In my first blog post, I cover some history about how the MCTD evolved, but here I'd like to talk about what the MCTD is.
My original interest was in a freelanced road. So I set about creating a history for a Class I railroad set in Massachusetts, loosely based on the Boston & Albany line during the late Conrail era.
Later I discovered (or, as you'll see, rediscovered) a number of things:
- I really enjoyed switching operations
- I rediscovered an interest in the Chessie System, and in the process I began learning more and more about Chessie and the roads that made it up.
- I stumbled upon the Pentrex DVD called Street Running and I quickly became enamored with the idea of trains running on the streets.
- I found that the city of Baltimore embodied many of these things.
However, I wanted the freedom to change things, move things, add or delete things, based on my needs. So I decided to make an alter-ego for Baltimore, and thus "Monument City" (a variation on Baltimore's nickname as the "Monumental City") was born. It will be a Chessie-era layout, based on the Baltimore & Ohio's operations in Baltimore and the surrounding area. I will endeavor to replicate it as best as I can while retaining the right to make the changes I mentioned above.
As I progress, I'll document the items that are modifications from the "real" Baltimore, including street names, locations, and so on.
In the true spirit of the blog medium, I'd also like this to be a give and take. I don't claim to know everything about layout building, the Baltimore & Ohio, its operations in the area, or model railroad operations. So, I'd hope people will provide their constructive comments.
So please, follow along as I endeavor to create Monument City.
Regards,
Joe Parker
