I have decided to add an interchange to my layout. It will go the length of if it (8ft.). It will come from the south, go through a 3 way switch, and through another switch and exit to the north. On the 3 way switch will include a side track for diesel refueling, and the other will go to the turn table for loco repairs and storage, also the second switch is to the interchange. I haven't decided weather to have ATSF or the Mop to be the inter change road. I will post pictures here (and of course a video on youtube) when I get the inter change done. Also the inter change will double up as staging.
LOL. Not to be disrespectful, picking the Santa Fe - I taunt the Santa Fe modelers/operators here in KC by saying they picked the path of least resistance; it's no challenge modeling a railroad that every manufacturer in the world has built models for in huge quantities. It's not like modeling a respectable road like the Frisco or MoP. My selection would be the MoP, but... Ethan, for your sake, I would select the Santa Fe. Getting rolling stock and power will be easier and cheaper just because of the sheer volume of SF stuff out there.
And, if we are to be honest, the ATSF was a heck of a good railroad. I'd also vote Santa Fe. MP, frankly, seems to me to be even a smidge harder to get good model equipment for than is SLSF. Ken
I cast 787 Billion votes for the MP. So now it is settled. There is a ton of good MP equipment out there from P2K hoppers, Atlas locomotives (GP40, U23B, MP15, U3XX,etc), Atlas box cars, Genesis box cars, etc. I could go on but you see my meaning. Anyone can own ATSF. It takes a rugged individualist and modeler to go MoP.
Ethan: In my opinion, you need to pick the railroad that prototypically interchanged with the area that you are modeling. Having said that, without looking at track charts, did the Santa Fe even go over into that area? I do know that they had a branch line from Chanute to Pittsburg that may have extended eastward. My favorite second RR by a long shot is the Katy, but unfortunately it did not interchange with the Katy at either Neodesha or Fredonia, only the MP (both places) and the Santa Fe (Fredonia) so I will probably have some MP presence.
I vote for the Greenfield and Northern RR. Ken you're right about the ATSF. I rode the Grand Canyon 23 & 24 several times between KC and Albuquerque. There's nothing like running 90+ mph through western Kansas on jointed rail. That takes great tie condition.
I made that overnight trip to LaJunta a few years back. I was airborne in my bed every 39 feet and I chipped a tooth. The tie condition has apparently deteriorated.
Don't get me wrong I like the MoPac just fine but I'm partial to the Santa Fe. I like the diverse power arrangements you could find on they're trains in the mid seventies plus they had a great interchange at Tulsa and kept passanger service to Tulsa after Frisco discontinued service
Sorry, Rick, A Billion is not what it used to be. Our "know better than us" Congress is now into the Trillions. How bout the KCS - I like their old red, black, and yellow paint scheme. I thought it was neat! Were there any interchanges between the Frisco and KCS?
Ethan, Historically, for Lamar or Iantha I would go with the Mop. Like Rick said, there is a lot of HO Mop equipment available and I think for you era the Jenks Blue would be a good fit. The Santa Fe never got farther east than the Kansas/Missouri state line and that was only a mine spur. The main did not go east of Frontenac. John Chambers
there was the Frisco's ash grove sub through Liberal, Iantha, Lamar, Kenoma and Golden City. And the Mop did have 2 lines. One trough Lamar and Boston and the other through Liberal. It's the Iantha Branch, anything can happen, including both the Santa Fe and the Mop coming in on one track.
Ethan: It is your railroad so do what you want. I would like to encourage you to go with the MoP for purely selfish reasons. Flush the Santa Fe idea! El Bob Oh
Ethan: I just checked my timetables and a 1946 railroad atlas and the MP crossed and probably interchanged with the SLSF at both Liberal and Lamar. The MKT had a line that ran as close as Nevada. You were also close to the KCS main line As far as the Santa Fe is concerned the closest point to you was indeed Pittsburg. I know there was quite a bit of mining in that area so you could consider a run westward to a mine and grant trackage rights for the KCS or Santa Fe into Iantha. What era are you modeling? Sometimes RR's tore up trackage for various reasons and granted trackage rights into various towns. Case in point is the town of Fredonia, KS where in my era the MP came in on the Santa Fe due to a large soybean plant they serviced there and had a switcher and caboose stationed there. You seem quite smart and creative so therefore maybe you can figure out some kind of trackage rights agreement to bring either the MKT, Santa Fe, or KCS into town.
