Skip to main content

Likely this topic has been addressed ad nauseam, but I thought I would bring it back up in here to get fresher opinions about whether or not you like to run freight, passenger or both.

 

I have one passenger set on my current layout. It is an F59 Surf Liner set with just three Super Liner cars. The rest on my layout is all about modern freight. Intermodals, Auto Racks, Tankers etc. I like modern railroading personally, but totally appreciate the fine and beautiful job many of you in here do with steam and earlier diesels and electrics. I really enjoy the many pictures you all post showing off those beautiful layouts as well.

 

Anyway, I just wanted to get a sense of what people prefer. I am not a wagering man, but I would surmise based upon what I have seen and read thus far, that many in here are into both freight and passenger as this best represents railroading as we all know of it. I talked to one fellow at the store about this topic and he said he used to run only passenger and he was burned out from it. He went over to freight and never looked back. LOL

 

Thanks, Pete

Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

You can tell by my Forum handle what I prefer to the extent that's all I run. We have 8 main lines and several sidings all served by passenger trains. I am one of the few on the Forum that prefers to go this route and I am proud to be one of the exceptions to the rule.

 

I look at it this way. What is more beautiful in the train world but a gleaming passenger train. It lights, it looks really cool, and gets immediate attention from visitors.

 

I have no problem with those that choose to run exclusively freight trains or a mix of both, but for me, it is passenger service ALL THE WAY.

I have twenty five trains, equally divided between freight and passenger.  When it comes to freight, three of my longest trains are auto and truck carriers, complete with cars and trucks I have purchased individually based upon my personal preference.  On the passenger side, I need to seriously consider changing the lighting to LED in order to run more without overloading my power supplies.

I like them both, but currently have freight only. Mostly due to space and budget limitations. However, I do hope to have some passenger trains someday. Will probably be modern Amtrak. Maybe the new Siemens engines will be available in O gauge by then? Worked for them for over 20 years, only in a different division.

 

Then again I really do like those UP yellow and gray passenger cars, just watched Captaincog's video and those were very nice!

Last edited by rtr12

I guess a good way ot answer is to say of I only could run one what would it be? Thankfully, that is not the case.

 

My pretties and most nostalgic trains are the passenger sets. I only have 3. A beautiful 8 car Daylight with GS-4. An almost equally (nothing is as pretty as the Daylight) 5 car PRR Tuscan set behind a trio of A-B-A E-3's. Finally, I have a NYC Northern commuter train. Lovely in its simplicity.

 

The thing is though, freight trains offer so much more variety in rolling stock that given a choice between the genres, they would prevail. I have the equivalent of 4 freight trains (2 diesel, 1 electric, and 1 steam)

Not too much interest in passenger operations, but I attribute that to being a child of the 70's--I've never seen anything but Amtrak on the rails.  On top of that, my max curves are O36, so there's not a ton of opportunity to run big passenger consists.

I do have the three Lionel Chessie Steam Special sets from 1980, 2005, and 2014.  They're very popular with visitors to the layout.

Gentlemen,

   On most things in life Passenger Train Collector (Brian) and I seem to agree, however because my 1st train as a boy was the 263E Tin Plate Work Train, I am partial to Work Trains even today, in fact my new Legacy Shay is definitely a work train, my Great Grandfather drove one as they logged the Pa Grand Canyon area, a stones throw from my forest property & log cabin today.

PCRR/Dave 

DSCN0868

Attachments

Images (1)
  • DSCN0868

I buy locomotive sets that inspired me as a child, then collect a train for them to haul suitable to their era.  So far, I have built 9 trains of which 3 are passenger.  Freight trains are less expensive to collect, but I could not do without a Pioneer Zephyr, ATSF Fast Mail, or El Capitan (coming soon).  If someone ever manufactures an EMD CB&Q E-5 worth owning, I will work on several CB&Q, C&S, FW&D passenger projects to wind up with a more even mix of freight and passenger.

Both my first HO and O sets were frieght.  Frieght does give you many mix-and-match options and has a lot of interactive play value (I run mostly lionel postwar), but I always dreamed of those long shiny aluminum streamliners.  So now I run both, usually my layouts had 2 main lines: passenger on the outside and frieght on the inside with access to some accessory sidings.  There is something to getting down to eye level and watching a passenger train on a long straight away and seeing each car break into the curve at the end.

Add Reply

Post

OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Ste 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×