The truth is that I've given Montana Railroads a shot, and they simply don't interest me like the RCPE. Montana is a beautiful state, but 95% of the rail traffic happens on BNSF rails, with Montana Rail Link taking up most of the remaining 5%, and some UP stuff happening in the extreme Northwest and Southwest portions of the state.
The main industries in Montana for railroads is mining/logging, petrol products, wood, and grain products. But to put things in perspective, all of the Flathead valley only produces about 350 carloads of grain in a year. Butte and Anaconda has large copper mines, and there's plenty of timber to go around, but right now it seems that the logging industry is contracting down to a few mills, mostly owned by big corporations like Weyerhaeuser. The copper mines are still active, but not producing near the quantity that they once were, and the smelters have closed. That's great for the environment and state of Montana, I suppose, because then everyone can move on from the old ways. The trouble is that there is very little need for local rail service in Montana, mostly everything just comes in one side of the state and out the other.
Some modelers love to model the large unit trains, and more power to them, but I prefer the smaller branch lines, of which almost every branch in Montana has closed, or is struggling. Simply put, besides beautiful scenery and unit trains, there's not too much out here in Montana to model in the present day. So just like the state, I'm afraid I too must move my interests elsewhere. Enter the Rapid City Pierre and Eastern story:
The RCP&E is a regional railroad that hauls over 52000 carloads per year, bringing fully loaded cars of grain, cement, asphalt, petrol, ethanol, and other goods from facilities primarily in South Dakota to the Canadian Pacific, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, or Union Pacific railroads at points along it's 628 mile route.
Begun in June of 2014, the railroad has become an instant success. Turns out giving control of day to day operations to local employees is a great way to ensure a smooth running operation.
Starting out in Tracy, MN, the mainline heads west, past Brookings, Huron, Pierre, Ft. Pierre, Wall, and terminating at Rapid City. The Rapid City line runs from Dakota Junction in NW Nebraska to Colony, Wyoming, with Rapid City being in the middle. Not entering the Black Hills, but rather skirting around their outer tree-caped hills.
With Beautiful scenery, local interest, and a rock-solid roster of SD40's and GP38's, the RCP&E has basically everything I could want in a railroad, and so that is what I will model.
Finally, after years of searching, I've found the railroad which I would like to model, and I hope that the prototype lasts just as long as my models, if not longer.
So cheers to the Rapid City and Eastern! I can now move forward!
Sunday, December 25, 2016
Sunday, October 30, 2016
Who makes an SD40-2?
The EMD SD40-2 and the SD40-3 upgrade makes up the majority of the Rapid City Pierre and Eastern Railroad, so the best place to start then is to figure out just who makes a model of SD40-2.
For those who don't know, here is what an SD40-2 looks like:
These engines are a traditional EMD hood unit with a standard cab. Like all SD type models, the SD40-2 has 6 axles compared to the standard 4 found in GP units, which look similar but are shorter. SD40's have the distinguishing feature of a large deck on the front and back of the unit giving it a frame that is nearly 68 foot, 10 inches long. The SD40-2 has a 3,000 horsepower diesel engine that made the model the most popular road switcher in EMD's catalog with nearly 4,000 being produced in the production run, which lasted from 1972 to 1989, quite an impressive run.
The Rapid City Pierre and Eastern has 60 of these units with the only other type of engine being a trio EMD GP38-3's.
So then, who makes a model of the SD40? Well here's what I've uncovered:
N scale:
Kato, Intermountain
HO scale:
Athearn, Bachmann, Broadway Limited Imports, Intermountain, Bowser, Kato
O scale:
Midwestern Model Works, Lionel, MTH
G scale:
USA Trains
So it seems that HO scale offers the most choice, naturally, but an SD40-2 can be acquired in all the popular scales.
The next step will then be to decide what scale to model in! That's the hard part!
