Planning question.

It's your railroad so do what you like. If you have a plan in mind try it before securing the track to the layout area.

I try to have equipment from one railroad on my layout but I have at least 3 railroads equipment; Amtrak, Reading, and Santa Fe. I am limited in size(8 ft. by 8 ft.) for a layout so I mainly just have several tracks going around the table top.

Lee Fritz

O scale is big so modeling something is challenging unless you have mega space.  What you can do is create a representation of something that appeals to you.  If you are a true and true modeler than go for it.  Many are toy train operators hence a representation of a place or a recreation of a childhood memory is the way to go.  Over the years I have morphed into creating sights and sounds of the Jersey Central RR.  Re creating that 4 track main line may happen someday but not today.  There are lots of books on the topic and lots of threads here as well.  Hang out a bit, you will receive much food for thought.

O-scale modelers are more likely to follow a prototype. 3-rail tends to be more toy-like and whimsical. Of course there are lots of exceptions both ways.

One factor with creating a "unique" prototypical short-line: do you want to put a lot of effort into custom painting and lettering of cars and locos? Factory paint jobs are hard to beat for quality, so most of us go with favorite prototype railroads. Do you enjoy custom-building structures to represent real-life scenes?

Another factor is, what road names of equipment are readily available which are of more interest to you? It's easier to go with what is available instead of trying to model an obscure railroad.

I had the idea of modelling a unique short-line with my HO railroad years ago, but I wasn't satisfied with my loco repaint jobs and modified my scheme to use readily available SP and BN power, plus the BN pre-merger roads for variety.

Regarding the space requirements for an O-gauge layout: don't get hooked on big trains if you don't have the space and budget for a satisfying layout to operate them on. With O31 or O27 curves you can have O-gauge in about the same space as typical HO layouts.

To start, I'm a high railer.  I lean towards a more realistic look with my 3-rail trains.

I don't have a name yet, but my theme was sort of thrust on me when my father-in-law passed.  He left me his O gauge PRR collection, so I've stayed with the Pennsy ever since (plus a couple of roads the Pennsy interchanged with).  He also model the WWII/immediate post-WWII time frame because during those years he traveled a lot on the Pennsy.  While playing with his trains when we visited, I grew to like steam and the early diesels so I decided I would model the transition period.  My birth year, 1949, seemed like a good point in time so I decided my layout's time stopped on my birthday (try to have only items on my layout that were around in 1949).  A round about way to come up with a layout theme, but it works for me.

I stay with real RRs for my equipment because I'm not big into repainting things, and I do not model a specific region or specific type of operation.  My layout is very freeform other than its Pennsy equipment focus and era.  I will have loop running as well as yard/switching capabilities so I can do whatever I feel like that day.

As they say, its my railroad.

Rick in Western Pennsylvania,

This is Mark in Western Pennsylvania.  Welcome, Neighbor!

As has been said, do whatever you want.  I started with an HO train set I bought in the lat '60s.  Very basic as I was in high school and short on funds.  I never named the layout.  Later, when in my early 30s, I built an N-scale layout featuring steam engines from the B&O and B&LE on the same small layout with some scenery made to look like the Butler, Pa area.  It reminded me of our native Butler County as we were living in Virginia at the time.  Still no name for the layout.  My wife referred to it collectively as the train room.

At one time I dabbled in narrow gauge after visiting the East Broad Top RR a couple of times.  Trying to make things look like the real EBT was too taxing for me, so I gave up.  However many folks do just that, model a particular railroad, with all the equipment, buildings, and scenery looking like the real place.

Now that I am in O gauge, I have little space until our last daughter gets married and moves out later this year.  In the meantime, I built a little ceiling level railroad in a small basement room.  I named it The Ceiling Central Railroad.  I can't run smoke indoors because of my wife's asthma, so in the summer I occasionally put some track outside, and run the Patio Pacific Railroad, as I call it.  

As I like many different steam era railroads in the Appalachian area, almost every one of my engines has a different road name, I have been searching for a name.  I had thought that I would call my layout in the room our daughter will vacate the O Gauge Appalachian Railroad, as a collective name.  Recently my wife told me of a friend who says we live on South Mountain, since we are just south of Butler, and the roads seem to go straight up to where we live.  It dawned on me that would be what I will call the layout, the South Mountain Railroad.  (I just realized I need to change my forum signature to match)  The layout will have a fictional name, fictional town and scenery, but several real steam era road names on the locomotives and cars.

That sums up just one person's thinking on the subject.  I hope I didn't put you to sleep.    Hopefully I will be able to start building next winter.  Also, hopefully you will become a regular here and we can share this great hobby together!!

I don't have a name for the layout, but I do call the town Dennyville.

As Phillyreading says above, it's your layout and it's all purely for your enjoyment. The main goal is for you to have fun and enjoy your layout. The folks here have all kinds of layouts from very prototypical to completely toy trains and accessories just as some of us had when we were kids. It's all acceptable in O gauge.

Trying to limit yourself to one or two road names is not necessary, but just might help your budget somewhat. That is why I  try to stick with just a single road name. Unfortunately, I slip up occasionally and have a few items that are not my chosen road name. Some things are just irresistible and not made in my road name.

Tat2d1 posted:

My first official question.    Just in the planning stages of my RR and layout;   Trying to come up with a name or theme.  Do most guys model after an existing RR or branch or make up their own?    Where I grew up there is elements of various branches I would like to include in my plan so it seems most logical to make up my own RR.  What's the opinions out there?

Rick,

I was in the same place you are.  My initial track plan was a plate of spaghetti.  A friend told me to find a prototype (or part of one), take lots of photos of it, and pick and choose the features and aspects you want.  That's worked for me.  My track plan and thinking is on the first page of the PRR Panhandle thread on the Photo forum.  Might help.

Ultimately, you should do what you like.

Best,

George 

I've done both over the years - tried to model certain prototypes and 'free-lanced.'  With either approach, I appreciated being able to focus my attention on just items related to my theme, instead of collecting 'everything' (not that there's anything wrong with the latter). After five or six different layout themes over the years, I'm personally more content with 'interpreting' rather than trying to recreate something more exactly, which for me just meant pressure to get it right -- something I feel plenty at work and didn't need in a hobby

I must say I am a bit overwhelmed at all the great responses!    Thank you so much.   I decided to go with my own RR,   Allegheny Mountain Railroad.    Once again thanks everyone.

Rick,

That's the way it often goes here; lots of responses, and a variety of viewpoints.  Folks help you think through, modify, or reconfirm you initial ideas.  I think Allegheny Mountain Railroad is a great name for your railroad.  It gives it our regional theme and you can do what you want to recreate your regional branches.  I for one will look forward to following what you do with it.

Mark Boyce posted:

Rick,

That's the way it often goes here; lots of responses, and a variety of viewpoints.  Folks help you think through, modify, or reconfirm you initial ideas.  I think Allegheny Mountain Railroad is a great name for your railroad.  It gives it our regional theme and you can do what you want to recreate your regional branches.  I for one will look forward to following what you do with it.

Let me second that.  I will also look forward to your progress reports.

George