Geographic Influence

[WesternOutlaw]

As I look upon various train MOCs shared on EB, it gets me thinking, how does WHERE YOU LIVE influence your train building? Recent orange diesel trains shared by Sergio depict Portuguese trains. Others by Ashi Valkoinen demonstrate his interest in Hungarian trains. Personally, I've always liked Wild West steam trains. Does where you live influence what you build (or) do you just build trains that you like?

Discuss the topic here:

[Diamondback]

The only thing that's influenced my train work is my old family business the New York Central System, its archrival the Pennsylvania Railroad, and the lines they either interchanged or had joint-operation arrangements with, like how the NYC 20th Century Limited and ATSF Super Chief swapped cars to create a transcontinental sleeper-service.

Everything else, aside from the "Freak Show" (the big, heavy and powerful) is just practice to hone my skills for progressive refinements of NYC/PRR projects.

If anybody mentions that abomination against all that is right and proper in American railroading called "Penn Central", though, I'm gonna go postal...

[WesternOutlaw]

I voted for "high degree". I live in the western United States surrounded by desert. I like Wild West trains from a historic aspect and the BNSF, SFSC, and other diesels used in the west. I also like German steam locomotives from HO trains I played with as a kid.

[Captain Zuloo]

I voted for "high degree".

Me too. Although I've really only built one train, my Pacific National NR Class was based on a real train in Adelaide, where I used to live, and my current MOC project is this train which I recently went on.

[ZueriHB]

Me too. Although I've really only built one train, my Pacific National NR Class was based on a real train in Adelaide, where I used to live, and my current MOC project is this train which I recently went on.

I voted very high, built / designed some trains (4 sets) and except for the Emerald Night, all are Swiss Electric Trains.

I grew up with them, with H0 scale and the real thing.

[Cale]

My geographic location is a big influence on my building.

My top three favorite railroads, the Western Maryland, the Maryland & Pennsylvania, and the Pennsylvania RR, all ran into my home of York County, Pennsylvania and are the are the ones I model most. I love local history and the local connection these RR's all had ties into that.

When I'm not modeling those three I still am influenced by local connections. The Peach Bottom Railway Eastern Division ran in neighboring Lancaster County and it's middle division counter part went on to become part of the Ma & Pa. The Reading also ran locally and interchanged with the Western Maryland. The Pittsburgh & Lake Erie while not quite local was still a Pennsylvania line. The Norfolk & Western was an Eastern US railroad (getting farther away but still on my side of the US) and which the Pennsylvania RR owned a controlling interest of is also a favorite subject.

Even when I don't directly model something local I'm still pulling inspiration from local sources. For an upcoming project of mine I've been gathering ideas from Howard Tunnel and industrial areas around Harrisburg PA.

Cale

[SavaTheAggie]

For me it depends on how "local" you're talking about. Early on, I guess you'd say I was "average", because I prefer American style locomotives, but nothing from any specific region of the US. Lately, however, I'd say I'm "high degree" (which is what I voted) because I've begun focusing my building habits on the Texas State Railroad and the locomotives and equipment they run. That isn't to say I'm totally against building another style/type of train (I've been looking at a British design), but I foresee a lot of TSRR stuff in my future.

--Tony

[Selander]

I voted high. I enjoy building all sorts of trains, BUT my favorites are models from Europe

especially Sweden where I live. There is a special feeling to create those trains you have a

relation to.

[peterab]

I voted not at all, as I live in Australia, and primarily want to build German prototypes.

BTW welcome ZueriHB, I'm sure we'd all like to see your Swiss models.

[AllanSmith]

I voted all the time. I build New Zealand railway equipment. I have built 2 diesels (class DA & DC), 2 steam engines (class H and Climax) and 1 electric loco (class EO) and 4 carriages. All built awhile ago and boxed away at the moment.

[Captain Zuloo]

I voted not at all, as I live in Australia, and primarily want to build German prototypes.

After some time in my local model railway club who mainly model Australian trains, I have learnt what great rail heratige we actually have here. Have a look around at Aussie trains Peter, I think you'll be surprised.

[Ashi Valkoinen]

I voted "all the time". :)

I'm planning to build an another Stadler FLIRT, passanger waggons for Taurus, a V63 locomotive and freight waggons used in Hungary.

And of course, a Hungarain station. :)

Edited February 5, 2010 by Ashi Valkoinen

[vgo]

Not at all, at least for now. I've been planning to build the VR's old diesel and electric locomotives, there's a railroad 2km from my house and the red/white Dv12 diesel locomotive is a common sight.

[Duq]

High degree for me as well.

Be fore I moved to Ireland my trains were all Dutch. I just built trains that I was familiar with, or trains I remembered from my childhood. I've since built a Baldwin and a German steam engine for challenges on Flickr and there's another German steamer in the making.

