What is the Dunsel Line?

The Dunsel Line is a planned O scale/O gauge electric traction model railroad layout. I have some pretty interesting ideas for the layout, but like so many little interurban companies of the early 1900s, there are big ideas but not much construction. A number of factors still stand in the way including space, an unmade decision of whether to power by overhead trolley wire or to use two-rail with dummy third rail, and capitalization. (While working as a vet tech does provide one with all the doggies and kitties one might wish to see in a day, it does not provide one with large or even—in all honesty—decent pay. If only there was a way in which I could convert cat hair into legal tender...)

As (eventually) built, the layout will be primarily (or entirely) 1/48 with accommodation for at least one 1/45 scale railcar set. In an ideal world there would be sections with trolley/cantanary and an elevated section with third rail. The reason for this is that my primary interests are the Chicagoland electric lines, specifically the Chicago Aurora and Elgin, the Chicago "L", and the Chicago, North Shore and Milwaukee. All three lines used both overhead wire and third rail. The former two lines were primarily powered through third rail (making dummy third rail a very legitimate option for this layout).

And while I haven't made any progress on construction of said layout, I have been slowly acquiring some O scale (and some O gauge) rolling stock for the line. The intention is to set up each car with capabilities for 2-rail and overhead operation (where applicable) and to have them capable of DC and DCC operation.

What will follow will be the chronicle of the building of the Dunsel Line and its fleet.