Even before I got started on these modules, I had a timeframe that I picked out. This time for the railroad was much more colorful, had a bit of variety of units (granted 1,000+ SD70Ms doesn't help variety).
The time is 2007. More precisely in either late September, or October. Ooh, just got an idea! Halloween anyone? Possibly a little snow in the mountains, while leaves are falling even in some of the lower mountain towns.
The railroad... It has to be Union Pacific! In the time frame picked, the last unpatched Rio Grande tunnel-motor unit was picking up its last miles before its unofficial retirement. Also many SP Bandits, along with unpatched units still roam. Yes, they are still out there! They seem to have snuck off into Wyoming for coal duty.
Taking all of this into consideration, that means that these modules are somewhere along UP's main, or possibly a branch line. I was traveling along I-84 not long ago and stumbled on Durkee, OR. Now this town is quite small compared to what I was thinking of. So I guess I'm going to make it a little bigger than in real life. The really neat thing about it is that the town has a couple of twisty canyons on both sides of it. As of right now, from the city end of my modules, will continue on towards Baker City, OR where, I honestly haven't decided what will happen yet. From the side with the abandoned barn, it will continue on towards Huntington, where a small rail-yard exists. Seems like on modules, one can't have enough sidings or yards! In turn, it will likely be a 8-10 track yard for likely a 50 car train. Certainly not small, which is the entire idea behind modules! The line will likely continue on towards Boise, ID. I'm thinking there will be a coal loader on a module at this end, which will be a fairly large facility in itself. At the other end, towards Baker City, will be the rotary car dump. Keep in mind, both of these facilities will need to have reversing facilities that can handle the 50+ car train! Certainly won't be small!
FreeMo Set standards for the color of ground foam to be used, which at least in my mind, defeats the entire point of modules! The entire concept of modules is to choose what location you want to model, real or not. Heck it doesn't even need to be modeled like earth! Now standards for both electrical and track work are important. One module's poor track work can just be a pain for all involved. Electrical hook-ups that aren't standard can bring the entire layout to a halt. Modules that look the same, looks more like a permanent layout. The problem is that different people like things, different. Modules are supposed to make that possible, and with different modules at a meet makes it so there are likely a few modules that catch people's eyes!
