1960 era layout

[BRAKIE]

7j43k

Myself, I don't have enough time, even if I wanted to.  And I don't.

One benefit, though, of building a "nostalgia" layout:  There's so much less pressure.  Scenery, for example.  What was considered acceptable back then just doesn't cut it, now.  And you don't have to worry about breaking off delicate ladders and other details--there wasn't any.  Weathering?  Nope!  Signals?  Nope.  Just run a couple of wires from your hi-tech power pack.  And it just goes on.

One thing, it would be relaxing!

 

Ed

 

Ed,Think Blue box and Roundhouse cars,Varney's 4-6-0 and 2-8-0s,Penn-Line engines,Hobbytown RS3s,Brass steam engines and the new and improved all gear drive from Athearn..

The Columbus HO club had working signals controlled by a dispatcher with a working CTC board that govern six engineers train movement.. The engineer had to know the location of his train due to the cab signals on his control panel since the layout was point to point with passing sidings..

Trees was made by using lichen on a trimmed twig and bushes and weeds was also made by using trimmed lichen.

IIRC Life Like made ballast, cinders and grass.

Like today those train set Styrofoam tunnels and grass mats was not used by serious modelers.

[7j43k]

BRAKIE

 

 

Ed,Think Blue box and Roundhouse cars,Varney's 4-6-0 and 2-8-0s,Penn-Line engines,Hobbytown RS3s,Brass steam engines and the new and improved all gear drive from Athearn..

"Blue box"?  What's that?  All the ends of my Athearn boxes are yellow!

Yup.  Had a Penn-Line 2-8-0.  Had a Hobbytown RSD-5 (cooler!!).  Brass?  A bit in the future, but I did have a PFM/Tenshodo 0-6-0T for $8.95.  I spent more than that for the parts to "fix it up". 

Trees was made by using lichen on a trimmed twig and bushes and weeds was also made by using trimmed lichen.

I went top-of-the-line there, and bought a box of 6 orange trees from Tru-Scale.  

Like today those train set Styrofoam tunnels and grass mats was not used by serious modelers.

 

 

 

Got that right!  Never in a milyun years!

 

Never had scenery anyway (except 6 trees, see above), so not really a problem.

 

Ed

[zstripe]

I had a layout in My parents basement that I started on in 1957 when I was 15 yrs. old. Two level Atlas code 100 Brass track hand spiked on Atlas fiber ties. Did not use flex track or sectional. Curves were laid on Tru-Scale plain milled roadbed, straights, sidings etc. were laid on cork, over 1/2'' ply. Turnouts were Shinohara, some Atlas. Power was from a MRC Golden Tri-pack.....that was 3 independant power packs in one unit. Most of layout was open grid, with screen plaster mountains and scenery........you could actually sit inside the tallest tunnel (I was a big fan of John Allen's layout. Mostly all steam from Mantua kits. I still have the steamers and Golden Tri-Pack. The 2 photos are from 1959, when 17 yrs. old. I believe I may have 2 more pic's somewhere. When My parents sold the house in 1974, the people that bought it, wanted Me to leave the layout and anything else I wanted to. I had gone back a few times  then and got it working again for the people, when they purchased a couple power packs for it:

If You click on photos they will enlarge and look what is in the truck on the hill....Rubber Band drive Athearn motors.

Take Care! 

Frank

[SouthPenn]

The power supply on my Dad's layout, circa 1950's. You would need something like this for your retro layout.

 

[dknelson]

It's evident that some folks responding to this thread did not understand the proposal, which is to create a layout using 1960 era materials, not to model the 1960s.

I think it is completely feasible based on what I see for sale at swap meets. 

In addition to the concern expressed above about "authentic" scenery materials (yes, shredded asbestos and diatomaceous earth when it too had asbestos; let's not forget the carbon tetrachloride used to clean track) there is also issues with electrical stuff that old.  My 1960 era MRC Ampack still gives good service on a test track and more importantly, the electrical cord and plug are still flexible, the circuit breaker works reliably, and thus I believe the pack is safe to use.  An old Scintilla pack of about the same era had a gutta-percha cord and plug that deteriorated and I got rid of that pack when it started to emit disturbing electrical smells when it was plugged in (and it had a very crude circuit breaker).  I think Scintilla also made packs for Varney.  

Dave Nelson

PS (addition to post): Athearn yellow box?  You are a mere  whippersnapper unless you remember Athearn black box kits!

[ATLANTIC CENTRAL]

OK, if you use 1960 as your "cutoff" the hobby was pretty young in terms of scenery and a few other things.

But, as a decade, the 60's saw massive advancements:

Scenery - Zip texturing published in MR 1965

Signaling/adavanced cab control/CTC - Bruce Chubb, Ed Ravenscroft, Paul Mallory and others developed prototypical signal systems, dectection, and effective DC control of multiple trains.

Detail improved, track got better, couplers got better, wheels got better, locos got better, etc

I model 1954, and as mentioned previously in this thread, I still run my share of Athearn and Varney metal cars, Athearn Yellow box/Blue box plastic freight cars, and other vintage stuff from the late 50's and early 60's.

Much of it holds up rather well appearance wise.......unless you require every model to be uber detailed, uber accurate..........

And, in that period, much on the prototype was a little more "generic". The differences for example between many types of box cars was in many cases more subtle than in later eras.

I had an old Scintilla dual pack, it worked great with those old high current open frame motors.

And I use a DC signal system and control system based on the early works of Chubb and Ravenscroft......it works rather well......

Sheldon 

[emdmike]

Sure it can be done, plenty of vintage magazines to look thru to chose what was on the market at that time, from Mantua and Bowser diecast steamers, Athearn freight cars or various craftsman kits, Brass diesels and steamers, which today can be had for less than the new fangled stuff from China with all the sound and stuff in them. I have gotten boxes of brass Atlas Snap track for free or next to free.  A quick polish with my old bright boy and its good to go. With the older MRC throttles, if the cord is not dry rotted, then your most likely good to go.  Most are rivited together, so past owners couldn't get inside and tinker.  Seen many of the older metal Golden Throttle packs for sale new or nearly new in thier original box for dirt cheap prices.  Basic scenery techniques havent changed much since then, just lots of stuff available RTR now vs build it your self back then.  Building a layout 1960 style is a very cost effective way to enjoy the hobby amid todays market of high cost RTR stuff that you need to be tech savy to enjoy.   For an example, I got this Alco Models brass RS32, mint in the box, for $30 at last fall's NMRA local division show.     Mike the Aspie

[Southgate]

Nice score on the Alco, Mike! That's a beauty.

I bought a few Rivarossi freight cars and a snow polw car at a shop a few years ago. They were cheap enough, and still in the original boxes. Very nostalgic.  Somehow, I still have a curved brass turnout, Tyco I think, from my youth. 

Then I showed a guy my layout, he said he had some stuff I could use; turns out a bunch of 60s and 70s junk, but I haven't tossed it out. Brass snap track, brass AHM switches, and some great cheesy plastic detail items. Want them?

I can see the fun in building a 60s "stuff" layout, and contributing to it, although I wouldn't build one myself. Dan

[bing&kathy]

   I had access to blocks of asbestos, was used on the steam engines back then, broke them up an softened them with water. Thats what I used to make hills and such. Formed easily, held it's shape and dried light as a feather. My folks house had asbestoes pipe wrap on all the hot water  lines, again from the boiler shop. How times have changed!