I've yet to build something Irish though. Not easy as the older trains are orange while new ones are silver. Not the easiest colours in Lego. The fact that I've yet to find a pretty Irish train doesn't help either...

[peterab]

After some time in my local model railway club who mainly model Australian trains, I have learnt what great rail heratige we actually have here. Have a look around at Aussie trains Peter, I think you'll be surprised.

I really like some of our local trains, and have been interested since high school, but eventually want to have a whole layout, and European towns are denser, and you can model a greater range of architechture, from the medieval to the modern. And I just really like the systematic nature of Germany's steam loco's. After the German states unified they tried to share components between designs to keep maintainance costs down, so their are standard boilers, cabs tenders etc. I've always wanted a round house full of uniform looking but different engines.

By contrast our local Victorian trains had an initial grand burst of track building, then a history of neglect almost ever since, with a bunch of bad technical descisions, and ownership changes thrown in just to make it sadder.

[MetroiD]

Unfortunately, I have not seen too many different trains in my lifetime, especially when it comes to steam engines. The Bulgarian railways operate diesel engines most of the time and I didn't find the locs used by the Deutsche Bahn too inspiring (bar the ICE, of course). So I guess I wouldn't say I'm geographically influenced when thinking about a model to build. I'm saying "thinking" here, because I haven't really built an actual real-life train model yet. I am planning to do that though - and I've drawn lots of inspiration from random stuff that has impressed me, such as the Railroad Tycoon series for example, or movies, etc...

That said, there's also a Bulgarian company producing nice little shunters and I'd like to build one of those sometime later on, when I have enough space to set up my own train station. So I guess there is a tad bit of geographic influence and national attachment in me, after all.

[Selander]

Not at all, at least for now. I've been planning to build the VR's old diesel and electric locomotives, there's a railroad 2km from my house and the red/white Dv12 diesel locomotive is a common sight.

I've built a VR SR1, if you browse this site I think you'll find it.

[Brickstarrunner]

I may live down south where there are many deserts and all, but what I am most fond of are steam trains up north in places like Oregon and Washington and Alaska. I think it is because I was born in Washington and grew up with trains there.

[Rijkvv]

All the time. My layout WIP will resemble a fictive Dutch area, with only trains in use in the Netherlands. First I wanted only the trains that were used in the province, but if I choose to build a train wherever it operates, as long as it's in the Netherlands, there is much more to choose from.

[Sir E Fullner]

I voted for maybe a little because I live in Northeast Nebraska and have built some Union Pacific and Chicago and Northwestern locomotives. But, I prefer the British style engines because of the many unique forms and colors that you can't find in Nebraska.

[Andy Glascott]

I've yet to build something Irish though. Not easy as the older trains are orange while new ones are silver. Not the easiest colours in Lego. The fact that I've yet to find a pretty Irish train doesn't help either...

Yeah, I agree about Irish trains. I grew up there, but with an eye on the more varied British system. Now living in the UK, I mix them up! Finding orange parts can be a bit pricey, and in 6-wide, the corners and angles on Irish locos can be very tricky. I've had a go though, and there are some other builders examples on this thread.

Andy

PS Voted High degree btw....

[vgsprites]

I voted High Degree as well.

I've lived in Northern Cali and Southern Nevada my whole life so the Union Pacific has been a big influence.

All of my LDDs are UP or Southern Pacific and having only UP in my HO scale in my childhood helped my motivation.

I'm in process of building a UP switcher in fact and will post when it's completed.

I did in fact live near a BNSF line 20 miles away from my hometown for 13 years but the Yellow and Red had already stuck in my heart.

[Piranha]

I voted for "High Degree". I have a strong preference to American Locomotives, especially Diesel engines. Others such as the Metroliner (bearing resemble to AMTRAK) I am also drawn to. However I also like European type Trains and Locomotives as well. But not just as much as American.

Edited June 18, 2011 by Macoco

[greenmtvince]

I voted for all the time. I live in New England, and as well as being drawn to autumn foliage in my scenes, my modelling is based on railroads in Northern New England. I previously modelled Vermont Rail System around Rutland, VT, but I shifted my focus to the east side of the state where the former Central Vermont and now New England Central Run. I modelled the Claremont Concord Railroad that intechanges with the NECR while in Afghanistan, and I'd like to model the Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington RR or Sandy River Railroad, examples of Maine's unique 2-foot gauge railways.

[F0NIX]

I'm not sure how to vote on this: "not at all" or "all the time" since I dont have trains in my region :)

But the trainstation and trains I'm going to build is going to be based on pictures of the Norwegian trains....

I have allready built one trainstation and it was based upon an old Norwegian trainstation.