The Concept

Photo: Two KC&G engines idle outside the small engine house at Ozarka, Arkansas, awaiting their next call to duty.

I conceived the KC&G theme during the early-mid 1990s, and all existing KC&G engines that are in KC&G paint were constructed during that time frame. The former layout was dismantled in early 1998 in advance of the move into our current home. (Our first home since the late 1970s.)

I now have a back log of KC&G engines that are ready for DCC/Sound installation and then paint/decals/weathering. More on this topic can be found in my KC&G thread within the "Loco and Rolling Stock" forum.

I'm a bit anal about trying to convince myself that my proto/free-lanced themes could be plausible had the money and inspiration actually existed for same "back in the day". This means that I sometimes go to extremes in regards to plotting theoretical routes and such. (Though fun to me, this can definitely a time sink!)

I also typically take the time to create a written history of the proposed line, coordinated among actual dates and events of the regional railroads serving the region. In the case of the KC&G, seeing as it runs from Kansas City to the Gulf of Mexico via the port at New Orleans, I took the time to create a plausible (to me) diesel roster and dieselization history for the KC&G.

Which brings me to this point:

I have drawn dug up my history and roster narratives from long ago, updated them, added the needed html code, and uploaded them to my web space, and the links will be provided below.

Bear in mind that both links will take you to a textual-oriented reading experience and NOT a "whiz bang in your face and over" graphics-oriented pages. That said, the links:

The history of the Kansas City & Gulf:  http://www.vscalecreations.com/kcng1.htm

The dieselization of the KC&G: http://www.vscalecreations.com/kcng2.htm

For those of you that enjoy reading and seeing how other modeler's do their thing... I hope you find entertainment therein!

Andre

Love it!

Well thought out and plausible, sounds real to me!  I used to use Delorms atlases and plot railroads, trying to do the same, its good to see that someone made it happen.  Can't wait for more.

Peace, Bill

Thanks Bill.

I appreciate you taking the time to comment. You've always been one that is quick to encourage and interact, and for that I thank you.

Over the course of my recent involvement here at MRH, I've learned that for me personally, it's been a humbling place. Among the adherents it seems there is a small group here of very good modelers that are rightfully well respected in regards to modeling/photography skills. Those modelers consistently receive interaction and discussion concerning their posts. Us modelers that aren't a part of the recognized/accepted ones sort of fall by the wayside and it's like pulling hens teeth to receive interaction and discussion.

Then again, there's the very real possibility that my modeling attempts (and for sure my lack of photography skills), or my themes/approaches don't really warrant interest and thus interaction, and that's the humbling part.

Ah well, I guess it's good for the soul to come face to face with one's modeling shortcomings. In my case, I doubt it will challenge me to ascend the detail ladder to another level, for my modeling level (in regards to details/etc) has been determined by past experience in regards to visiting operators and the ability of the models to survive. (i.e. There ain't going to be any fragile parts sticking up/on that can easily be broken off via an inadvertent mishandling by said visiting operator.)

SO, I've accepted the fact that my attempts to share/interact here concerning my modeling theme(s), philosophies, and so forth, are pretty much a futile effort, and whatever the reason, my posts sharing same basically becomes a study in the sound of crickets.

No hard feelings or hurt feelings on my part, but I will say it is a humbling experience to come face to face with having to personally acknowledge that my modeling levels and approaches just don't pass muster here. SO, as has been the case for the past several months, I find myself not too enthused in regards to putting forth the effort of sharing via MRH. Typically, we modelers will settle in where there's others of like minded interests where we can interact and grow our interests in the hobby. I'm accepting the fact that I just don't fit too well here.

Ah well... of such is life!

I have other outlets online. Plus, over the past year, I've come to be blessed with a good support group here regionally and we all interact and encourage one another freely. As a bonus, over the past year, we're all trying to stay connected better.  (Most of us have known each other forever, and most of us are retired now, so we have more time available for friendships.)

Hm. Perhaps there's a lesson there? Mainly: Real life buds are more beneficial to the soul than words on a page?

All fer now!

Andre

Hey Andre!

We all have dead posts laying around. Crickets are just HO scale robins........well, that's what I tell myself!

