Research and Inspiration - a digression

Boardgames are another of my hobbies alongside the model soldiers.  Games involving railways - running companies and building track and "running" trains along routes to earn money (Cities pay better than towns) are a staple part of that hobby.    A long term favourite is Silverton - about trains in Colorado.

Alongside playing the game, this brought a discovery about "bendy" trains for use particularly in logging operations.  Articulated trains would be a better description but the whole concept of these trains: Shays, Heislers and Climaxes to name but a few intrigued me and I set to work on designing my Virginia Logging railroad game (still in design) but that's another story. 

Buying the occasional railway magazine (plus having a chuffer nutter chum) made me realise that model Shay's were available.   Additionally a friend pointed me in the direction of an absolutely stunning model railway layout featured on facebook - The coastline RR page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Coast-Line-RR-page/127409483958090 and a website

http://coastline.no13.se/

On30 guage would mean bigger trains on HO scale track - for non railroaders that means bigger trains on what you probably regard as traditional model railway size track.  More of the modelling aspects come out with the bigger scale.  

Looking at Shay's came up with this video from you tube:

A second idea (alongside the freight yard fun) starts forming - how about a model train that runs around the edge of the lawn, and I could have a model shay as well ?