Instead of engaging in yet another variant of the “which is better, prototype or freelance modeling” – discussion, I’ll go ahead and offer a few thoughts on effective, believable freelancing – an approach we normally call “prototype freelancing.*” For years we were told to “model the typical, ordinary items.” That’s great advice, but it isn’t enough. The other key is repetition. If we have three bridges, for example, we may want to make them the same basic style, to reinforce the fact that there's a railroad engineering department making these decisions, not the latest whimsey of some model railroader who sets out to demonstrate his or her bridge-building prowess with a through truss, a wood trestle, and a stone arch bridge.  

I was taught by an old Chief Gunner’s Mate waaayyy back in naval gunnery school the best way to neutralize a threat was to hit it -- repeatedly -- until it changed shape (or disappeared!)

So it stands to reason that the best way to increase the believability of the free-lanced railroad is to keep hitting the same targets repeatedly -- and a strong sense of time, era, and place are great targets to start with.

Consider this – we’re asking our viewers to take a giant leap -- believing this fake railroad somehow really existed. Each anachronism you have to explain away lessens the believability of the whole. Have you ever heard that the best science fiction has some basis in scientific fact -- albeit theoretical? Free-lance modeling is the same way. Does this mean there is no room for creativity and imagination? Of course not. But we should be aware of the potential mixed messages can have to confuse our viewers.

It's far too easy to fall into a trap of "It's my railroad." Nothing wrong with that of course, but to me that sometimes reads like the historical fiction novels where everyone from George Washington to Lincoln bump into the main character in the middle of the town square.

The rolling stock modeled is another target we can try to hit as much as we can. And not just era appropriate, but rolling stock appropriate for the presumed prototype. Much as I love big articulated steam engines, they didn't run in New England during the time I model so they really have no business on the Southern New England. Sure, I can take the “It’s my railroad, I can do what I want” approach, or create some long story about how the SNE bought some Challengers at the same time as the Delaware & Hudson (a story I seriously considered at one point, so I’m not above temptation.) but I choose not to. Instead I study what other New England railroads had and make choices based on those -- with some of my personal druthers added to the mix.