# Fictional Railroads



## Vincent (Jan 28, 2018)

I learned that model train companies will sometimes paint their products to match railroads that never used those specific cars or locomotives. Then, while researching that, I found that there is an obscure branch of our hobby: fantasy railroads!


Like me, people design layouts where more than one time and place exist simultaneously. While I consider my own layout more interesting overall, I was impressed by the superior quality of some of their creations.


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## flyboy2610 (Jan 20, 2010)

That's one of the great things about this hobby! No matter how you set up and theme your layout, as long as YOU like it it's never wrong!


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Exactly. Each of us participates in the hobby as we see fit, doing whatever gives us the most enjoyment. Personally, I can look at a realistic railroad all day while doing operations with a fair degree of realism. Just watching a train run gets boring after a while. I enjoy looking at whimsical creations for a while, but they don't hold my attention.

But that's just me. Fortunately, everyone else gets their own opinion, and there's room for all of us under the heading of "model railroader".


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## Shdwdrgn (Dec 23, 2014)

There are probably just as many variations as there are model railroads. The variation I'm working with is more of a "what-if" scenario. I'm working with a specific time period and trying to keep things reasonably realistic, but I wanted to build around a particular hopper car and found an idea for a rebuild that looks like someone took the original wooden hoppers and simply made them out of steel -- something that did happen during the transition period but only a few actual cars were made, and they were on a different line.

Creative license is alive and well in this hobby, and it allows we builders to create something that inspires us, but it also allows visitors to find something new with every model railroad they see.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Shdwdrgn said:


> There are probably just as many variations as there are model railroads. The variation I'm working with is more of a "what-if" scenario. I'm working with a specific time period and trying to keep things reasonably realistic, but I wanted to build around a particular hopper car and found an idea for a rebuild that looks like someone took the original wooden hoppers and simply made them out of steel -- something that did happen during the transition period but only a few actual cars were made, and they were on a different line.
> 
> Creative license is alive and well in this hobby, and it allows we builders to create something that inspires us, but it also allows visitors to find something new with every model railroad they see.


Modeler's license is a very good thing. I want things to seem realistic, I'm not into duplicating thr real world in miniature.


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## Vincent (Jan 28, 2018)

Studying the photo I posted, it seems that the "water" in the background is only a painting. The creator has a set of "underwater" tracks, and other pictures show that he has "underwater" railcars. The towers in the background seem to be purchases from aquarium shops.

Overall, I consider the quality of his work to be better than mine, although he still has room for improvement. Still, the idea of an "underwater" train lay-out has some appeal.


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## Vincent (Jan 28, 2018)

The second photo is by far the best dinosaur/train picture I've ever seen.

The first shows my own dinosaur farm.


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## PoppetFlatsRR (Jul 29, 2018)

As Flyboy says, these are our rail roads, and they serve truly only one purpose, to make us happy.


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## PoppetFlatsRR (Jul 29, 2018)

Seems like this a great place for me. I want mine to look as close to real as possible (my ability) but I really don't care how many bolts are the side of mail box, or if the mountain is in perfect scale to the train. I just want it to look like it could or did happen. My layout is southwest based and run most of the locomotives that called the area home. But I have a Passenger train with the Pennsylvania Rail Road on it that I love to run on my Durrango to Silverton area. 

I admire the ability of those that can pull the exact ratio's off and make everything the way it was 100 years ago, but I think for me, it would turn into work, rather than fun.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Now there's the key....when it seems like work, it's no longer fun.....unless, or course, you really love your work!


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## flyboy2610 (Jan 20, 2010)

Got a dinosaur problem? Call BR-549. We can help!


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## Vincent (Jan 28, 2018)

flyboy2610 said:


> Got a dinosaur problem? Call BR-549. We can help!


Great idea for my lay-out. But what does the phone number of a used car lot have to do with it?


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Neither of those guys looked like Junior Samples.....


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## gregc (Apr 25, 2015)




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## Vincent (Jan 28, 2018)

gregc said:


>



Just another day on the B&O Railroad.


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## gregc (Apr 25, 2015)

Vincent said:


> Just another day on the B&O Railroad.


G&D


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## ebtnut (Mar 9, 2017)

Hm-m-m, must be the day of delivery. Stegy doesn't have his No. 13 painted on his flank yet.


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## Vincent (Jan 28, 2018)

This thread has inspired me to improve my lay-out.


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## flyboy2610 (Jan 20, 2010)

I see Rex is adding a little iron to his diet. That's good for the blood.


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## Vincent (Jan 28, 2018)

My first lay-out (on the floor) included dinosaurs. I mean, "What kind of railroad doesn't have dinosaurs roaming around?" 

Anyway, these are some good photos that others have posted:


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Vincent said:


> I mean, "What kind of railroad doesn't have dinosaurs roaming around?"


My kind.....


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Vincent said:


> My first lay-out (on the floor) included dinosaurs. I mean, "What kind of railroad doesn't have dinosaurs roaming around?"


Considering that they're separated by millions of years of history, I'd have to say "ones that have any resemblance to realism".