 Anyway, we got different groups here and lots of different interests.......me, I won't even post my track plan! I'd get laughed off the forum. Some of us are philosophers and historians, some operators, some fantasy, others are into prototypical accuracy. Me, if it looks good it is good. Speaking of looks....those diesels look really cool! Great paint scheme and spot on weathering.

 I gotta say......don't back off on your posting. Please! You are a valued member of the community and, to me, that is really an important distinction. I know that it is a virtual community but for some of us it is the only model railroading community that we have.

KC&G

Spent some time in Arkansas and Oklahoma over the course of my career.  Interesting route.

Is that a paper engine house?  Looks pretty good.  It reminds me of the KCS engine house at Heavener, OK (from what I remember seeing it almost 40 years ago.)

The KCS had some cabooses that were old 40 ft boxcars with the doors removed, bay windows added and platforms cut into the ends.  Felt like you could play basketball inside one, they were so huge compared to a regular caboose.  Might be an interesting caboose for your road.  Here's one in red, they also were in white (not my pictures, they were on the internet).

I enjoy your posts as much as

I enjoy your posts as much as any of the others on here that I regularly follow. (Including yours, Rick.)

I've not yet posted any of my current efforts, as they are not yet at even a partially completed level.  (Life seems to keep interfering.)  Hopefully, that will follow sometime before the end of this month.

But everyone I've seen post or respond on this forum has something to offer, and we all share a common interest (passion?) that provides us with, I think, better mental health and longer happier lives.

So, don't stop posting; it's good for you and for those of us who follow your posts.

Enjoyed all your posts

Figured you were just out enjoying your motorcycle.  Please keep posting your progress and ideas.  I hope to get back to work on my layout soon and sharing that progress.  I'm reworking the basement ceiling and lighting right now.

Scott Chatfield

Silence not what it seems

I spent an hour reading the two history entries, then got tied up with off-line taskings.  Looks to me to be the same level as the V&O and Allegheny Midland, and that's rarified air up there...

Please, by all means, keep posting the adventures of the KC&G!

Regards,

Tim B.

Replies

Thanks y'all for the input.

Rick:

I understand on the crickets part. As with most, I feel that input is good: Often makes one take pause and reconsider their reasons for doing something the way they do it, or intend to do it. Check and balance. Also, words of encouragement help.

Dave:

Yup, familiar with those cabeese of the KCS. The Frisco also had a fleet they built from surplus 40' cars.

I've considered having a class (or two?) of bay window cabeese on the KC&G, but thus far haven't made a firm decision. My main criteria for KC&G cabeese is simple: Short. I like 'em short so they take up as little layout siding space as possible. So far, the two models that comprise the backbone of my fleet are the old MDC "Four Window" caboose and the MDC center cupola caboose... because they're short!

Chuck:

Well, thank you kindly for saying so. I didn't realize you thought that way.

Scott:

Yup, you were always dependable to offer input. Sometimes your input caused me to rethink what I'm doing! (Which is a good thing.)

Tim:

Wow. Thanks for your kind words.

Recap:

I do appreciate y'all stepping in and offering some words of encouragement. MRH is a different kind of forum, and it's taking me some getting used to. Perhaps it's the sheer numbers of members that comprise these forums, so posts tend to get lost in the shuffle. Just the nature of this beast, I suppose!

All fer now.

Need to shuffle off to the layout building and start to fill out some switch lists for the op session coming up Thursday.

Andre

A fun and well thought out story

You've given your railroad a reasonable location in the world, and its reasons for being there. And an entirely believable motive power roster. 

Your story of dieselization was very entertaining, and a little sad when it came to the 244 - the engine that killed Alco. They just never recovered. I do hope that not all of the steam power was scrapped, and in some park somewhere there is a KC&G Consolidated or Mikado sitting, inspiring the local children - and inspiring their grandfathers to keep it in good shape, cosmetically, at least. 

Jeff:

Well thanks to you, also, for chiming in.

Location:

As mentioned in the Epilogue, I'm a bit anal about location of my free/proto lance endeavors over the decades. But, such anal-ness IS a "GnC" (Gnats n' Camels) syndrome: I swallow the location in the real world (the camel)... but gag at using real world locations on the layout (the gnat)! Go figure.

