designing a new layout circa 1952

[mobilman44]

Hi,

Postwar (late '40s thru '50s) is a very popular time period to model.  There are a plethora of kits and built ups available that will work.  Actually, most anything in the Cornerstone catalog will be appropriate unless it says "modern".  For pictures, go to Google or Yahoo images and plug in 1952 Chicago or country or whatever and you should get a bunch of examples. 

Good luck,

Mobilman44

[markpierce]

I recommend you buy or borrow Kalmbach's book on modeling the 1950s.

		Modeling the '50s - The Glory Years of Rail

Mark

[tgindy]

puckster970

This layout is not going to be historical but rather it is just a "flavor" piece. I want to run steam and diesels and whatever I feel like at the time for enjoyment.

BTW, the CR&T is circa 1956 for your same motive power reasons, and traction was still prevalent for at least another ten years.

[1]  Traction & interurbans were located around a lot of 1950s city-culture - readily observed "era-flavor" using traction prototype pics at Dave's Rail Pix http://www.davesrailpix.com/

Three unique fallen flag traction system perspectives for starters...

Johnstown Traction Co. http://www.davesrailpix.com/john/john.htm

Pacific Electric http://www.davesrailpix.com/pe/pe.htm

Lehigh Valley Transit http://www.davesrailpix.com/lvt/lvt.htm

[2]  Design Preservation Models (DPM) and Walther's Cornerstone have the building kits for the 1950s.

[3]  Don't overlook 1950s era business such as Greyhound SceniCruisers, a trackside pickle factory, team tracks to unload those new Trailer Train flatcars, ice houses for cold storage railcars, cattle unloading at stockpens, milk train countryside pick-ups, the smaller branchline freight station, Railway Express, and union passenger stations.

[4] How about an ashpit, or water tower, for steam engines that were not phased out until the end of the 1950s?

[tomkat-13]

You can look at color postcards from the 50's on ebay & other places on line to see how life was.

Here are some signs to get you going!

Here are some sample postcards.....you can use for background

 

 

[puckster970]

 That's why I was asking for pictures from that time. I can find the architecture but not the signs and billboards or paint schemes for houses. I know everything wasn't white picket fences. I am looking for loads in the back of pickups and work crews and that kind of thing.

Thank you for the ideas though, I will pull out my walthers catalog tonight and see if I can get some other ideas.

[SpaceMouse]

If you have that much room your should build in a donut shape. You'll get 4 scenes instead of two and be able to get wide enough turns to run those diesels.

[Anonymous]

 Most of the structures you can buy will fit for the 1950´s - unless you intend to get buildings with a "John Wayne Western Flavor". It is the little bits and pieces that will give you the feeling of the 1950´s - like cars, billboard signs and the like. And naturally, the right motive power and rolling stock. You can check, for instance, the Walthers catalogue - there are plenty of things from the 50´s listed there.

[puckster970]

I am working on a layout from above time frame. It will be a 4x8 with 2 2x4 extensions to make it a plus shape. I want to mound up a big mountain in the middle so I can divide the scene and have half as a coal or mining operation and the other half as a forest line. on either side I want to put up small rural towns like they are junction stops or something. So here is the problem. I need pictures of things from the fifties like architecture and vehicles used in the above mentioned. I didn't grow up in this era and have only got city pictures from family. If anyone has a link or could send some pics or just has some advice please post here. This layout is not going to be historical but rather it is just a "flavor" piece. I want to run steam and diesels and whatever I feel like at the time for enjoyment. Any help is greatly appreciated.