So, on a forum for one of the model railroad "magazines" there is a long thread about what the most "Iconic" model railroads were/are. And of course all the regulars were there. Allen, McClelland, Koester, Barrow et al. An interesting topic, but one thing that occured to me was that as much as I love those layouts that have really been at the forefront in the hobby press and so forth, the layouts that influenced me the most are often much smaller and simpler affairs. As an example, I've mentioned before the Kalmbach boot Small Railroads you can model First ed. The Yule Central(4x6) and Marquette and Independence(4x14 dogbone) are still heavily influential to me and what I think of when I think of small layouts. I am also a big fan of the Wildcat Central layout which is a bit more recent product of the folks at MR. Mainline modern in a modest space. There's also the N-scale BN layout MR did in the very very very early 90s. Like it might have been the 1990 project that I don't remember the name of, but I loved. Are there any other layouts, or plans that really influenced you even if they weren't basement empire famous?
It is hard to exclude the basement fillers. They certainly had an influence upon me. Such as John Allen's G&D, the V&O, Carrabasset & Dead River, and my N scale favorite the Mud Bay & Southern. Have seen several very interesting smaller layouts a-building here on TrainBoard. For example, what Bruce (Arbomambo) is creating. Some N-Trak and T-Trak show layouts have given me ideas and inspiration. The Clinchfield N scale portable layout stirred up a bunch of thoughts for me. A proposed layout in HO scale, published in the July, 1991 Model Railroader the "Bekin United" struck my fancy so much that I built it in N scale, then incorporated it into a larger layout. The original small G&D is also on my list. Mix these all together and.......
I have not seen that many model in my life; but of those I've seen I think the most impressive would have been the Lockheed Employee's Model Railroad in Burbank, CA. I first saw this railroad in the late '60. It not only had Lockheed employees, but also had a collection of special effect artists from Disney Studios, and the special effects are what impressed me. I don't know if that club still exists since Lockeed merged with Martin. I have not been down home for decades. Can anyone say if it is, or isn't?
OWNRy, Tenino Western, My friend Mikes Harvey Gulch Sub, the MR BN layout, and My uncles 4 x 8 roundy round.
Years ago, the owner of one of the model shops in Houston gave me a heads up on his brother's layout. I made a point to go by and visit it the next time he had an open house. It was just so cool. Gil Freitag's Stony Creek & Western Railroad in Houston is a must see, if you ever get the chance.
I'll throw in John Armstrong and the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry. Some more modern which have featured some amazing, and well-researched and explained, scenery would include Tony Koester and Pelle Soeberg. And I'll never forget the articles about Bernard Kempinski's modules.
Ill have to include the usuals Frank Ellison's Delta Lines, John Allen's Gorre & Daphetid, the V&O, AM, etc... I also have to include Chuck Hitchcock's Eaton Division of the AT&SF, Lionel Strang's A&LS, Bob Helm's Clinchfield, Don Cassler's B&O-M&K, Arley Mitchell's CL&W and Alden McBee's B&O West End. Most of these I've read in books or magazines, the last two I've had the privilege to have operated on and regularly associate with. Sent from my LG-P930 using Tapatalk 2
The Mud Bay & Southern is one I want to see but have never had the opportunity. Which is funny because I have known Jim Younkins well over 20 years now. However, if I had my choice of 1 layout to see it would without a doubt be the Franklin & South Manchester Ry. Ryan
I was inspired by the original small section of John Allen's Gorre & Daphetid. It was only 6'8" x 3'7" -- a twice-around loop with a branch line. I used the track plan as the basis of my small N-scale layout. - Jeff
I like the detailing George Sellios (sp) works toward. Also Paul Templar here on TB, not only for the logging theme, but he could catch a "feeling" or mood or what that I enjoyed.
It's the Franklin and South Manchester for me, too. I had the good fortune to be able to visit this layout and meet George Selios a few years back. The scenery on his layout has encouraged me to "raise the bar" on my own efforts.
