as they all worked for the railroads and the Greenville Car Co, nearby. My SVRR was a dark red with a single yellow stripe on diesels, and name on the side hoods and steam tenders in initials. Nothing flashy, but looked good in multiple headed trains. The basic story is that my father, Ken "Blackjack" Willaman, founded the rr to provide building supplies around the surrounding area, and his brother (real life) was Leroy "Speedwagon" Willaman was the hotshot engineer whose antics always ensured railroads ran on time. When I built my present layout, I found out that a lot of my ancestors and relatives worked on the Bessemer & Lake Erie, so I changed my fantasy to the Bessemer and Shenango Valley RR lines. I even made a "suburban" of old Rivarossi smoothsides and called it the Valley Bluebird, and each car had red, blue and green trim named after birds, pulled by either a PA or E7/8A. It was and is still a lot of fun integrating my fictional rail line with real rail lines, and making up stories for the biography when I have guests over. Since my son and daughter recently wrecked both of their personal cars, I incorporated it as if they had train accidents. Kevin "Hotshot" Willaman, and Kelsey "Crash & Burn" Willaman. I have made some rolling stock, but in the most part, dedicated BSV locos pull other rail cars, and the company has been in black since founded based on its location and leased access of trackage in the area, as the BSV is smack in the middle of the trackage between NYC and Chicago. This storyline and history didn't come overnight or alone. My friends and relatives all contributed to the scheme of my layout, and by participating, they enjoy running trains on my layout, even if they are not active model railroaders. I recently added a church downtown and named the church after our pastor in real life, and whenever he came to dinner, he insisted to run trains in "the train room" and not the garage. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman
I've always been a fan of the 'alternative history' idea. Combined with free lancing (or proto lancing) you can do almost anything you want.cute:
I do it by working on my frame of referencer. Modeling an Interurban in 1910? Read books about interurbans in 1910, pick the part i like and invent my own railway. Modern railroad? go out and watch trains, take what i want and model it. So my model railway is all prototypical but yet is no one prototype.
