Due to budget constraints, Finally Decided on era for my layout.

[Anonymous]

Hey everyone,

I was sitting in my workshop, packing things up so I can move out of my parents house in the spring after I graduate. I was thinking about my income after I move out. My budget is going to be shrinking rapidly after I graduate so I need to pick an era, stick to it.

I also wanted it to be one that you don't see very often.

So I decided to set my layout during the Third Week of December, 1969. During the hours of 5 p.m. to 5 a.m.

I settled on that, because 1. You don't see very many winter layouts, and 2. even less exclusivly set in night time. Sounds like it would be fun.

Any one have any comments?

James

[simon1966]

I hope you have a cold basement to model it in.....

[dave9999]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Student of Big Sky Blue

Hey everyone,

So I decided to set my layout during the Third Week of December, 1969. During the hours of 5 p.m. to 5 a.m.

James
Now that's what I call specific.
[:D] Dave

Edit: Are you modeling the Union Specific? [:D] Sorry, bad joke

[steveblackledge]

Some may mock but i have seen a layout at a show a bit back set in the dark of winter, you had to walk in a matt black box with black drapes (a bit like you see on a horror movie) when you were in it was brilliant with all the buildings iluminated etc, didn't matter what colour you painted things as they were sprayed with a white frosty stuff,
You could model the New York subway, you won't need much scenery for that.

[tstage]

James,

5 PM to 5 AM...Will you be incorporating Daylight Savings Time into your layout, too? (See link: http://webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/e.html)

Tom

[dehusman]

There are a lot of us fumbling around in the dark, at least you'll have an excuse.

Dave H.

[Anonymous]

James, It's a very interesting idea. Please keep us informed, and posts some pictures when you get them.

Robert

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone for all the humorous comments.

I figured a few cracks were in order. [:D]

And as for the Pics Robert. Sure can do.

James

[cspmo]

What is the longitude & latitude it's going to be in?

[Anonymous]

i THINK YOUR REASON FOR PICKING THAT ERA IS WHACK IN MY OPINION. vERY CORNY. dUE TO BUDGET CONSTRAINTS!? CORNY DAWG. BUILD A LAYOUT THAT HAS NO CONSTRAINTS BECAUSE WHEN BUILDING A LAYOUT YOU GRADUALLY SPEND MONEY TOWARDS IT AS YOU GET IT, ITS NOT A GO OUT TO THE HOBBY SHOP ONE DAY AND COME BACK HOME $500 SHORT AND THATS ALL. YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF ALWAYS IN THE HOBBY SHOP.

WHY NOT THE WINTER OF 2000? 2000 PARTY OVER ITS OUT OF TIME ,BECAUSE TONIGHT WE'RE GOING TO PARTY LIKE ITS 1999. PRINCE

ANYWAY, YOU SHOULD MAKE A LAYOUT THAT WLL SATISFY YOU SO WHEN YOUR BUDGET IS PHAT YOU ARE NOT REGRETING THAT SHTUFF. THATS THE REAL DEAL DAWG. NO ERA IN THIS HOBBY IS CHEAP BOTTOM LINE

[cspmo]

Parkerleaven Your caps lock is on.

[Anonymous]

Pretty cool idea,many of the greatest pictures i have ever seen of trains, they have been only partialy lit by some work lights or the reflections of the background and crossing lights.Kinda adds to that awe and adventure when a loco comes into view in the dark of the night.I think your layout will be a sight to see, I to hope you post some pics.Terry

[AntonioFP45]

1969, great year! Lots of railroad flags were still flying.

Based on your Forum name, how about considering modeling your scene with the Great Northern as your theme railroad?

While you'll likely be running freight, consider featuring the "Empire Builder". or other GN passenger trains. There was a modeler a few years back in MRR that modeled this train with Rivorossi passenger cars in the pumpkin color scheme. Very impressive! Passenger trains really enhance a winter scene!

In spite of criticism from "Rivit Counters" the older line streamlined Rivorossi passenger cars look decent and there have been a bunch of them on ebay going for very reasonable prices, some as low as $10 per car.

Let us know what you decide to do. Sounds like you won't go wrong!

