Posted by Trail Nut |
- Re: Modern Pere Maquette layout
Posted by Fritz Milhaupt
on June 13, 2009, 9:44 am, in reply to "Modern Pere Maquette layout"
98.224.216.XSounds like some of the thoughts I've had.
In the early 1990s, I was planning a basement-sized layout based on the PM and Union Belt of Detroit, set in 1967, with the PM owned by, but not merged into the C&O. Fort Street Union Depot would anchor one end of the line, with much of the UB modeled down to Delray, then a jump through a helix to the other side of Rougemere yard and as far west on the former PM as I could fit.
I had painted some GP40s and GP7s into a PM paint scheme based on a simplified version of the early C&O GP7 paint scheme, plus painted a PM-lettered BL2 and several NW2s (in the authentic PM paint scheme). I had just finished room preparation at one end of the basement and construction was beginning when it became necessary to move closer to my job.
After a succession of rentals and moving into a house that has a basement that's not really suitable for a layout, I now have a place with a usable basement in sight (and have already negotiated the necessary right-of-way with the missus). My plans have changed, however.
This time, my plan is to model the PM as it would look in 1953 with the C&O merger postponed, in my timeline, to 1954. The layout will start in either Michigan City or New Buffalo, and continue north through St. Joseph/Benton Harbor, hopefully at least to Hartford. If I can fit it, I'd like to have the branch to Paw Paw on a lower level.
Operations will center on the various fruit rushes, which in theory will alow me to pull some Mikados, Consolidations and a couple of Berkshires out of the storage line. All operations west of New Buffalo into Chicago will be diesel-only, to require locomotive changes for the few trains where steam has been pressed into service.
The locomotive fleet will match the diesels the PM had and that the C&O bought for use in Michigan up to 1953. I'm planning a pair of BL2s on the La Crosse Turn (running into staging from the south end of the yard), have begun work on a dozen GP7s, and have two USRA Mikes, a couple of USRA 0-8-0s, a pair of Consolidations and three Bekshires waiting to be redetailed. Already ready to go are three E7s, two GP7s and six NW2s.
Luckily the caboose situation has become easier in the last couple of years-- I've painted ten Atlas Trainman cabooses to supplement the brass cars I've acquired over the past twenty years.
That's the current plan. I figure that it'll result in a layout that takes 6-8 people to hold a full operating session.
We'll see how it works out. Even if things go extremely well, I don't expect to have anything ready to run for at least four to five years. In the mean time, I'm thinking of building some PM-inspired Free-Mo modules.
-fm - Re: Modern Pere Maquette layout
Posted by Trail Nut
on June 13, 2009, 6:28 pm, in reply to "Re: Modern Pere Maquette layout"
70.226.87.XWow that sounds like a cool layout. All the equipment will be lettered PM? I had my dream layout all drawn up of the Elmdale Sub in the early 1950's. It would have run from Malta to Edmore with a branch to Remus. The room I have for a layout now is quite small so I scaled it down to Greenville to Lowell. I will probably stick to the prototype but lettering a BL2 and a few Geeps PM is very interesting. TN - Re: Modern Pere Maquette layout
Posted by Fritz Milhaupt
on June 14, 2009, 9:22 am, in reply to "Re: Modern Pere Maquette layout"
98.224.216.XAll the motive power will be lettered PM, except for one or two NYC units that will appear in Benton Harbor with the limited interchange that came up the former Big Four. I haven't researched what the NYC used on that branch, yet.
For passenger cars, I'm toying with the idea of using a few streamlined coaches lettered for the C&O, from their big Pullman-Standard order, to supplement the PM-lettered cars. That'd help show the corporate relationship, and would make sense, given the way the C&O overbought passenger equipment following WWII.
The Elmdale Sub has often tempted me. The big drawback to me is that it didn't have the kind of passenger traffic I'd like to run, or the sheer volume I'd like to have for my operating sessions.
I've often thought that Greenville would make a great set of Free-Mo modules, though.
-fm
- Big Four Memories
Posted by OwlCaboose2853
on July 16, 2009, 8:28 pm, in reply to "Re: Modern Pere Maquette layout"
75.45.184.XFritz Milhaupt, you research for;
Big Four Memories
New York Central Michigan Division
- Re: Modern Pere Maquette layout
Posted by Dan M
on June 15, 2009, 6:14 pm, in reply to "Re: Modern Pere Maquette layout"
216.25.180.X
I have posted to my desire for a post merger PM layout, as if it never happened. My first layout lasted until I got married then we moved. Everything is boxed up still and I still have paper central or electronic central RR going now.
I have based my inspiration on the Almont Branch, but have had several options to make it not a branch. Option 1 would be a mainline west to E. Lansing passing through Holly. Also the line would continue to Hastings then south to Kzoo then to PawPaw and link up with the line to Chicago there. (Passenger trains are the Spartan and the Huron).