For those who don't know, here is what an SD40-2 looks like:
These engines are a traditional EMD hood unit with a standard cab. Like all SD type models, the SD40-2 has 6 axles compared to the standard 4 found in GP units, which look similar but are shorter. SD40's have the distinguishing feature of a large deck on the front and back of the unit giving it a frame that is nearly 68 foot, 10 inches long. The SD40-2 has a 3,000 horsepower diesel engine that made the model the most popular road switcher in EMD's catalog with nearly 4,000 being produced in the production run, which lasted from 1972 to 1989, quite an impressive run.
The Rapid City Pierre and Eastern has 60 of these units with the only other type of engine being a trio EMD GP38-3's.
So then, who makes a model of the SD40? Well here's what I've uncovered:
N scale:
Kato, Intermountain
HO scale:
Athearn, Bachmann, Broadway Limited Imports, Intermountain, Bowser, Kato
O scale:
Midwestern Model Works, Lionel, MTH
G scale:
USA Trains
So it seems that HO scale offers the most choice, naturally, but an SD40-2 can be acquired in all the popular scales.
The next step will then be to decide what scale to model in! That's the hard part!
N Scale vs HO Scale
The vast majority of modelers in North America use one of two scales, N scale (1:160) or HO scale (1:87.1). While no hard stats are available, it can be safely assumed that as many as 90% of the modelers on the continent are into one of these two scales. HO scale definitely holds the majority, outweighing N scale two or three fold. However, both scales are quite popular.
While HO scale might have more models being produced, pretty much everything can be found in both scales for the diesel era. For the steam era, HO scale still reins supreme, but N scale is fast catching up.
But in the end, when deciding a new model railroad layout, a scale must be chosen. And that's the topic for today, which scale, between N and HO, should one chose?
To make things simple, I like to put the choice into the context of 'scenery vs details'. If you want grand scenery, N scale is the go-to choice. But if you want excellent detail, HO scale is a better option. Don't get me wrong, N scale has excellent detail as well, it's just a matter of what the human eye is capable of seeing unassisted.
Both scales are capable of having DCC and Sound installed in locomotives, both scales have similar availability of track, but there are some different advantages.
Advantages?
As stated, N scale offers the modeler a chance to do big scenery. The additional advantage to the small size is that a layout can be made in a smaller space. Overall, N scale is cheaper than HO, allowing a similar sized fleet to be built at a discounted price. Finally, N scale is a growing segment of the hobby filled with modelers, many of whom are younger than the stereotype of an old man in the basement building his railroad empire.
HO scale has the great advantage of detail and popularity. Despite the recession in the United States and the slow recovery which hindered many of the niche markets in the hobby, HO scale has stayed quite steady with new products, magazine productions, and new layouts being built. N scale might be growing, but it's popularity is far less than HO scale, and the volume of HO scale product speaks volumes. Excellent deals can be had at any train show as the used market for HO scale is very strong. While the size is larger than N scale, many modelers find that HO scale balances details and space requirements well. A really good layout really just needs a spare bedroom, or one wall in the case of switching layouts. N scale needs less space, but many established modelers have enough spare room for HO scale.
To be fair though, there is no hard statistics on the demographics of model railroaders, everything here is merely observation and opinions based on observations.
Disadvantages?
Between these two scales, there isn't much for disadvantages. And to be honest, one scale's disadvantage is the other's advantage. The two really balance eachother well, and that is probably a major contribution as to why both N scale and HO scale hold the lion's share of modelers. The only thing that can be precieved as a distinct advantage is that HO and N scale are too small for some people who have nerve issues in the hands, bad eyesight, or the need to have ultra-detailed models.
N scale does have one disadvantage in that it is extremely difficult to make such small models run outdoors. If given the perfect environment, an N scale garden railroad should be possible, but up until now HO scale has been the smallest scale used in mass. Most modelers who have outdoor train layouts gravitate towards the larger scales, which have equipment that is robust, heavy, and well suited to outdoor running.
Which is right for you?
