I agree that "Common Carrier" might be used, but what about all the engines used by company-owned industrial, logging and mining RRs, etc. - like U.S. Gypsum or Westside Lumber - that were not "Common Carriers" - sometimes not interchanging with any other RRs - but were certainly not "models" or "toys".
Other criteria might include whether or not the train(s) pulled by the engine(s) in question surved a purpose other than the amusement of the passengers (or the operators) thereof. Did the train haul goods and/or people from Point A to Point B, or did it merely run around in circles like a Christmas display?
But then we have the question of whether the Argentine Central, the Pikes Peak Cog RR or the Mount Washington Cog RR are/were "real", or do/did they exist only to amuse their passengers - not too different from the Santa Fe and Disneyland except that they go back-and-forth instead of around-and-around?
"I chug, therefore I am ... "
- El Curmudgeono Loco
p.s. Not to 'badger' anyone - except maybe Jeff - but is the Pacific Coast RR "real" or not?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/18/2007 12:41PM by Russo Loco.