I was influenced during the 1960s by John Allen’s depiction of epic and romantic railroading and I tried in my own crude way to mimic some of that on my HO scale 4 x 11 foot (and 5 feet vertical) figure-8 Sierra Pacific layout. An O scale single-car garage layout seen at an Austin, Texas Jamboree impressed me with a template for doing a lot of railroading in limited space- one continuous loop of track with hidden staging sidings on one side, a junction with a branchline on the other, and a branch that terminated in switching in front of the hidden staging. That O line was a doughtnut operated from the open middle. I put those 3 elements- staging, junction and branch terminal- in an N 3-7 foot island layout operated from two sides. Had this layout 1980-2005. I got to see several versions of David Barrow’s Cat Mountain, run a train, operate a yard job with switching cuts on and off through trains, and my peak model railroad operating experience, dispatching a division by CTC panel while 8 crews ran trains. I liked the idea of a shelf layout where you see only one scene at a time, and I like Barrow’s open staging. I am using a variation of it on my Galveston layout. The prototype has (had) several different railroads with parallel yards side by side. My staging will be exposed but stuck behind two other “operating” yards, so it impersonates “just another yard” at a distance in a sea of track. The staging is named “Demara Yard” for the Demara who was a character in the movie “The Great Impersonator.”
Given that I am a bit younger then you guys, I might have a few different ones than you guys but here goes my list. Allen McClelland - A unanimous choice for most of us here. With how many different fields he pioneered in our hobby, everyone has been touched by him. Lance Mendheim - His eye for detail and his building methods are amazing. Plus he's managed to bring the common spur or industrial branch into the relm of the unique. Mike Confalone - I legitamately think the Allagash could be the spiritual successor to the V&O, his railroad is that good! S. Crabtree - His Central Virginia themed layout is probably my biggest influence.
Ooooh, good pick. I rediscovered his modeling through a couple YouTube videos, then dug through my stack of magazines and found a couple articles of his. His winter scenery is definitely an inspiration for me. Sent from my LG-P930 using Tapatalk 2
Scott Teague's N Scale modern NS layout. Via that layouts and others I've reached where I'd want my layout's main objective to invoke a certain mood/feel coupled with enjoyable operations and model railfaning as well.
January and Febuary have a really nicely done Layout tour. http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/magazine/back-issues
Layout? More to it then that. Here's the Readers Digest Condensed version. John Allen, was a contributor in the sense that he personally conveyed to me, confidence to go ahead. Saying, it can happen and you can have what you want. Suggesting, you build a layout to please yourself and not other's. When it came to his layout I was impressed. However, that wasn't the kind of layout I wanted. Then what? After sitting for hours watching trains arrive and depart in Barstow, CA.. I was convinced that somehow I wanted to replicate as many of the memories I could muster on my train layout. Not that what I have is what I wanted. The HO Tehachapi Club Layout in Balboa Park, San Diego, Ca., comes closest to seeing that dream come true. What I have today depicts (as soon as I get the scenery installed) places of interest from both my childhood and raising my family on the high desert. Dave, aka DCE Sharkman is busy replicating The Old Santa Fe Barstow Yard, Barstow, Ca., and I'm happy he has the space to recreate such. Dave can fulfill that part of my vision. Who Influenced me the most? If there is anyone single person that influenced me and my modeling, outside of family members, it would be one Harry Hunter, Hollister, CA.. He was the mentor that taught me the how to's of model railroading. Track laying, wiring, grades and the likes. I've since learned that wasn't his real name but that's how he's going to be remembered. You see at one time working or as the popular interpretation of the time was "Playing with Trains" held a negative connotation. You could loose a job over such things. Biases and prejudices run a muck. Anyway, I've never tried to recreate John Allen's, Gore & Daphetid. It needs to die in the manner he wished for it to...but never to be forgotten.