To be completely honest, this is not a simple question to answer, and it is not up to me, or anyone else, to decide which scale YOU model in. All I can really say is to assess your situation by answering the following questions (and other questions you come up with on your own, of course):
While HO scale might have more models being produced, pretty much everything can be found in both scales for the diesel era. For the steam era, HO scale still reins supreme, but N scale is fast catching up.
But in the end, when deciding a new model railroad layout, a scale must be chosen. And that's the topic for today, which scale, between N and HO, should one chose?
To make things simple, I like to put the choice into the context of 'scenery vs details'. If you want grand scenery, N scale is the go-to choice. But if you want excellent detail, HO scale is a better option. Don't get me wrong, N scale has excellent detail as well, it's just a matter of what the human eye is capable of seeing unassisted.
Both scales are capable of having DCC and Sound installed in locomotives, both scales have similar availability of track, but there are some different advantages.
Advantages?
As stated, N scale offers the modeler a chance to do big scenery. The additional advantage to the small size is that a layout can be made in a smaller space. Overall, N scale is cheaper than HO, allowing a similar sized fleet to be built at a discounted price. Finally, N scale is a growing segment of the hobby filled with modelers, many of whom are younger than the stereotype of an old man in the basement building his railroad empire.
HO scale has the great advantage of detail and popularity. Despite the recession in the United States and the slow recovery which hindered many of the niche markets in the hobby, HO scale has stayed quite steady with new products, magazine productions, and new layouts being built. N scale might be growing, but it's popularity is far less than HO scale, and the volume of HO scale product speaks volumes. Excellent deals can be had at any train show as the used market for HO scale is very strong. While the size is larger than N scale, many modelers find that HO scale balances details and space requirements well. A really good layout really just needs a spare bedroom, or one wall in the case of switching layouts. N scale needs less space, but many established modelers have enough spare room for HO scale.
To be fair though, there is no hard statistics on the demographics of model railroaders, everything here is merely observation and opinions based on observations.
Disadvantages?
Between these two scales, there isn't much for disadvantages. And to be honest, one scale's disadvantage is the other's advantage. The two really balance eachother well, and that is probably a major contribution as to why both N scale and HO scale hold the lion's share of modelers. The only thing that can be precieved as a distinct advantage is that HO and N scale are too small for some people who have nerve issues in the hands, bad eyesight, or the need to have ultra-detailed models.
N scale does have one disadvantage in that it is extremely difficult to make such small models run outdoors. If given the perfect environment, an N scale garden railroad should be possible, but up until now HO scale has been the smallest scale used in mass. Most modelers who have outdoor train layouts gravitate towards the larger scales, which have equipment that is robust, heavy, and well suited to outdoor running.
Which is right for you?
To be completely honest, this is not a simple question to answer, and it is not up to me, or anyone else, to decide which scale YOU model in. All I can really say is to assess your situation by answering the following questions (and other questions you come up with on your own, of course):
- How much space do I have? If you only have a closet, N scale is a good bet. If you have a basement, HO scale is an option.
- How good are my eyes and hands? Have the shakes and need glasses? HO scale, or larger, would be a great benefit.
- Do I want big scenes or small scenes? If you have visions of grand mountainous landscapes, but you only have a bedroom, N scale will give you more bang for your buck. But if you like trains operating in smaller scenes such as eastern forests, rolling hills in the Midwest, or within a city, HO scale will hold the advantage.
- Train shows? If you would like to bring your layout to a train show, N scale offers the benefit of portability, but HO scale is easier for many visitors to see. Of course, if you have big scenes (or a small layout) N scale would still hold the advantage.
- Custom modeling? The truth is that HO scale IS easier to customize than N scale, but it's not impossible to make great models in N scale, the smaller trains just need more practice with a soldering gun and an airbrush.
- Young children at home? N scale is a chocking hazard, plain and simple. Even if HO scale details can fit in a toddler's mouth, a rail car or locomotive can't. If that's the situation though, extra care should be taken so that models don't get damaged or little hands fit little details into little mouths.
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