Freelanced roads I have on my list

[Deleted]

I am a huge fan of proto-freelanced model railroads. I especially like to see then come to fruition and how the models turn out. It would be kind of cool to have a PFL meet somewhere or attach it to an RPM show and have a some table setup specifically for PFL.

Funny thing is that I have come up with a number of roads, but have not convinced myself to break the RPM mold and build models of my roads. Here is a list of my roads and the concepts behind them.

1. US HYDRO
The concept is pretty radical and I came up with the idea back in the mid 1980's. This railroad came to life because of the growing water shortages in the US especially in the southwest where more and more people are moving to. This company is subsidized by the southwestern states that the water is being brought to and by the US government. It has built a huge fresh water processing plant up in the arctic circle where they harvest giant ice burgs. Large tugs tow the ice burgs into the plant or into a giant lock. The boats leave, the water is pumped out and the demolition teams come in and place charges into the ice to blow it into smaller pieces. Then large machinery comes in to push the ice into large crushers where the ice is reduced to small pieces that are then pumped through heated pipes to melt and then into filters and desalinization chambers. Once the water has been filter and purified, it is pumped into holding tanks that feed unit tank trains. The tank cars are special insulated cars to keep the water from freezing. The generator units for the heating coils that surround the tank cars are old F7 B-units. The traction motors have been removed and the prime mover is simply just a generator to produce electricity to power the heating coils. US HYDRO runs 100 car unit tank trains with two heater cars. Power is two SD40-2's split by two SD40 cabless B-units. Once the trains got out of the freezing zone, the heater cars would be cut from the train and picked up to return back to the water plant by a returning train.

Naturally there would be mixed freight going up to resupply the plant, machinery repair parts and such.

I know, why a railroad when a large pipeline could be built.

2. VERMILLION & LAKE SUPERIOR
This concept was based on iron ore. With new technology comes new and cost effective ways to get at ore in deep shaft ore mines that have been closed down along the Vermillion Range in Minnesota. Power was SD38's, SD38-2's, SD9's and SD18's. Route was from the Vermillion Range to Duluth.

3. DULUTH IRON
Same concept as #2, but different name.

4. COPPER STATE RAILWAY
Back when UP took over the SP, they were looking at closing down the yard in Phoenix, AZ. I remember seeing it just about empty at one time. My concept was that the COPPER STATE RAILWAY bought all the SP trackage and took over operations in and around the Phoenix area. Interchanged with UP near Casa Grande where the UP mainline comes through and with Santa Fe (BNSF) in Phoenix. There is plenty of really cool operational aspects to this theme. Motive power would be 4 sets of rebuilt GP35's into GP38-2's. These would always be two units running back to back like Utah Railway does. These units would be for yard service and local switching. Interchange a road power would be SD40-2's rebuilt into SD38-2's. Headquarters would be in downtown Chandler, AZ Along the line between Fry road and Chandler BLVD. I remember before I left Chandler and moved to Illinois, there was a large empty lot right along the line in this area.

My favorite is the COPPER STATE RAILWAY idea. Very realistic and believable and as I mentioned, a lot of very fun and interesting switching operations. Also a small street running section with the line that connects the BNSF yard to my yard.

Brian

[Randy Earle]

Some interesting concepts there. When I came up with the idea of the River Run back in the 1970s, the ex-W&LE/NKP Zanesville line was down to a couple trains a week under Norfolk & Western. I rewrote history and made it my own. Just a quaint single track main line rolling through hills and valleys often following Ohio RT #93 through Amish Country. Who would have known 7 or 8 years later N&W would actually spin it off to Jerry Jacobson & his Ohio Central, and now Gennesee & Wyoming?

[CIOR]

The concept of the CIOR was formed by taking lines that railroads no longer wanted/needed and purchasing them.
I went back into history and picked a line that was the original segment and gave it a shortline name. From that point on, the time line had to be REAL with the real railroads being sold/abandoned/shortlined out. Each piece had to fit the puzzle and if it didn't, it was not allowed into the CIOR system. Also, duplicate lines had to be excluded and only a realistic system could form. Only lines with traffic bases could be brought in, as a long line with no business didn't help.

The motive power had to be realistic also, as most regionals can't afford new power in larger numbers. Most of the power is second hand. Thankfully the CIOR has the former PRR's Logansport shop complex and has the ability to rebuild the rosters as needed. This resulted in some obscure engine configurations, much like the backward dynamic hatch on the EMD...funny I know.

Plausibility is the key to any ProtoFreelance road. Just like in real life you have to have a reason to move the traffic. The plausability extends to engines and cars, buildings, signals, right of way, ballast, rail size and so forth. Often times guys think their 10mph branchline is worthy of 133lbs welded rail. LOL, realism is another key there.

[stillbre]

While not exactly protofreelancing the way most of you have done, I have come up with a couple schemes of my own.
First, was a "what-if" assuming the CSX merger never happened. In my sick little world, the L&N and Clinchfield were unhappy with the way SCL management was handling the railroads during the 60s and 70s. As a result, they opted out of the Family Lines consolidation and began a program to buy back their stock from parent SCL. The ICC gave them a deadline of January 1, 1980 to complete the buy out, otherwise they would approve the Seaboard System merger and of course the CSX merger. The L&N and Clinchfield, along with the Georgia Group, formed an alliance operating independently from CSX. Eventually they would buy lines cast off from CSX and NS expanding their reach. One line acquired was the Macon-Savannah line that is now operated by Georgia Central.
Second was something I schemed up with a couple friends. It involved quite a few mergers so try to keep up. During the 60s, N&W's DERCO subsidiary operated both the EL and D&H. The D&H and EL merged during this time. They also formed an alliance with the Lehigh Valley. When Conrail was formed, EL and LV attempted a go of it independently. The N&W slowly acquired a majority interest in both roads. At the same time, Southern began to acquire a large stake in the FEC to gain access to Florida traffic. They were also involved in talks for buying the DT&I. Eventually the Southern bid was accepted over GTW's. As a result of the CSX merger, Southern and N&W began merger talks. Norfolk Southern Corp was formed as a holding company for Southern and N&W and their assests, FEC, DT&I, EL, and LV. Each road kept its own identity until 1994 when the NS scheme was adopted for all new power.

[icghogger]

Nothing really original or unique, but I went about it backwards, I guess. I came up with the logo first (the Leaf River Railroad), then worked it up as an industry-owned short line, during the 1980's, serving its several paper and lumber mills in Mississippi and Alabama, then turned it into a bridge line between the SOURY and IC between the two states. They would pool power with either railroad, so I could have a mix of locomotives hauling various paper products, finished lumber and chemicals for eastern markets and coastal exports. Nothing fancy, just a working railroad hauling origin traffic and bridge traffic to make a buck in a tough market.