Also, since my original conception of the KC&G in the mid-1990s, to accommodate my like/appreciation for TOC19 railroading, within the past couple years I have embraced the idea of hosting dual era's on this same Ozark theme layout. This meant there was now the "Ozark & Southern" theme to somehow fit into the history of the KC&G, and the purchase ploy was the best I could come up with.

Roster musings:

"A little sad": I know.

It could be tempting to bend real world experiences of the regional railroads in view of Alco's, for I spent the last 10-11 years of my RR-ing career running them. They are tough old engines that will pull their guts out for you. I have much respect for Alco's. However, what I chose to incorporate into the KC&G's roster was the same basic experiences of three of my "Foundational Four" railroads. That is, those with main line Alco power (think: FA's, PA's, RS's) purged them at their earliest opportunity on account of their sour 244 experiences. Mop was unique among the four in that they went with RS-11's (my basis for the KC&G having a few RS-11's), but even those (for the most part) ended up re-powered with EMD.

SO, most of the mid-west lines had their minds made up about Alco well before the "Century" series arrived, said "Century" series being a VERY GOOD product.

In my case, it was almost tempting to allow the KC&G to have great service out of the 251 powered RS-11's, and thus their first new power in the reorganization would have been C-420's, which could have been a good fit.

But, I chose not to, instead preferring to stay with what the regional RR's did and thus deferring the use of C-420's to the prototype railroads that used them the most: Eastern roads. What could have been!

Wow, typing novels here. (Hm... so what else is new??)

All fer now.

Andre

Your railroad buying another....

I wasn't very far into your tale before I started thinking, "someone ought to be buying someone else here...." 

This follows the experience of prototypes throughout Oregon where the little guys were either gobbled up at the end of their financial string by SP or SP&S (or maybe UP), or were deliberately created to be gobbled up by the parent railroad due to to financial shenanigans that made it wiser to start a branchline service as a legally and financially separate company. 

So the Ozark and Southern made perfect sense to me.

Acquisition

Good deal!

Like I said, that's the best I could come up with to mentally justify the same layout to be hosting an 1880s theme and a 1964 theme.

In my imagineered, but not modeled, portions of the KC&G, I had them acquire a few more smaller (and obscure) prototype lines that actually existed at one time. Just made sense to do so. I also utilized joint rights over the IC for the last few miles into New Orleans.

Since its creation, the KC&G has been a very entertaining concept for me.

Andre

Always read your posts

And found the stories at the two links very entertaining and plausible.

I'll attempt to be less cricket like in my appreciation of your posts in the future.

Looking forward to more KC&G.

Joe:

Well thanks for popping in here and saying so. I reckon Tim was right: "Silence is not what it seems"!

All:

Dusted off a fictional essay about a young chap that likes to chase trains on the Ozark Sub as he recalls an experience back in the autumn of '64. I'm in the process of updating the essay (it was originally created 20+ years ago for my previous KC&G layout) and intend to post it to my web space and link it for any that may be interested. It will be a while, though.

I don't know why I enjoy so-called "creative writing", but I have for a loooong time.

Anyway... all fer now. Big day tomorrow, won't be a lot of time for my hobbies.

Andre

Reads...

Andre, I know exactly how you feel. It often feels like you're talking to an empty room. What you have to do is watch the "reads" count at the top of your thread, right under your first post on the left side. Right now, this one is at 700. So, it has been read 700 times. The room is not empty.     A lack of comments does not necessarily indicate a lack of interest. 

Randy 

Re the room is not empty.

Hi Andre,

Yes the reads are your best indicator that the room is not empty. You are now heading towards 800 reads (at least 10 of them are mine from when I've checked back in at various times. And you thought no-one was watching...

Don't get too discouraged by what looks like low numbers. Stealing a line from Hollywood, "Build the field, they will come". And don't get discouraged if the read meter bumps along at a slow rate for a while. Sometimes it takes time for others to realise that there is good stuff happening in threads that are just getting started. 

