Modeling A Regional Railroad.

brakie

Active Member
First a regional railroad is a class II railroad..Examples of Class IIs are WSOR,WE,EJE,FEC,DME,IAIS,BPRR and other such railroads operating between $20.5 million but less than $277.7 million..FEC was a Class 1 but,was reclassified as a Class II in 1992.

Why model a Class 2? There are many reasons.You see unlike a Class 3 work aday short line a Class 2 can run unit trains, intermodel and general freight trains like the Class 1 railroads..There is no need for a large roster..Depending on traffic 25-30 locomotives should suffice for a roster..This roster could consist of GP9s to SD60Ms-maybe some SD70Ms as well! The roster could be all GE as well to include some Dash 8 40Cs! It could be a mixture of both
One would be hard press to find a all Alco Class 2.However,if one is modeling a freelance Class 2 could use all Alcos.For a all Alco roster I would use C420s,424s or 425s since those where the last new Alcos.

To my mind a model regional railroad should have a solid traffic base such as grain,coal,ore or stone.The road should have other industries as well to include a power plant.Intermodal traffic *could* be a growing traffic base.As far as motive power that would depend on the base traffic.Say our base traffic was coal we should lean toward 6 axle units with 4 axle units being use for yard and local work.Of course run through power could show up on certain trains.During the busiest season lease power could be used as well.
 

brakie

Active Member
Yes this happen on September 5, 2007 I believe?
However,I wanted to use DM&E as a Class II example.:mrgreen:
 

jbaakko

Active Member
Mhmmm. I dunno how they're going to do it. Time will tell, but I'm willing to bet, for at least a few years DME & ICE will operate like Soo did for so long.
 

Ralph

Remember...it's for fun!
If the Class II designation was in effect during the 60's-70's I think my freelanced road might represent one. At first it was going to be a short line but I couldn't stop painting locomotives and cars. :) I'll have to ponder that.
Ralph
 

60103

Pooh Bah
You don't have to model all 25-30 locomotives; just set up a numbering system so that it looks as if you have them.
A class II probably has a system for numbering while a short line may just keep the number a unit had when they bought it. Also a class II may even buy new locos.
 

chooch.42

Member
Brakie, Hello ! Thanks for bumping a thought into my brain. Until last year, ran NS coal trains over part of the Buffalo & Pittsburgh RR (and the P&S), now part of Genesee & Wyoming. Historically, B&P has been owned/operated by class ones(NYC, B&O) and the traffic has varied, but in a route from Buffalo,NY to Butler/West Pittsburgh there is 300 or so miles of moderate-sized and small towns, industrial areas, beautiful western Pa. mountains and streams and some neat terminal and way yards. Modeling info should be available for most eras, and many old structures and facilities are still evident or intact along the south end. The single track we ran over was even clearanced (Simpson Tunnel) for stack trains. Class II doesn't mean rails-in-the-dirt ! BPRR could be a very interesting and challenging prototype for the right modeller ! I'm glad I caught your thread - thanks. Bob C.
 

brakie

Active Member
You don't have to model all 25-30 locomotives; just set up a numbering system so that it looks as if you have them.
A class II probably has a system for numbering while a short line may just keep the number a unit had when they bought it. Also a class II may even buy new locos.


Your are correct..However,the 25-30 locomotives I use was more of a guide line to a roster then a necessity.
 

Triplex

Active Member
This roster could consist of GP9s to SD60Ms-maybe some SD70Ms as well! The roster could be all GE as well to include some Dash 8 40Cs! It could be a mixture of both
Actually, you can go newer than SD70Ms. MRL has SD70ACes and FEC has SD70M-2s. There are all-GE shortlines, but I can't think of an all-GE regional, or any C40-8s on a regional.
One would be hard press to find a all Alco Class 2.However,if one is modeling a freelance Class 2 could use all Alcos.For a all Alco roster I would use C420s,424s or 425s since those where the last new Alcos.
In fact, are there any Alcos left on regionals at all? The last I know of offhand were ex-Cartier C636s and M636s, which have now left the Susie-Q for WNYP/LAL.
 

brakie

Active Member
Triplex,Indeed a regional can have SD70M-2s.FEC has 4 such units #100-103.
I read about the FEC in the October 2007 issue of Trains magazine.
I really hate having those senior moments.wall1
 

CNWman

CNW Fan
Making the Riverside RR a class 2 was one of the earliest ideas I had for my layout, for mostly the same reasons you said brakie. I want a good sized layout, but not to the scale of a class I RR, nor as small as a shortline (although the RRR is a shortline right now :p).
 
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