Back Stories

I'm modeling real places on a real railroad, so my backstory is the actual history of the line.

But the most convincing free-lance railroads are the ones with a well though out backstory. That's why the Virginia & Ohio or Allegheny Midland were such well regarded and convincing model railroads despite being 100% made up - but the history and practices and design of the railroads, while pure fiction, were very much rooted in the real world with and understanding of how railroads work.

I have to update my railroads backstory.

A model railroad is like a book. My area had several hard luck short lines after the Pennsylvania railroad was formed and started to become dominant. The men with the big ideas of how to introduce competition all came up short on the financial end of things. 2 railroads started around 1871, two years before the panic of 73. Timing and the Pennsylvania both prevented any new local competitors and the Pennsylvania locked down control of this area by 1900. I changed the middle and end of the story to have a viable short line. It could have happened.

Oh yeah...

I took an alternate reality stance to the planned layout as there wasn't really a railroad along Stoney Creek (a real place which runs northeast out of Elizabethton, Tennessee) after 1932. Here's my fictional history of the Stoney Creek Southern/ET&WNC Stoney Creek branch, an idea I'd had for many years and had always wanted to model:

The railroad was started in 1898 and by 1900, cut East by Northeast from Elizabethton, paralleling old state 91 on the south side of the Watauga River. It crossed the Watauga at the bend in the river just east of the modern Lynn Valley Road bridge. Paralleling the current highway 91, it ran up into the hills where logging traffic kept the railroad going into the depression era. The railroad got as far as Dry Branch where locomotives were turned around and log cars were loaded. Originally chartered as the Stoney Creek RR, the line added 'Southern' to the end of the name to avoid confusion with state tax collectors over a competing logging line which ran mostly on the south side of the creek. There were various station stops once the railroad crossed the Watauga River, notably at stops such as Hunter, Winner, Sadie and Buladeen.

The line was chartered to go as far as Shady Valley, but never got that far. From the bridge crossing and interchange to the end of the line, the railroad was just a little bit over 12 miles in length. Turntables were put in at each end of the line to turn around the 4-4-0s and logging engines seen on the line after a bad grade crossing accident when a locomotive was facing the opposite direction of travel. The line saw very little passenger traffic but the logging provided revenue until the 1930s. By 1936, trains were running only once a day, if that. Drowning in red ink, the Stoney Creek Southern offered a buyout of stock to the parent company of the East Tennessee & Western North Carolina RR. By the fall of that year, SCS-marked rolling stock started to vanish and ET&WNC equipment started running up the valley. Although a separate corporate entity into the WW2 years, the SCS was in effect another branch of the 'Tweetsie'.

The third storm of the 1940 hurricane season (they weren't named at this time) caused much flooding in the region and washed out the SCS's Howe truss bridge across the Watauga. The ET&WNC filed for abandonment soon afterward, citing declining traffic and the cost of rebuilding the bridge. The ICC ruled against the ET&WNC once they reviewed the current condition of the rest of the line. The Watauga River bridge was the primary damage to the line, which saw surprisingly little damage from flooding along Stoney Creek as the line was built well above the level of the creek in most spots. Only a short section near the Speedwell was washed out and a review of revenues showed a lack of interest in running mixed trains as opposed to a lack of customers, most notably the logging loadout near the end of track and the large barrel component factory midway along the line. Several sections of rail were brought out of Boone when the Linville River Railway was abandoned.

The ICC strongly pushed for use of the roadbed of the recently-abandoned Virginia and Southwestern RR (later owned by the Southern Railway) where it crossed the river. However, the railroad was rebuilt where it was. This remains the only known case of a standard-gauge railroad being abandoned in favor of a narrow-gauge common carrier in American history. ET&WNC crews would often point out the remaining abandoned SRR trackage and joke with traveling soldiers and newcomers to the valley that, "we even outlasted the big railroads!" Still, the line continued to struggle from lack of operational interest by parent ET&WNC.

Pearl Harbor changed all that.

