What's in a name?

I don't do prototype fidelity.  Some modelers are obsessive-compulsive about getting things exactly right for a particular railroad, and I'm not saying there is anything wrong with that, it's just not my thing. I like building and detailing models, and scenes, and I am not overly concerned that a particular detail is out of place, that's why I don't really care to follow a particular prototype.

Image from http://www.mainenarrowgauge.org/history/maine-two-foot-railroads/

When I started Buzzard's Cove, I wanted to model a waterfront in 2' gauge. I wasn't trying to replicate the Wiscasset Waterville and Farmington, or any other of the Maine two footers. I wanted "Maine-ish".  Also, at the time, I was (and still am) interested in On30, logging and mining railroads, and my heart still belongs to Pennsylvania logging lines from 1880-1940. I have a thing for geared locomotives, and apparently (which I was unaware of) a penchant for diminutive Forneys.

I'll admit that I have no idea what I'm doing, when I have no idea what I'm doing.  Right now, I have no idea what I'm doing!  If you have noticed, I have not lettered any of my models in HOn30. The reason that I haven't broken out the solvaset is because I don't know what to call my fictional Maine 2 footer.  I could go the easy route, and buy sets for WW&F, or SR&RL, but even though I am not concerned with prototype, that doesn't feel right to me. I could also order some custom decals that just say Marsh Creek, but that doesn't feel right either, because Marsh Creek (MY Marsh Creek) is in North Central Pennsylvania, which is where the family farm is, and I was hoping to keep that name reserved for whatever logging line I might create.

Buzzard's Cove is an actual place in Massachusetts that I found by doing a Google Maps search. I just love the name. Dad and I used to fly R/C Airplanes at "Buzzard's Field" which coincidentally was not too far away from Marsh Creek.

What is all this blathering about Rich?  Well, I need a name. I searched last night for rivers in Maine, and panned around Google maps to find something that struck me, and somehow I ended up on Bear River, which I liked because it's the name of my dearly deceased Boo Bear, the lovable and dumb black lab who used to catch Jello eggs after my sister would spit them out of her mouth. (gross right?)

I also found Mad River (which isn't really a river, more of a runoff stream) that's in New Hampshire, where my Mom's side of the family is from. If I used Acadia (National Park) and Mad River RR I would probably confuse the heck out of some California logging modelers. (Arcata & Mad River).

If I took the semi-prototypical route, modeling something that could have been, I'm not really sure where to begin. I have plans to kitbash an Atlas Shay into an HOn30 model, so I want to include logging somehow, and of course, there needs to be a seedy waterfront. 

Image from http://www.maineboats.com/online/harbor-features/maine-eastern-railroad-route

I'm open to suggestions. I like "cool" sounding place names (Bear River, Mad River) and American Indian names (lots in Pennsylvania) and I also enjoy tongue in cheek (Gorre & Dapheited).  If you have some ideas, please post a comment to the blog, or comment on this post where you see it.

Go Build something Awesome.