Detroit Terminal Railroad: The Union Branch
It has been quite some time since my last post, but my family and I are now settled in the Chicago area, and life is beginning to get back to normal. I just added a new post on my blog, Motor City Rollercoaster, which chronicles my planning and (eventual) construction of a proto-freelanced modern-day Detroit Terminal Railroad. Please check it out, I hope you enjoy!
Rich
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Comments
Looks like a million examples of great industrial railroading!
Rich: If you like switching, you've got it made by identifying all these industries along the Detroit Terminal Railroad. There are lots of good kits available that look like many of the prototype photos, or you could scratch build specific structures until you have just the representation you want. And what a collection to choose from - salt, chemicals, plastics, hardware, and of course, auto components and finished cars - never a dull freight train.
Hope the relocation went well, and you can now identify "available real estate" that your railroad can acquire to begin the capital improvement projects for your version of DTR. Keep us posted on your progress!
Roger
Rog.38
Hope all goes well with your
Hope all goes well with your plans. I too, am modeling Detroit along the GT&W Dequindre Line Holly sub. Detroit was a meca for rail served industry in the 50 and 60's. Too bad the industries started leaving after 67 & 68.
Ran across this in my files.
Ran across this in my files. Looks like DTRR did a lot of movements at the Brush street yard working for GT&W.
Switching Layout
You've made a good choice. Yeah, it's nice to have long trains run around a huge building for ops sessions. If you don't have the room, you can do what I did and get lots of action from a narrow depth linear switching layout with plenty of buildings, small yards and some interesting trackwork.
For ops sessions, I joined a local club which has sessions once a month and lets me run my longer passenger and freights. It's a good compromise, especially since my other half doesn't think too highly of me wanting to remove the furnace and her washer and dryer. . . .LOL!
Chief Operating Officer
The Greater Nickel Plate
DTRR photo
ChoChoCharlie - that's a great picture. I've been able to stumble upon some ok photos of the DTRR motive power fleet online, but this is fantastic. The GTW owned a 50% stake in the DTRR before selling to Conrail, and so it's not suprising for me to see them shuffling GTW varnish. The DTRR certainly got their money's worth out of those EMD NW2s, working them all the way up to the closure of the line in 1981.
Everyone else - thanks for the encouragement! I will certainly continue to post updates as I complete my admittedly very OCD planning!
Rich
Years ago a man I know did a
Years ago a man I know did a great clinic on using the 1940/50's Detroit area as the basis for a layout. It was very interesting. Of course I ive in the Detroit area so many folks around here have info from back in the day.
-Doug M