By late 1941, the Army had already considered placing an infantry training camp somewhere in the Shady Valley area, but the lack of good roads prevented this. By the spring of 1942, the Army placed a Railway Operating Battalion into the valley with the specific mission to rebuild the aging SCS mainline (by now referred to the Stoney Creek branch of the ET&WNC). This was for the shared purpose of training Army forces in rebuilding damaged railroads for the future liberation of Axis-held nations and also to provide a good transportation hub into the valley for a projected training camp for the Army ground forces. New 55-pound rail was laid and new ballast brought in for the main line before the Summer of 1942. ET&WNC locomotive # 14, originally designated to go to the White Pass and Yukon RR in Alaska along with # 10, was instead headed into the Valley near its home rails instead for Army use.

Many soldier-railroaders who cut their teeth on the ET&WNCs ten-wheelers went on to run trains on the White Pass & Yukon in Alaska as well as meter-gauge rail lines in Africa, Europe and Asia. The turntables were still being used but were no longer as useful as the shorter locomotives they were made for were no longer around. Turning a 4-6-0 on either of them was a balancing act with only an inch or two to spare on each end that none of the crews enjoyed doing.

By the spring of 1943, the SCS had been rebuilt into a line the locals could be proud of. The tracks were still weed-covered in the summer months and the sidings weren't exactly to any Class I railroad standard, but the track was in better condition than it had ever been. Commuter trains heading for the rayon mills in Elizabethton provided hundreds of skilled workers for needed defense work. Soldiers used the Stoney Creek branch to transport various loads of weapons, munitions, vehicles and supplies.

The 3-foot line into the valley had never seen such traffic before, especially now that gas rationing had rendered civilian motor traffic all but useless without available gasoline. It is now late summer in 1943. The line hauls mixed freight, cord wood, military traffic and passenger trains for the mills almost round-the-clock. The Army is also using the line for defense purposes. Soldiers are often seen coming in and out of the valley, further contributing to the local wartime economy.

It is the high-water-mark for the three-footers along Stoney Creek.

The P&A has a very detailed back story..

Here is the very short answer yes.

I went back and found a up and coming railroad, the Allegheny Valley RR, that eventually became defunct and was absorbed into the PRR.  I tweaked history a bit, and instead of the PRR acquiring the ROW for the AVR I had a new group of investors who wanted it's own line from Lake Erie to Pittsburgh, PA acquire it.  It later on eventually acquires the ROW from the South Penn. RR.  Eventually during WWI and the USRA, the P&A is leased to the NYCS.  During the Great Depression the P&A is eventually acquired by the NYCS.  So in 1953, the P&A is a wholy owned subsidiary of the NYCS, that runs from the outskirts of Erie, PA to Pittsburgh and from a Jct 23 miles northeast of Pittsburgh to Harrisburg, PA. 

It actually has much more detail with actual dates.  If I have time, i'll go find the file and post it.

Ken L. 

Yes, it does

I grew up around it.

It was eventually purchased by the Genesee & Wyoming and renamed.

It's still there and a lot of it still looks as it did so long ago.

The GS&M has a story and a book.

I started way back and found an actual railroad survey for a line that was partially built and never completed in Arizona.  From that point when it went cold in History the Gila Springs & Mesquite railroad starts.  It covers getting it's 1st engines from the NH RR and this helps explain why the look like NH railroad locos,  they were used NH engines.  It also covers car classes and numbering etc.  history of the railroad,  it is a basic blueprint to follow and people like to look at the pages and read about the history of the GS&M at ops events.

Does your railroad have a "back story?"

It's in the back of my shop so I guess so. It's mostly about measuring, cutting,nailing, cleaning up the mess, etc. but the fore story hopefully will be about playing with some trains ....DaveB

Yes.

Since it is based on a prototype, yes it does.

The Credit Valley Railway did exist:

Born February 15, 1871

Died November 20, 1883 (incorporated into the Canadian Pacific Railway)

Stations 48 total - 21 on the mainline,

7 on the Elora branch and

20 on the St. Thomas branch

Locomotives 20 all 4-4-0 varieties

Rolling Stock (1882) 29 pieces of passenger equipment,

while the freight roster included 250 box, and 195 flat cars.