Nothing wrong with whimsy, but I'll leave it to others.


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## cpbc (Jan 8, 2018)

haha, never would have thought of dinosaurs on a train layout. Not my thing, but still kind of cool. I like the pic of the dino tearing up the track.

Nice dino theme gondola load too, lol ...


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## Vincent (Jan 28, 2018)

For decades, con artists have made money off crackpots who think the US is hiding a flying saucer in Area 51. They wrote books attacking and disproving each other, and the crackpots bought them. So it only made sense that around 2013, Lionel would issue an Area 51 train.

Straight out of the box, the locomotive didn't work. Some buyers knew how to make the necessary minor repair while others didn't. But I must admit that it really is a sharp-looking set.


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## Vincent (Jan 28, 2018)

The second diesel is not from the Lionel set. The last photo shows an Area 51 hangar that is not part of the set.


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

The Groom Lake Test area is so highly classified no one really knows what is out there other than those who work there or have a need to know.


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## Vincent (Jan 28, 2018)

I'm sorry, but I'm not allowed to discuss this.


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## Vincent (Jan 28, 2018)

Continuing my online research, I found that dinosaurs are the single most popular science fiction tools for model railroads. Here are some photos from the web:


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Except dinosaurs aren't really science fiction....they did exist, there's no question about it....the only science fiction part about them is they don't exist now.....


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Actually, I think we should rename this thread:

"Fictional" railroads, to me, are those that didn't exist, but could have. Like mine, actually, because although the CT Valley Railroad did exist, it was absorbed into the New Haven system long before the period I model (mid-1950's), and I take some other liberties with history as well to run what and how I choose to run.

What we're talking about here would more properly be classified as "fantasy" railroads, because they aren't limited by the bounds of the historically possible.


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## Vincent (Jan 28, 2018)

It is no surprise that dinosaurs are the most popular science-fiction prop for model railroads. They are easily available and easy to add to a lay-out. And you don't have to turn your entire lay-out into a fantasy set-up.


But I was surprised to learn that "underwater trains" appear to be the second most popular. Here are some photos from the web:


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

I suspect this "analysis" is yours, and not an "official" one.....?


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## AmtrackJim (May 28, 2015)

I agree with CTValleyRR that this thread should be renamed to fantasy railroads. I have no problem with that. Fictional railroads to me are railroads we create that match our hobby interests for lines that we want on our railroads that are somewhat prototypical
but were not actually a name line.


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## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

Having lived in Fostoria, Ohio, the Quarry out on Countyline road had a steam Locomotive down under the water in it that attracted divers. Seems like this was true in a lot of places.


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## Vincent (Jan 28, 2018)

A few more 'underwater" railroads, including two photo-shopped pictures.

Meanwhile, I have been looking at aquarium decorations in pet stores. I plan to disassemble my entire lay-out after Thanksgiving and assemble a Christmas lay-out. Come January, I might want to try having an "underwater" section of my lay-out.


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## Vincent (Jan 28, 2018)

After dinosaurs and "underwater" trains, the pickings get thin. Dwarven railroads appear to be a distant third. Dwarves are outstanding mechanics and they love using gears.


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## Shdwdrgn (Dec 23, 2014)

I thought gnomes were the engineers? Dwarves are typically portrayed as miners and mountain dwellers.


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## Vincent (Jan 28, 2018)

Shdwdrgn said:


> Dwarves are typically portrayed as miners and mountain dwellers.


Right you are--the original fairy tales portrayed them as miners and jewelers. But they continued to develop their technology, and newer fantasy novels and games portray them as building complex mechanical devices.


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## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

Vincent - I saw a bunch of velociraptors who were looking for you. They were were angry. I'd be careful if I were you.


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## Vincent (Jan 28, 2018)

Lee Willis said:


> Vincent - I saw a bunch of velociraptors who were looking for you. They were were angry. I'd be careful if I were you.


I hope they don't like Italian food.


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## Vincent (Jan 28, 2018)

These are left-overs I found after finishing this thread. I think I can build the submarine with railroad trucks. And I have been considering getting an actual aquarium with moving accessories and floating ships.


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## sid (Mar 26, 2018)

oh i like the skull that would make a great tunnel entrance .


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## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

I would never have thought about a skull tunnel portal. I've been messing around 3D printing some tunnel portals, now I have to search for skull one!


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## sid (Mar 26, 2018)

Lemonhawk said:


> I would never have thought about a skull tunnel portal. I've been messing around 3D printing some tunnel portals, now I have to search for skull one!


i wanna pic if you make one. please hahahahahahaha


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## rogruth (Mar 6, 2012)

The whimsy and really careful modeling is very impressive.
But what about the possibility of modeling real railroads that have fictional names? I can remember a few movies and instances.
The one filmed on the W&LE about the runaway train had an appropriate name.Was that movie named "Unstoppable"? I am 
sure that there are many more that used real railroads with 
name changes.


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## rogruth (Mar 6, 2012)

Remember that John Allen had a dinosaur used for switching on the G&D.


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