Another option would be a build form Memphis (Almont branch again) to the GTW Romeo Sub. PM trackage rights to Wixom via the old Jackson Branch which the PM would buy from Pontiac to Wixom. The GTW would in return have trackage rights from Pontiac to Port Huron via the Romeo Sub. The line between Armada and Richmond would be abandoned.
The third option would be a belt line around Port Huron serving the post WWII economic boom of the auto industry. This would fit my smaller space now, but the idea of just modeling just one or two towns on the Almont Sub main is also an idea I am considering.
Has anyone else thought of just modeling a few town and not having a large terminal yard (just go with a staging yard)?
For the diesel era:
GP-35, GP-30s, GP-7s, GP-9s would be the road power with SW-1, SW-9 ,making up the yards.
Steam would be Mikes, Berks, and 0-8-0s.
Modern era would see steam excursions from PH to Almont for the Apple Fest. I'd pull out a 2-8-2 or a Berk for that.
Enough rambling here, you are going to make me want to spend money I do not have and start building!
DM
Take a ride on the Trunk Line.
Trunk Line Photography
http://trunklinephotography.blogspot.com/ - Re: Modern Pere Maquette layout
Posted by Trail Nut
on June 15, 2009, 7:43 pm, in reply to "Re: Modern Pere Maquette layout"
70.226.87.XI have decided to scale down my plans to include three towns, one with a small yard. Except for the local, all trains will be coming out of staging. Dan, why don't you pick a chunk of the PM mainline that would work for you. Plymouth has a lot appeal. TN - Re: Modern Pere Maquette layout
Posted by Dan M
on June 16, 2009, 6:34 pm, in reply to "Re: Modern Pere Maquette layout"
68.61.106.XI have actually though of Holly with points north or south too. The topography makes it attractive too with the hills and lakes.
Dan
http://api.tiles.virtualearth.net/api/GetMap.ashx?b=h,mkt.en-us&z=19&c=42.7890690710412,-83.6240941887848&w=900&h=820
Take a ride on the Trunk Line.
Trunk Line Photography
http://trunklinephotography.blogspot.com/ - Re: Modern Pere Maquette layout
Posted by Trail Nut
on June 16, 2009, 7:01 pm, in reply to "Re: Modern Pere Maquette layout"
70.226.87.XMaybe your like me, I like to design layouts, so I draw up a lot of them. - Re: Modern Pere Maquette layout
Posted by Trail Nut
on June 14, 2009, 5:39 pm, in reply to "Re: Modern Pere Maquette layout"
70.226.87.XWhat is a Free-Mo module? - Re: Modern Pere Maquette layout
Posted by Johnathan Edwards
on June 27, 2009, 2:01 pm, in reply to "Re: Modern Pere Maquette layout"
75.48.220.XAnyone have any thoughts on a modern day (as of 2009) Pere Marquette layout with the PM still a independant railroad? - Re: Modern Pere Maquette layout
Posted by Trail Nut
on June 27, 2009, 10:20 pm, in reply to "Re: Modern Pere Maquette layout"
69.221.244.XThat would be an interesting proposition. A modern day PM would look a lot like the CSX does in Michigan now, although I don't believe they would have leased out the Manistee line and also would have kept the line to Ludington. As far as locos go they would most likely have older diesels than CSX has but GM engines would be prevalent. TN - Free-Mo modules
Posted by Fritz Milhaupt
on June 15, 2009, 7:09 am, in reply to "Re: Modern Pere Maquette layout"
98.224.216.XFree-Mo is a loose organization with a basic module spec that emphasizes prototype modeling based on a single-track mainline.
Free-Mo layouts are set up point-to-point, so the geometry of individual modules is considerably more free than that of other systems. Modules can be any length you are able to transport, can vary considerably in width and can curve nearly any amount that you want. This is in contrast to other systems where modules need to conform to tighter standards of length and curvature in order to be set up in a loop.
There is an HO Free-Mo effort starting up in Michigan-- its first display was at the Ann Arbor Model Railroad Club's show in Saline last February.
In addition, there is another group that has formed to build a series of high-quality N scale Free-Mo modules representing scenes from along Chessie's Plymouth Sub in 1978. They use code 55 track and minimal compression to make their scenes as realistic as they can. One team decided that it would be fun to see just how far they could take it by going way overboard by building a series of modules from Trowbridge to the MSU power plant, with land profiles as close to those shown on the USGS maps as they could. It is one of the neatest, but most insane, things I've ever seen. This group doesn't have a public online presence yet.
I have a module depicting the Thornapple River bridge at 48th Street in progress, but I decided not to take it to quite the extreme that the guys modeling East Lansing did.
Details on Free-mo are found at http://www.free-mo.org . There are also photos and details on some recent setups.
Photos of a recent North American-prototype Free-Mo setup in Unna, Germany (where it is called FREMO) are found at http://www.westportterminal.de/meetings/unna2009.html
After 20 years of building and displaying modules set up to be used in large loops, I found the free-form design of Free-Mo to be just what I needed to recharge my interest in building modules.
-fmLink: Free-Mo web site
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