Costs in 1890s: Boxcar $900 with a life span of 8 years

Passenger average $4,400.00

Rail 56 pound per yard for all track-age

Elevation Change From Lake Ontario to Garafraxa Twp. +1281 feet

Grade St.Thomas Branch: Maximum grade is 15 feet to the mile.

Mainline and Elora Branch: Maximum grade is 70 feet to the mile.

However, on my layout I set the premise that the railroad survived til the turn of the century.

Thus my layout is set "Circa 1900"

There were more models of steam from that era. (4-4-0, 2-6-0, 4-6-0 and 2-8-0).

Nothing in particular.  Like

Nothing in particular.  Like many, I am planning on modeling loosely the real D&RGW RR around 1977-1983.

A back story may be more useful for freelance railroads or alternate history railroads.

Maybe I should name my model railroad the "I can't be bothered division of the D&RGW"

Yes

In today's proto obsessed version of the hobby, it's probably not very popular but the somewhat tongue in cheek fictitious history of the Black N' Blue can be found in my blog. I invite everyone to read it and tell me what you think.  Even a fictional story that gives a reason for a railroad to exist is very helpful in long term planning and construction. I suggest that everyone work at least the basic frame of a story out.

Sort of...

I say sort of because the backstory of my line is an amalgamation of the backstories of several actual railroads in the area. In fact, my railroad serves a fictitious route paralleling two real railroads, the North Pacific Coast (Northwestern Pacific) and the California Western. Like those roads, the prime reason for the railroad was redwood timber. Like those roads, mine eventually applied for and became a common carrier - more then just a logging road.

This is a huge part of the fun of the hobby to me. I actually make up back stories for each structure as well, and even some of the figures. It keeps me rooted in reality though my line is free-lance.

History

Yes, because it is based on an actual railroad.

Back story and modelled stories

Hi,

yes, I have a story why my railroad exists.

What I find just as important is to actually model lots of small stories. A witch on a broom circling her house. A rescue helicopter hovering over the mountain's side while the injured person is being attached to the rope. The campers who worry about their torn tent flapping in the wind. The guy sleeping on the platform bench while waiting for his train. A derailed car that has hastily been shoved aside to allow operation to continue. Lots of small scenes to add stories on the layout.

Have fun!

I model a freelanced short

I model a freelanced short line, so yea, I have a backstory, but I don't feel the need to go on and on with a never ending essay to describe it to the world, that's not important me.

It happened in "my world", that's enough for me.

I've tried reading some that are practically in volumes!  I don't need that.

To some, all that detail is a necessity, for justification of their modeling.  Sometime you wonder who they are trying to convince?  Themselves?

Mike.

Definitely - though I’m not currently modeling it.

I’m a history nut. My den is shelves of nothing but same and that includes books on my favorite prototype which flows backwards from CSX, Chessie, and the B&O.  We had property on Sandpatch Grade when I was younger and the history involving the Philly and Baltimore political interests battling in the PA legislature to allow that B&O line in Pa always interested me.  
 

Some years ago, I created a freelance that evolved from the above. Pittsburgh business interests were rightly ticked at their in state neighbors’ attempt to monopolize rail in PA and they  wanted competition for the PRR. All of this is true to this point. Where I picked up was that i made up that they built a railroad between Connesville and Wheeling over the “preferred route” the B&O really wanted to build on in the 1840’s but were never allowed.to  This really doomed the B&O to third place in the trunkline race to the Midwest as the famous Cranberry and Seventeen Mike Grades they had to use in West Virginia were just too much.  By the time the B&O could build in PA (Sandpatch) the goal was to get coal to Pittsburgh for steel. To this day in real life, there has never been a railroad on the preferred route between Connelsville and Wheeling.  My freelanced idea of the Western Pennsylvania Railroad Compnay, or West Penn, did so after the Civil War.  
 

I may model this some day. When I returned the hobby a few years ago, I noticed a lot less undecorated equipment and decided to go with the flow to prototype modeling for now  

I do.

