Proto-historical-typical?

[PapaXpress]

I am currently creating the Capital Corridor here in CA. It runs from Sacramento to San Jose on what was once the SP mainline (kinda what is happening with this MTS post). I am doing this for a few reasons, first it was my dream to model it in N Scale, but fitting it all together is problematic and there is a budget to consider (like none). The second is that both my boy love trains just like me, and its my hope to recreate the scenes of my youth watching the old SP roll by. Third its just darn fun!

To my question... A lot of the industry that existed 20 years ago in my home town is no longer around. I my intent is to add them back while still keeping the main line in its current form (UP and BNSF runs around me now). So the line is going to be a historic blend of "what if" (kinda of running into the same problem this gentleman did). The scenarios will have some history written into them so you know "when" this was happening. When I am done (or acceptably operational) I would like to share this route with the RW community, but I am unsure on how it will be received.

Any thoughts? Ideas? Would this community be interested in my route once its done?

[thecanadianrail]

if you get google earth there is an option that you can see older images of the land (going back to 1950 in some places!) hopefully this helped you.

modelrailroading: the worlds greatist hobby (also technacally includes sims like RW because they are basically virtual models)

[PapaXpress]

Yea, I know about the Google Earth time machine (kinda depressing to see just how much track was dug up). The industries that I will be including will be from my own memories. The cardboard factory, the film chemical plant, the movie film processing plant, FMC, a couple lumber plants, Peterbilt, the concrete silo, the GM plant (then NUMI, now Tesla) with its huge water tower. Newark had a small station (with a few SW1500s), with a siding and a loading ramp which serviced up to 3 box cars, presumably for the small businesses that could did not have a siding of their own. Niles tower, where I visited on a number of occasions as a youth to see how SP and UP interacted and got to set the turnouts and their semaphore signal (shut down when cabooses went the way of the dodo, and then was burned down by an act of arson).

At the same time I don't want to miss out on what my boys are seeing today. My oldest goes nuts when BNSF rolls through on UP lines, the Niles Cayon Railroad (an opportunity to run ANYTHING from ANY LINE), ACE train (need the engine and coaches for this) which we try to ride each year to San Jose for Christmas in the Park, and of course the Capital Corridor, which we take when we go to the Railroad museum in Sacramento.

Lots of memories...

[micaelcorleone]

Just an idea: If you have the time, develop the route to the condition which represents both the SP and the modern times.
Then clone the route an you can develop a historic and current version.

[Trainguy76]

I would try to model the era with the most "trackage" and difficulty, then clone it and build the other era.

[PapaXpress]

The most trackage would definitely be the old SP (since UP ripped out a tons of it). I am still leaning toward a hybrid route since adding old industry (just around where I lived) to the modern day route would provide more scenario opportunities, and the mainline as it is today allows for crossovers between the once SP and UP mainlines (which did not exist before). Also, I am uncertain if I will have time to clone and remodel the route to be true to today, or truer to the past, though I am not appose to someone else trying.

Anyway, this project will take time which means I can continue to listen to any suggestions the community offers and change course if desired

[RedWhistle]

This thread has sparked my interest in Fire Insurance maps and older USGS maps. Did some map hunting a while back at Virginia Tech because they have a USGS archive of topo and other maps for mining and civil engineering, but it's limited to Virginia mostly as you might expect. The Library of Congress has Sanborn Maps for going the fire insurance route, some dating well back into the mid 19th century. I'm gonna keep looking around to see what I can find online. There may be maps available at universities in CA (and possibly by interlibrary exchange) for USGS and fire insurance type maps for CA. If my experience is any guide, librarians love model railroaders / railfans, and they're all too happy to help in such interesting anthropological endeavors. I know I'm interested in routes from all eras, and from what I've seen, many people here are modeling and running at different eras so I think there's sufficient interest in such a route (my anyway)... and 20 years ago ain't so long ago. And I must tip my hat to trainguy76's comment about starting with the most complex route, cloning it, and changing track/scenery for the new era. I hadn't thought of that... t'is a great idea!

Red

[PapaXpress]

I discovered something last night while laying track. That loading ramp at Newark still exists, and its being used!

Sadly most of Niles is different than when I walked the tracks, and that was different than when Niles Station was active. During my time it had had a small yard which was used it to store piggy-back flat beds. And I think (after 20 years), I figured out why they parked their SW1500 (and rarely GP40) out there. There was (from what I heard) a pretty good bar. Now, don't get the wrong idea. I know from helping my dad close shop late at night, that it was parked over night on several occasions, so they really did stop there after work... and I could be completely wrong about visiting the bar part.

Red, I hope your research uncovers some jewels. I would love to hear about the histories you find.