For example, for the first 14 pages of my Corrimal thread, the read count bumped along at about 50 reads after each post for the first 14 pages of postings and drew comments from a grand total of 11 people in those first 14 pages and probably from about another 10 people since. Have a read of Something Changed? Forums are strange animals, but if you're smart about them, you'll realise that most times a lack of comments coming back more often than not indicates a "silent nod of approval", rather than "no-one's watching" 

Please consider this post as a public nod of approval.

The KCG story is just getting started. I know that there is far more to come. I suspect that that the modelling stuff you've shown us so far is only the tip of the "KC&G iceberg". 

Please take us along on your KC&G journey. I'll be peering over the back fence of the KC&G as the story builds. It is off to a tremendously well thought out start, even if the rest of the forum is just a bit slow catching on that something good is awakening here, 

Empty Room?

Andre,

As others have noted before me, the "Read" counter is where it's mostly at. But that is not the entire story as John eluded to in his post.

Other factors that determine the amount of reads and responses include:

• The moment you post a new entry in your blog. Some times are slower than other times which can influence how fast your post gets pushed from the front page. Most people read the posts on the first page, the amount of people clicking through to the second is a lot less.
• How often your page has new posts and thus appears on the first page. The more often it appears near the top of the first page, the more readers you'll get (this is what happened with John's post I believe, the last week or so it appeared at the top a few times with a few hour intervals. People then get the feeling of 'hmmm, what interesting stuff am I missing by not reading this post'.
• How you write your posts matters. If your posts are written in such a way (not saying yours are) that they don't engage others to post a response, you'll get the empty room feeling. So formulating some of your posts to poke readers to chime in helps with the engagement. And with every posted response, the blog gets bumped back to the top of the first page.
• A good catchy title of a new blog post helps draw readers.

All these bullets feed off of each other: A catchy title causes reads, reads cause posts, posts cause the blog to appear at the top of the first page, this brings new curious readers. But even then, like Randy says, it still can feel like you are talking in an empty room. If we had a Facebook 'Like' option for each post in a Blog, we'd see more feedback.

Having said all this: I've been lurking and following your progress in your Blog.

Following/reading

But I haven’t commented because I have not had any input other than what has been said. I do like your theme and presentation especially the diesels and history. Sometimes I wish there was a like or thumbs up button

"Views"

Views, huh?

Well... silly me. I didn't even see that feature.

You're right. IF it's being read then at least it's not being ignored, thus there's opportunity for input/interaction.

When you get down to it, input/interaction is the really beneficial part. Through input/interaction I've often have been challenged to rethink my ideas because of aspects I hadn't thought of, or didn't fully think out. No, I don't particularly enjoy critical thinking that's opposite of my thinking (much more fun to receive compliments)... but it's good to be challenged at times for the reasons I just stated.

Conclusion:

Okay... it's all good. I just need to carry on and do what I do and let the input chips fall where they may.

Andre

The Mountain

Hi all.

Spent some time off and on over the past couple days resurrecting an old essay I wrote about my old tri-level KC&G layout some 20 plus years ago. I updated it to reflect my new KC&G layout, converted it to html, and thought I might share it with y'all.

Again, this is not a pictorial-oriented presentation, instead I'm having to depend on your imaginations to create the scenes via printed word.

That said, here's a link to "The Mountain"...

http://www.vscalecreations.com/kcng3.htm

I hope you enjoy it as much as I've enjoyed creating and sharing it.

Andre

Excellent story telling!

Andre,

I have to step out of the "lurker shadows" and tell you how much I enjoyed your story! It has all the elements of an "I was there...." saga! Please share more of these when you have the chance.

Respectfully,

Tim Moran Akron, OH

Love the Story

I could picture each scene as the rail fan came to it. I suspect that for those of us who are more on the freelance side of things, such a story would help flesh things out as to what goes where.

Jack

Thanks

...Tim and Jack. Very glad you enjoyed “The Mountain”.

My ISP went down again shortly after my “Mountain” post. Our ISP is still out, and it may be awhile this time, too.

I’m using my phone to post this, and it’s very inconvenient. However, it’s better than nothing.

I’ve been busy with MR projects, hosted an operating session, and been doing some motorcycle riding. Maybe have lots of catching up on this thread once our ISP is up again. 

So, that’s all from me for now! 

Andre