I have one for the current layout and beginning one for the On30 layout...Not only do I have one but it will indeed fill volumes. For me it isn't just about running trains. It is about creating an miniature world and part of that creative outlet is scratch building my own structures. Some of it is building and running the rolling stock and some of it is creating a story, one that is a continuing thing. It isn't to convince myself or anyone else a justification of my modeling but it IS a result of my modeling.

Length

If one wants to do volumes of info, they certainly can, it's your railroad, but it doesn't have to be long at all. Mine is a five minute read but it still sets the why of my railroad and the type of atmosphere I try hard to capture. Putting it down "on paper" so to speak has been extremely helpful. Much better than the ideas just rattling around in my head.

Agreed

I agree Michael. LIke most things in this hobby, it all depends on what it is you enjoy and want to accomplish. 

Spokane Southern Back Story (Alternate History)

Spokane Southern History

In 1904, a famous trust busting case called the "Northern Securities Co. v. United States (1904) was heard by the Supreme Court, which voted 5 to 4 to dissolve the Northern Securities Co.  You can read the specifics about this court case here at:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...Co._v._United_States

However, the "Trust Buster", Theodore Roosevelt, did not think that this went far enough.  There was concern within the Roosevelt administration about two items.  The empire of James J. Hill and the financial house of J.P Morgan had become way too powerful, and even though the Northern Securities Co. was dissolved, it was felt that this did not go far enough to reign them in.  There was also a large amount of concern that if railroad building west of Chicago was left unchecked, severe overbuilding, and weakened financial performance of the western railroads would result, which was becoming the case east of Chicago.

Therefore, various governmental agencies, notably the Department of Justice, the Interstate Commerce Commission, and the Securities and Exchange (which was formed after the financial panic of 1907) started in 1908 to "strongarm" western railroads to form alliances that offered single line service from Chicago westward. 

Out of this movement resulted in the following alliances:

• Great Northern utilized Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy to reach Chicago.
• Northern Pacific utilized the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific to reach Chicago.
• Both roads had to channel 10% of their Minneapolis / St. Paul traffic minimum to the Chicago and North Western. The Milwaukee Road and the C&NW were "encouraged" to rationalize their trackage in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and in any other area it made sense to make both companies stronger. 

The Milwaukee Road, as the CMStP&P became known, had its eyes of future expansion westward to the pacific coast.  However, the Roosevelt administration, with the support of Congress, wanted to forestall the development of a third railroad in the Pacific Northwest.  So, as part of the alliance forged between the Northern Pacific and the Milwaukee Road, the Milwaukee road built their line only as far west as Terry, MT.  This allowed for interchange of Milwaukee traffic in the Twin Cities, as well as in Terry.  The Milwaukee Road got a share of the long haul traffic that they interchanged in Terry in return for conveying the property acquired in the Pacific Northwest to the Northern Pacific. 

This arrangement peaked the interest of James Hill, who was not happy about this arrangement, and felt that the resulting line across Montana, Idaho, and Washington to Puget Sound would enrich the fortunes of his chief competitor.  There were, however, synergies that could be mutually beneficial for both the Great Northern, and Northern Pacific, and out of this cooperation, the Spokane Southern was born.

The Milwaukee Road right of way, which was acquired but not built out, was transferred to a jointly held company, the Spokane Southern Railroad Co. 

The Spokane Southern ended up running the bulk of the Northern Pacific traffic that went through to the Puget Sound area, allowing for a shorter route that bypassed Spokane for freight moves, and kept the railroad from having to "go southwest, and turn right" to get to Puget Sound.  Northern Pacific road power is utilized on all these trains, in addition to Northern Pacific waycars. 

The Great Northern received the Northern Pacific route through Sandpoint ID, and a preferred routing into Spokane from the east.  The Great Northern received exclusive rights to freight traffic south from Craig CO to South Spokane, WA. From there, any traffic heading westward was bid on for the haulage to the west, with some of the traffic going across the GN, and some going across the Spokane Southern to tie in to the NP at Cle Elum. 

In addition, in order for the Union Pacific to get something out of all this, since Harriman didn't want to be left out, the line north from the UPRR main in Wyoming to Twin Falls ID, and Butte, MT was also conveyed to the Spokane Southern, as was the UPRR's share of the Spokane International in return for an equity stake in the Spokane Southern.  

