ATLANTIC CENTRAL Douglas, I know what ditch lights are, but they don't exist yet in the 1954 world of my layout. Sheldon
Douglas, I know what ditch lights are, but they don't exist yet in the 1954 world of my layout.
Sheldon
Uh-oh . . . look out. In a coupla years the automobiles on your layout are gonna start sprouting rocket fins.
Robert
LINK to SNSR Blog
ROBERT PETRICK ATLANTIC CENTRAL Douglas, I know what ditch lights are, but they don't exist yet in the 1954 world of my layout. Sheldon Uh-oh . . . look out. In a coupla years the automobiles on your layout are gonna start sprouting rocket fins. Robert
Well yes and no, time is frozen here, it will always be 1954. I have modeled the same era for nearly 30 years now...
I didn't really get to pick an era. I kind of latched on to my dad's collection of HO scale and ran with it. He was a huge PRR fan. Everything he collected or built was centered around his childhood memories and the stories his uncle told who actually worked for the PRR. I started to expand some of the road power to include other local (Philly area) roads and I remember him getting grumpy with me at times. It was PRR or nothing for him, lol.
Rich
BATMAN ROBERT PETRICK and I take them out for a spin every now and then. My way of enjoying it all as well.
ROBERT PETRICK and I take them out for a spin every now and then.
My way of enjoying it all as well.
I know I'll be doing the same when I run some of those Kato Name passenger trains. Swap out locomotives with the classic name train and watch them roll.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
Once upon a time, I did like steam.
Now I like big 6-axle Alco Centuries.
With the exception of a few modern TTX 60' box cars and my son's NS Top Gons (and a couple UP Genesis 2.0 units on order for my son), all the other rolling stock is now from the early Conrail era, when the big ones still ran.
At this point, if it's not a big Alco/MLW, I won't buy it. I have Conrail blue ones, but also other roadnames as well.
There is one lone Genesis ICG F-3A, which fits the era, and my son has 2 EL SDP45's, which also fit the era, and he has an FEC SD70M-2, which does not fit, but it's his.
John
ROBERT PETRICKI model the modern era (1975-present), but I recognize that there is a definite nostalgic bent to this hobby where people want to harken back to the glory days of their youth.
.
1975-1985 was the glory days of my youth!
-Kevin
Living the dream.
SeeYou190 ROBERT PETRICK I model the modern era (1975-present), but I recognize that there is a definite nostalgic bent to this hobby where people want to harken back to the glory days of their youth. -Kevin
ROBERT PETRICK
I model the modern era (1975-present), but I recognize that there is a definite nostalgic bent to this hobby where people want to harken back to the glory days of their youth.
I chose to model my era because I grew up in it and lived it.
I experienced it. I played with my Friends in the reserve that the railroad lines went through.
My Friends and I grew up there. That's where we all went when we were young.
This is why I started to model again, what I started to model before.
TF
Track fiddler I chose to model my era because I grew up in it and lived it. I experienced it. I played with my Friends in the reserve that the railroad lines went through. My Friends and I grew up there. That's where we all went when we were young. This is why I started to model again what I modeled before. TF
This is why I started to model again what I modeled before.
And there is what separates me from many of you, which likely helps explain why I have little interest in the "trains of my youth".
I did not grow up in and urban area or near an active rail line. I only saw trains on occasional trips to the city. I never really had opportunities to "play on the tracks" or "play in the rail yard" except a few very rare occasions.
BUT, the one thing I did experiance was the historic equipment of the Strasburg Railroad, starting at a young age and repeating my visits my whole life living only about an hour from there.
And, I experianced the B&O Railroad Museum, also repeated many times starting at a young age.
Now factor in a natural interest in history, even at a young age I was fascinated with things like WWII, the Civil War, Thomas Edison and his inventions, old cars, old houses, Williamsburg, etc.
Things that happened before my time have always fascinated me, so it is with trains as well, I model the time when my parents were young adults, before they had me.
In 1973 when I started driving at 16, I did not want a new car, I wanted a 1957 Chevy. At age 19 I bought a 1963 Chevy Nova SS.......and completely restored and hot rodded it before putting it on the road.I restore 120 year o
The past is fascinating........I restore 120 year old houses for a living, so a 65 year old train is relatively new in my mind........just a little older than me.
