40's-50's Rolling Stock

[jimrice4449]

For an SP fan w/ sharp curves and an itch for psgr trains, the Roundhouse Harriman cars are the solution. I'm assuming they're available in N. As far as small steam engines go, the SP used 2-6-0s in the San Joaquin Valley (picture a billiard table w/ tan felt) up to the end of steam. They called them "Valley Mallies" because of the size trains they could pull in that flat terrain. The roundhouse coaches are a reasonable compromise for SF commute cars so you could run a batch of them behind a GS-4
4-8-4 if you hanker after long trains of short cars.

[dehusman]

GP38's are 1970's vintage, GP38-2's are late 1970's vintage.

Plug doors appeared in the 50's.
Covered hoppers for specialty service in the 1930's, commonly in the 1960's.
Centerflow hoppers in the mid 1960's.
Cushion underframed boxcars in the 1930's, the type you are probably asking about in the 1960's.
Boxcars exceeding 50' in the early 1900's, commonly in the late fifties, early 60's.
Same with large tankcars.
Wide vision cabooses were a late 50's, early 60's thing.
Paint schemes changed all over the place and you would have to do a lot of research to come up with a definitive answer.

GPP38's are flat not prototypical for a steam era pike. Not saying you can't run them but real railroads didn't operate regular revenue steam and GP38's. Ever.
Virtually all the cars you asked about were never coupled into a steam engine.

Most steam operation was over by and the railroads dieselized by the mid to late1950's. F units, RS1, 2, 3 units, GP7's and early diesel switchers would all be appropriate as well as E6,7,8 and 9 units, DL109's and PA's.

Dave H.

[Anonymous]

I've had a similar question re. appropriate rolling stock, but a slightly later era. I'd like to stay as close as possible to the transition era so that I can run some mainline steam, but I have some GP-38s. What year did GP-38s arrive? (I know I'm stretching the trransition era). If I model the year the GP-38s arrived, what rolling stock features do I need to avoid? For instance, when did plug-doors appear?, covered hoppers?, centerflow covered hoppers?, cushioned-underframe boxcars?, boxcars and reefers exceeding 50'?, tankcars exceeding 41'?, actual wide-vision cupola cabooses? Obviously paint-schemes for later mergers and new shortlines have to be avoided also, but when did existing RRs change their paint-schemes? Oh, this does get complex!.

[Anonymous]

And this link-

http://www.steamfreightcars.com/index.html

Doug

[Anonymous]

Here's a link to a good reference site for rolling stock in your planned era-

http://railroad.union.rpi.edu/

Doug

[markpierce]

The SP ran "little engines" until the end of steam (1956). This included 0-6-0s and 2-6-0s, plus lots of 2-8-0s. The last two 4-8-0s were still on the roster in 1953 and were located in Bayshore (near San Francisco) and Eugene, Oregon. These little engines were in service longer than many larger and more modern ones. For many assignments, the smaller engines were more suitable than the larger ones.

[Anonymous]

One thing to avoid is boxcars without walkways on the top (a mistake I made years ago and have since corrected) . The walkways didn't start disappearing until the mid-late 60s, if memory serves, so any cars from the 40s and 50s would have them.

[Anonymous]

Originally posted by rlandry6

I'm building a free-lance n scale layout, 40's-50's and maybe into the early60's, mostly steam and the early diesels like the Alco RS's. I'm assuming the 'Super Chief" will fit in nicely also. What types of rolling stock, boxcars, flatcars, tankers, reefers, etc. were common in this era? What do I need to avoid? My layout will be a relatively small around the room, folding dogbone. I'll end up with a few sharp curves, but I'll hide most of the worst offenders behind scenery. because of this. I'll stay mainly on short rolling stock,40-50 feet.

rlandry6,
either research a road or region, and build from there.
The last era of steam you will find bigger, high stepping locos in your part of the country *unless* you are specifying a branch or local only service layout.

Go with freight equipment first then worry about flash pasenger service.
Your buying opportunities will be many and without defining your criteria you will probably make less accurate buys than you will later want.

My idea is to go with a road, or roads, aim first for 30% home road equipment and locally served industry, or switching types and slowly build off road traffic.
If you are mainly running trains then spectacular ATSF stars and SP freight drags behind the biggest steam and early diesel consists will look best.

There were plenty of 50' cars (like automobile) in the 40's so dont generalise on eras. 'Boxcar red/brown and freight car red' will dominate (if you want) against yellow/ orange shade reefers-wood and steel.
Hope this helps,
dave [;)]

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