In order for the Rio Grande to get something out of all of this, as they were the outlier that could perish in this consolidation, a line was built south by the Spokane Southern to Craig, CO, where it tied into the D&RGW. 

There is also a relationship of the Spokane Southern and the Alberta Pacific, who interchange a lot of traffic at Osoyoos BC, Canada and Oroville WA, USA due to the Western Canada Trade and Development Act of 1932.

All this just to justify running Great Northern and Northern Pacific motive power and cabooses on the same railroad, without having to repaint them.  

Regards,

Jerry

@GNNPNUT - Great story!

Wonderful backstory, Jerry! I'm just curious as to where in that time frame fiction takes over. 1908?

--- Tom

Even my (very) short line had a back story.

It was a very small layout but the back story helped my define some of the track and structures.

(Short story) the line was conceived to link the ATSF to the SP and provide a bridge route. Unfortunately the founder was a buisnesman who knew little about railroads and failed to get more than a mile of track laid before going bankrupt. Eventually a portion line was laid to link Kayton with Tecoma and the ATSF at Santel. Alas by that time the ATSF had it's own through roads and the K&T was superfluous.
Fast Forward
in 1952 the ATSF acquired the failing branch for $1.00 and ran a weekly local to serve industries in Kayton. By 1962 the line was struggling to break even as industries closed or relocated closer to the interstate. In 1969 Siddens & Bird engineering closed their Kayton plant sealing the fate of the K&T which ceased operating in February 1970.
OK
Because of the ‘through’ nature I installed a couple of tracks at either end that lead off into the distance – the through component.

I figured that there would have been a central office / station which was closed when the ATSF took over. Later it burned down and only the foundations remained which I modeled. However the ATSF did build a single stall, more modern engine shed & office to service the local engine. (Excuse for a Pikestuff single stall engine shed)

Having a backstory really helped me decide what elements to put on the layout that reinforced the story and thus reinforced the reason for the railway

Unfortunately, due to a house shift, I now model the K&T as it appeared in 1996 – non-existent….

Yes it does

Shortly after the start of PC I was walking along the North East Corridor near New London, CT.  I vividly remember a train passing me with a New York Central and a New Haven Locomotive.  I went Hmmmm....York Haven. 

In my HO world the resulting York Haven RR was/is successful. 

The paint scheme for most locos is the New Haven Railroad Alpert color scheme of red and black.

This gives me the option of running all sorts of "tongue in cheek" models. 

I am sure I don't have the only York Haven model railroad, but for sure I have the only one in my basement. 

Ernie

The rest of the story for Tom

Tom wrote:

Theodore Roosevelt was president between September 14, 1901 – March 4, 1909.

The Milwaukee Road board saw the writing on the wall, and did not give approval for the expansion that they had planned on doing in 1906.  They did, however, start negotiations with the Northern Pacific and Great Northern on the "Spokane Southern" venture, and had secured right of first refusal over the land purchases necessary to build the line west of Terry MT.  The "Spokane Southern" was born in 1908, and building of the Spokane Southern started in 1909. 

Teddy Roosevelt was invited to ride the first train across the line in 1912, which he did. 

Today, one can still see the remnants of the NP line west of Cle-Elum, over which now runs the "Iron Horse Trail".  I still have not had the opportunity to hike through the old Stampede Tunnel.  I did, however, have an opportunity to ride the 4449 excursion that ran between Seattle King Street Station and Spokane WA thru Othello WA. 

It was rumored that the line from Othello to Seattle was going to be electrified, but cooler heads prevailed, and during the time of steam, Northern Pacific Z class challengers, and even the Z-5 class Yellowstones finished out their lives on the divisions between Spokane and Seattle / Tacoma.   Passenger trains saw all of the A class northerns up until they were displaced by F units on the North Coast Hiawatha and the Mainstreeter.

Wow, all this, and I haven't hit the brandy snifter yet. 

Regards,

Jerry

Hmmmmm...

...None of the railroads have ever been placed in receivership.