Model railroad ala Lovecraft?

Hi, kind folks. I am thinking of building a model railway set along H.P. Lovecraft's mythical "Miskatonic River" in Massachusetts. How about the "Miskatonic Valley Railroad?" Or something like that. Seeking suggestions for a basis in reality. Anyone familiar with real rail lines/locomotives/cars operating in Western Mass. circa 1890-1920's? Would like to have one old locomotive running from the port of "Innesmouth," more like a working train, and then a passenger train ala Harry Potter circuiting the whole valley. Scenery would include Miskatonic University (of course), the coast with Cthulhu's lair offshore, and various other locations from Lovercraft's horror stories. Thoughts? Sources? Suggestions? Thanks!

.........

Sorry, try this link, instead...

Man, that's twisted. I like it!

-John

What has this got to do with the original question??????

How about the "Ghost Train", or White Train a.k.a. "The New England Limited" of the New York and New England RR? An exclusive, high-priced ride from New York to Boston that ran from 1891-1895. It would take an old 4-4-0 with their cool Maltese Cross herald on the tender and some old wooden coaches painted white, with gold trim. Since there are no clear pictures that I'm aware of, you can really use your imagination. Check about half-way down this page:

Rail Trail - history

MacIndoe

The original post asked about railroads in Western Mass. c. 1890-1920s.

Mass. is Massachusetts, a state in the Northeast U.S. Western Mass. is the western part of the state, usually politically hostile to Boston in the east. In Western Mass is a mountain range called the Berkshires.

The Boston and Albany RR ran between these two cities and through the Berkshires. It was one of the first, if not first, railroads to get a

2-8-4 type locomotive, and it was named the Berkshire type.

So, the answer really is related to the question.

-- Bill Kaiser snipped-for-privacy@mtholyoke.edu

There are three ways to do a job: good, cheap, and quick. You can have any two. A good, cheap job won't be quick. A good, quick job won't be cheap. A cheap, quick job won't be good.

Or, if you can wait a few months, in 2004 Lionel will be shipping #6-3809 B&M 2-6-0 Mogul, which is the only actual, working steam locomotive I remember ever having seen in real life.

Dunty Porteous

What font is that? I kinda like it.

...and all tickets are one way...

Matt

Huh?

" Hi, kind folks. I am thinking of building a model railway set along H.P. Lovecraft's mythical "Miskatonic River" in Massachusetts. How about the "Miskatonic Valley Railroad?" Or something like that. Seeking suggestions for a basis in reality. Anyone familiar with real rail lines/locomotives/cars operating in Western Mass. circa 1890-1920's?"

That's what.

Carloads of knights templar in uniform.

Jim Stewart

Both the B&A and the Illinois Central ordered 2-8-4s from Lima in 1925, after the Lima demonstrator A-1 ran on both roads.

But given that the OP suggested a modelling a railroad running along a river, and:

what is the relevance of large, modern freight power such as a B&A A-1?

Given that the OP suggested a modelling a railroad running along a river, and:

what is the relevance of large, modern freight power such as a B&A A-1?

Why are you on about frigging rivers?

I suggested the Berkshire because it's a big brute of a gothic-looking monstrosity which WAS common on the mainlines of New England in the first half of the twentieth-century, and I suggested a Mogul which WAS used extensively for light service branch line duty during the same period and in the same region. Which, even after having read the original post three times now, seems to me perfectly relevant.

I can certainly understand that you wouldn't want to operate the locos IN a river, however they should perfectly well even in very near proximity to one.

What font is that? I kinda like it.

Bridges would probably work out all right, too.

Didn't Clive Clusser write a novel like that?

Don

-- snipped-for-privacy@prodigy.net

snipped-for-privacy@yahoogroups.com moderator: snipped-for-privacy@yahoogroups.com co-moderator: snipped-for-privacy@Yahoogroups.com

[ ... ]

Ah, but the Miscatonic river flows swiftly, with many foaming rapids on its way to the sea at the port of Innesmouth. The grade up along the river is formidable. Big engines, like Berkshires, are needed to haul the heavy coal trains up to Miscatonic University, at the headwaters of the river, where the students cook spells and witches brews over roaring coal fires.

Are the rivers in Australia so slow and sluggish that all you need is an

0-4-0 to pull a train up the grade?

-- Bill Kaiser snipped-for-privacy@mtholyoke.edu

There are three ways to do a job: good, cheap, and quick. You can have any two. A good, cheap job won't be quick. A good, quick job won't be cheap. A cheap, quick job won't be good.

A railroad running along a river valley, which is what the other poster was thinking about building, tends to have easy grades. B&A on the other hand was a heavily graded mountain road, which is why they purchased the A-1s.

Gothic looking?

Common on the B&A only.

A much better suggestion, even if the loco mentioned was owned by another railroad.

Some are, others aren't.

Some are just like the Hudson, where you can get away with a high-drivered 4-8-2 as your fast freight power...