I think we should settle this like gentlemen and put it to a vote. Sorry for hijacking your thread but you stirred the pot....
On my N scale layout, I have a MP interchange, since both MP and Frisco swapped cars at Hope, AR on the A&A Sub. I could concievably have a KCS interchange (Hope, again, and Ashdown), but I found the Atlas GP38 in MP colors first, so Mop it is. And in Jenks Blue- none of that "yellow canary" mess here. COncievably, where you're modeling at, MP would be the better choice, since IIRC the KCS was kinda short of branches on the north end of their railroad.
If you're wanting to stay close to prototype operations, then it looks like Mopac would be the way to go. But this is a hobby that's really more about fun and creativity than anything else, so if there's another road in the area that interests you, go with it. Personally, and I know I'm going out on a limb by saying this, I like the Rock Island. Lots of neat paint schemes (especially the barber shop pole Geeps) and a variety of motive power from the late 40's to the 70's. When I laid the benchwork for my Salem Branch layout, I had no intention of adding anything else. Then my son, who was two at the time, kept wanting me to hold him while I ran trains back and forth and switched cars. That was pratically impossible, so I built a dog-bone style main-line so he could watch trains run in a loop continuously. And of course, I had to build a connection between the two. Problem was that the "Cuba" end of my layout was built near the overhead door in my garage, so I had no choice but to add the connection at the Salem end, which is completely opposite of the prototype operation. But I created a what-if scenario of the Salem Branch connecting with the Thayer Sub at some remote junction near Willow Springs. Point is that you can have fun with whatever interests you and put your own unique spin on it.
Mopac is the way I do it and my layout is set in the early 50's so it is even harder to find some stuff. In reallity there is alot of good Mopac models for your 1970's era. Just because something is a bit harder to find that dosen't make it impossible or not fun. Modeling wouldn't be fun if it was all easy. It is just one of the fun artistic aspects of this hobby. It is truly your railroad so have fun with it. If you want ATSF and MP to share a single track go ahead with it. Just come up with some sorta story to go with it. I ended up with a MNA steam engine a while back and I say it is in Ft. Smith for repairs and it is temporarily on loan to the KCS for use as a switcher. Just do what you want. There will always be time to change things up if you don't like it. BTW check Ebay for some MP equipment. Ship it on the Frisco!!! Murphy Jenkins
I'm going to tear down my current layout and rebuild it as an around the room layout. I'm going to somewhat simulate the interchange/interlock (that is now Urban) where the Santa Fe "Tulsan" has to hose tail across the Frisco main to get to the station on Elgin. Throw in the intermodal crane and calling Cherokee Yard to move across tracks one and two...that's a sweet interchange Check out this video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEUG2zVpf9w and the music is great!
I was on vacation and away from the computer and I must say WOW. This thread cot fire wile I was gone from about 3pm Friday till 3pm Sunday. I was in St. Louis visiting relatives and my little cousins. Wile they were taking a nap I got to go to the NMOT. Replying to previous posts: I think I will start out with a the Mop as the builder, then as I purchased different locos I will add in track age rights. As of right now here's the order of the railroads that I hope to add. Mop, MKT, Santa Fe and maybe KCS. I don't have any interest in the rock. I will have to fits these in around my frisco purchases including a U30B and a GP15-1. As of right now here is what i plan to use as power for the interchange roads. Mop - MP15DC from Atlas MKT - Not sure, some sort of GP probably ATSF - GP40X from Athearn KCS - Not sure, some sort of GP