[Anonymous]

Well first responding to PARKERLEGEND, first I don't know if the all caps is a mistake or not. But needless to say the point was gotten. Mainly the reason I cite budget cuts as the reason for picking an era, If I know know what era I am modeling, I can make my purchases more effective. Plus you need to live in Wyoming to understand my predicament. There are only 4 hobby stores in the entire state. and the closes one is 135 miles away. So when I go to a hobby shop, I need to pick up lots of stuff, because usually I am intown on some other business. due to the distances involved, a trip just for that is quite expensive. Then I set it in 1969 because thats when all the cool stuff was still running, (FUnits, Pre-Amtrak Passenger. Paint Scheme, Muscle Cars) All the stuff I missed out on incidently. I was here for 2000. And after the Y2K bug failed to burn-out a single light bulb, everyone was like, OK so what, Just another year, just another century. 1969 is a year they wrote songs about. Have yet to hear one about the year 2000. Except of course, "Were gonna Party like its 1999"

Then there is the whole point, why did I just sit here and defend all this stuff when you probably don't even care anyway.

In responding to Antionio FP45.

You see what I am trying to do. I noticed you are regular contributor to my posts and have been tracking my arc as it has developed. And Yes, GN is the theme for my railroad. (I forgot to mention that) Also UP and SP will have contributing roles. As for the passenger. I have not been neglecting it. So far I have no less than 9 different passenger consists being modeled. Two of them are incidently the Empire Builder and the Western Star. I do have a lot of existing stuff that is before and after the era I have chosen. And I will keep them and run them, but eventually that power will wear out and I will replace it with era appropriet stuff. Including bashing some of the too new locomotives into correct stuff. I will need some SDP40s and the SD40-2 seems like a good place to start for one of those bashes. Especially since Athearns has been Discontinued. and I have yet to see a new offering turn up.

I will keep everyone posted as I progress.

James

[grayfox1119]

Jim, you have a great area to model!!! The huge steam engines roaring up the hills of Wyoming pulling long lines of coal cars, the scenery in the Rockies, go for it Jim, take pictures too so we see the progress.
And, this will be a "living" hobby project, it never ends, you will grow this layout continually.

Best of successes,

***

[dave9999]

James,
I think that 1969 was a great year... you see, on Feb 1st of that year, I was born! Dave

[ckape]

I know limiting myself to an era has allowed me to focus my small budget on equipment that I'll actually run, rather than getting a lot of stuff that looks neat but doesn't go together.

The other thing I think I should mention is that you're going to be worrying about light leakage on locomotive headlights and whatnot, so just a heads-up that you're going to want to seal things.

[Anonymous]

Sorry yes my caps lock was stuck on because I was starting listings on ebay at the time. Not that I was yelling at you Blue Sky. Sorry. I do care but I was trying to rationalize that this hobby cost flow dough and not one era is cheap they all rape us. You should just prepare to build something that in time your budget will not constraint. So for that budget reason I think it was corny reason. You are a college graduate and as time passes you will hopefully be better off than lets say a person with a high scholl diploma. MAYBE. LOL Anyway, A train layout takes time, time is money, so if you take your time building it you will make more money in due time to spend on it. HAve fun dawg. Oh yeah, Sorry you are in Wyoming , damn dawg, Wyoming I feel bad

[CNJ831]

Big Sky - A few points worth considering.

1) If you plan to operate the layout as a night scene (i.e. under considerably reduced lighting) be sure whatever general illumination there is comes from directly above the layout itself - not from room lighting.

2) Building the layout in a shadowbox-type enclosure would be highly desirable.

3) Superdetailing will not be necessary on virtually any of the structures or rolling stock. It is much easier to "imply" detail through proper weathering, particularly for structures.

4) All items on the layout will need to be over-weathered to convey realism as normal weathering will not be apparent in the subdued lighting.

5) A few structures or areas of particular interest (loading docks, finished interiors of offices, etc.) should be specifically lit by tiny lights with a bluish cast outdoors) or white (indoors). This will give the impression that the entire layout is far more detailed than it really is.

6) Finally, I'd suggest keeping the dimensions of the layout fairly limited since the larger the layout of this sort the more difficult it becomes to control realistic illumination. The best examples of night scene layouts I've seen were not bigger than 5x10 feet and essentially self contained (enclosed).

CNJ831

[Anonymous]

Thanks again everyone for your input, Idea, and things that I should consider. CNJ your points are well taken and clearly understood. Thanks for shareing. I have decided that I will allow for daylight as well, however, all my scenes will be staged as if it is night. There are different activities going on during the day than there usually is at night time. and since I am a creature of the night. Night time activity is what I am most familair with.

James