Has anyone every thought about a campaign like this? I guess it would be a diorama campaign, but something that included armored trains, armor being transported on trains, armor on train tracks (think of Oddball's tank appearing out of the train tunnel in Kelly's Heroes). Again, I'm fairly new, just asking.....

Phil

From further down, moving here for ease of reference:
"So it looks like there is quite a bit of interest. It seems like folks would like to have it broadly conceived with some pretty simple constraints:

- must have rails (either on rails, or based next to rails, but a dio is not required)
- "military" or "war" subject matter (something like a tram in Stalingrad during the war would fit)
- any era (from mid 19th century up to the present day)
- a longer time period for the campaign itself (12 mos?)
- starting mid-Fall perhaps (October?)
- can be a build that includes things that have already started (to allow someone to mount an already built tank on a rail car, for example)"


List:
1. Phil2015
2. BarkingDigger
3. PasiAhopelto
4. PanzerBob01
5. Tank1812
6. Brekinapez
7. Alabamas?
8. JPTRR
9. KoSprueOne

I haven't been joining campaigns for that long, but I can't remember seeing one like this. I think it would be neat. Unfortunately I currently don't have a kit in my stash that meets the criteria if this campaign were to get started.

The idea is interesting. You will want to have a long build-time (say 9 or 12 months?) and maybe allow kits that have been started, or the use of some already-built components. For example, building a new flatcar and adding and existing built/painted tank as a load. I'd be in!

Diorama build sounds interesting, and would join with something relatively simple. 9-12 months sounds good to me.

Not that I could do it but Miniart has some nice trams kits, so I would make the campaign simpler, anything on rails.

This sounds promising. However, an extended build time makes sense since we're essentially building multiple kits, one armor & one rail, plus the track it runs on. Another consideration is that some of these dios might end up being on pretty large bases, especially if you add any trackside structures or more than one railcar.

Thanks for the input. I'm really more interested in the big picture of whether people do this kind of thing here. I purchased a miniart gondola with a crew loading barrels onto it. I have no idea why I did it, but it captured my interest somehow.

Let's discuss more. I'll be happy to eventually put together a proposal for a campaign. 12 months sounds fine.

I'm not wed to armor by any means. And I have eyed those mini-art tram cars thinking of something based on war photos in Stalingrad.

What do people think about with respect to constraints? Should we limit the scale? Or make it have to be a plastic or resin kit, or something? I think we're not aiming for standard HO, or O, train set-ups?

Regards,
Phil


And I'm really just thinking out loud, welcoming all input.

Have you checked this one out from 2011? Military Railroad Campaign

—mike

I'm not a big fan of constraints regarding scale, era, etc as these exclude people who might have contributed some interesting builds. I like the idea of it being military-related, but would accept WWII-era trams as essentially war-related since in the war EVERYTHING to do with rail transport effectively fell under government wartime control. Personally I'd be looking at a couple of flatcar builds that will serve as "posing stands" for tanks, both being post-war German. (Plenty of scope for Leopards etc, or US tanks.) I wanted them for displaying kits at shows, if we ever get back to normal...

I would be very interested in a "military on rails" campaign that focused on doing and presenting any of many rail-bound vehicle kits - including railed armored cars and trucks, railroad stock (gondolas, flats, etc. - with or without added vehicle cargo (as in flats with AFV or other mil vehicles loaded, and / or with or without other mil usage cargo - AA, "gun trucks", troop arrangements, etc.), and the growing diversity of armored rail-cars (armored train stuff) and "wartime period versions of trams, etc.".

I do have a hesitation: IF it gets focused on doing dios, I think that could end up deterring some or many folks who, like myself, don't feel up to doing a complex dio with many figures but may be interested in doing up some kit / subject as a build.

But I am game for a railed mil subject campaign if I could get in with some kit or subject build! And hey! If such sounds like a sort of repeat of some previous campaign... "So what and why not do another!" The railed offerings have greatly expanded in the past few years!

Cheers! Bob

We did this one a few years ago.

Stop, look and listen....

It wasn't diorama based but it was still fun due to it being railroad based.

Randy

I'm thinking of quite simple build, a tank in hull down position behind railroad track bed. I think I've seen similar photo from Korean War, but this would be Finnish T-72M1. So tank, terrain+tracks and tank commander.

I have several rail cars hauling armor and a friend of mine is building a German railcar with twin flak 88's mounted.

So it looks like there is quite a bit of interest. It seems like folks would like to have it broadly conceived with some pretty simple constraints:

- must have rails (either on rails, or based next to rails, but a dio is not required)
- "military" or "war" subject matter (something like a tram in Stalingrad during the war would fit)
- any era (from mid 19th century up to the present day)
- a longer time period for the campaign itself (12 mos?)
- starting mid-Fall perhaps (October?)
- can be a build that includes things that have already started (to allow someone to mount an already built tank on a rail car, for example)

Should I start making a list of people who would be in? I'll edit the first post with folks who seem like they have said they would be in.

It will need a clever name, suggestions welcomed.

Phil

Sounds good - now all you need is a list of ten "I'm up for it" folk and you can submit it for the Campaigns admin to approve! (Might be worth posting a link to this topic over on the RailRoadModelling site on Kitmaker to gain more interest...)

For name suggestions, how about "Rails to the Front"?

how can I say you are interested in an armored train or tanks on a platform as heavy as their axles

transport the Geschutzwagon Tiger on the front line

I am in. Probably won’t do a tram but my other option the AMG BDT-35.

I have a couple of tank transporter railcars...

I found (what I think anyway) is a terrific subject for this. I bought a kit today in anticipation of doing it. If the campaign starts next year, I may not be able to wait!

Count me in.

An inspirational book:Model Railroads Go to War

Glad to have you in, Frederick! Please invite your friends

Some printed reference materials for ideas and details.

https://i.imgur.com/pgNmo2u.jpg
Short and Narrow Rails #42

https://i.imgur.com/z5P7VwA.jpg
Rails To Doomsday, The U.S. Army's Corregidor and Manila Bay Railroads

https://i.imgur.com/MREFunF.jpg
America's Fighting Railroads

https://i.imgur.com/uc3XC8x.jpg
Military Railroads on the Panama Canal Zone

Those look great! Thanks for the pointers.

I don't suppose you have any reference on narrow gauge rail in the Soviet Union during the war?

Personally, not that I know of. I found some of this on-line tho.

https://narrow.parovoz.com/indexe.php

https://www.rbth.com/multimedia/pictures/2014/05/26/russias_once_longest_narrow-gauge_railway_godforsaken_but_36943