How did you research your layout's details for accuracy?

The color books from Morning Sun are a great resource and help.

Accuracy in terms of a layout is a rather broad statement. Accuracy in terms of track, accuracy of accessories, accuracy of engines and rolling stock, and the list goes on. If accuracy is really important to someone, they probably would want 2-Rail, as the third rail might be a turn off to the accuracy purist.

For me, I love 3-Rail so there goes my accuracy right out the door. I use tubular track, so that is another strike against me for accuracy. If I like an engine or passenger train, I am not the least concerned as what decade(s) it was in service. Not a big deal for me, but I am sure it is to some.

I'm mainly looking at accuracy in regards to time era specific items ( i.e. 1930's car's w/ 1930's buildings w/ 1930's era trains etc ). track, couplers, and other minor things I'm not really focusing on.

There is no one source.

I've pulled information from many sources, mostly from books I've purchased, but also magazine articles and videos I've gathered over the years.

As mentioned above, Morning Sun books are great for photographic coverage of various railroads, as are books from Four Ways West.

Kalmbach puts out a series of soft cover books covering various industries and railroad operations.  They also offer CD archives of their magazines.

Rusty

Depending on the RR being modeled, there are books to be found, historical societies for specific RR's, etc.

There is 1 hardback book for my RR, and a few scattered paperbacks.  There are also real picture post cards (RPPC) that captured a lot of scenes and moments that are available and cost more than the 1 book.  But, finding what's been published is a good 1st step.  Doing the research legwork is part of the process.

There are a lot of sources -- books, the web for aerial photos, Sanborn Insurance Maps (accessible through various public libraries), and even railfanning videos. The catch is that you have to lock in on a specific location (area) and time frame before you even start your research.

In my case, for example, I live within the old [essentially abandoned] ATSF Redlands Loop. I started off with an Internet search. Found some articles, checked old Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, Google Maps (aerial), HistoricAerials.com, and did some personal surveying of the remains of the Loop. I know the time frame in which the branch operated -- 1898-present (only a small segment, now), which would give insight as to what equipment could/would be used. Between the insurance maps, aerials and personal surveys I was able to assess the industries that were served (packing houses, passenger depots, and a fuel dealer).

Now, if you have a 20,000 square foot warehouse, you can model to scale. For the rest of us, it now comes down to being able to capture the "essence" of an area and its industries -- usually items that interest you. Even if you're modeling the industries on a one-for-one basis, your layout would technically be freelanced if you compress the operation, add or delete certain items and/or shuffle things around. But at this point, it's more about what makes YOU happy.

What I've found is that the research is almost as exciting as the build/operation because it's like finding buried treasure. What was gratifying for me was when I attended a lecture on the Redlands Loop and knew as much about it as the lecturer (and a couple of things he didn't as I had been to parts he couldn't access).

Ditto for me...Mine is a toy train layout.  I got out of HO because I like toy trains and tinplate.

Jeff Davis

Westinghouse,

   Oh ya we do a lot of research on my child like multi level Christmas layouts, me and the kids are very accurate about what goes on the layout, it must me child like and fun to play with, to make the cut.  Lots of bright colors also.  The new P2 Pittsburgh, Pa Street Car with the Orange and Yellow coloring was the latest addition.  I like the announcements with Franks voice, and the kids like the bright colors on the moving Street Car, instant accurate realistic child like stuff.  The new Legacy Northern Pacific in the original Pittsburgh Steelers Colors is also a big hit here in the Pittsburgh area!

PCRR/Dave

I scratch built the wooden trestle bridge on my railroad following as closely as possible the guidelines provided in the following book, which was an still is available free, from Google.

"A Treatise on WOODEN TRESTLE BRIDGES and their concrete substitutes According to the present practice on American Railroads", by Wolcott C. Forster

Fourth Revised and Enlarged Edition

New York, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., London: Chapman & Hall, Limited – 1913

I built the rest of the model railroad based on detailed documentation found in the "Judy Jane Reference Guide for Model Railroads Comprised of Two Components". Within this highly sought after guide, a description is provided on how to join the main two comprising components of the model railroad. I followed this juncture scheme, which resulted in my Hidden Pass Junction Railroad.

The "Judy Jane Reference Guide" also provided the information required to build a model railroad that accurately depicts the intended envisioned model. From the layout of the track, to type of terrain, location of lakes, and other naturally occurring phenomena, the model becomes an exact replica of the envisioned results. In addition, building and structures are also well documented and were faithfully reproduced.

Alex