Okay then, we're all good here.
Not kidding Sheldon. From one Carpenter to another, I got your back and your all good here.
ATLANTIC CENTRALAnd there is what separates me from many of you, which likely helps explain why I have little interest in the "trains of my youth". I did not grow up in and urban area or near an active rail line. I only saw trains on occasional trips to the city. I never really had opportunities to "play on the tracks" or "play in the rail yard"
Mike
ATLANTIC CENTRALI did not grow up in and urban area or near an active rail line. I only saw trains on occasional trips to the city. I never really had opportunities to "play on the tracks" or "play in the rail yard" except a few very rare occasions.
Me too. I grew up in Gainesville, Florida in an area far away from any trains. I only saw trains on trips the Disney World, Six Gun Territory, and Busch Gardens.
These were all live steam trains, even narrow-gauge! Walt Disney insisted all the trains in Disney World be live steam, and the other parks followed suit.
Those are the trains I remember most from my childhood.
maxman SeeYou190 ROBERT PETRICK I model the modern era (1975-present), but I recognize that there is a definite nostalgic bent to this hobby where people want to harken back to the glory days of their youth. -Kevin Now this is my opinion, but anyone who says they are modeling the 1975 to present "era", 1978 to 1985 "era", or any other combination is incorrect. You are actually modeling whatever the latest date is. For example, if you are modeling 1975 then none of the equipment from 1976 to the present should appear. But equipment from years prior to 1975 should be well represented.
Speaking for myself, if I'm modeling from 1994 to 2010, I mean that I'm modeling either, one at a time, I replace all of the locos and cars to reflect the proper era. Its also why I save the boxes. Things like buildings, crossing signals, and of course landscape didn't have to change much in small town USA during that time.
- Douglas
SeeYou190 ATLANTIC CENTRAL I did not grow up in and urban area or near an active rail line. I only saw trains on occasional trips to the city. I never really had opportunities to "play on the tracks" or "play in the rail yard" except a few very rare occasions. . Me too. I grew up in Gainesville, Florida in an area far away from any trains. I only saw trains on trips the Disney World, Six Gun Territory, and Busch Gardens. . These were all live steam trains, even narrow-gauge! Walt Disney insisted all the trains in Disney World be live steam, and the other parks followed suit. . Those are the trains I remember most from my childhood. . . -Kevin .
ATLANTIC CENTRAL I did not grow up in and urban area or near an active rail line. I only saw trains on occasional trips to the city. I never really had opportunities to "play on the tracks" or "play in the rail yard" except a few very rare occasions.
When I became interested in model trains, I was about 7 years old and saw the display in Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry. Of course, those beautiful F units in ATSF Warbonnet scheme got me hooked, and I instantly wanted a Warbonnet train set for years.
We moved to Nebraska, near the double tracked UP mainline. I was mildly interested, but real trains were really not my thing. I read all of the MRR magazines because I was interested in MODEL trains, not real ones.
Then as I got older, understanding real trains became interesting since it served as a foundation for the theme of my layouts since then. If I was as interested in real trains back in the day growing up near the UP mainline, it would have been that much more fun.
SeeYou190 . Those are the trains I remember most from my childhood. . . -Kevin .
I never saw one of those when I was young but I like those too.
Doughless maxman SeeYou190 ROBERT PETRICK I model the modern era (1975-present), but I recognize that there is a definite nostalgic bent to this hobby where people want to harken back to the glory days of their youth. -Kevin Now this is my opinion, but anyone who says they are modeling the 1975 to present "era", 1978 to 1985 "era", or any other combination is incorrect. You are actually modeling whatever the latest date is. For example, if you are modeling 1975 then none of the equipment from 1976 to the present should appear. But equipment from years prior to 1975 should be well represented. Speaking for myself, if I'm modeling from 1994 to 2010, I mean that I'm modeling either, one at a time, I replace all of the locos and cars to reflect the proper era. Its also why I save the boxes. Things like buildings, crossing signals, and of course landscape didn't have to change much in small town USA during that time.
I know that's what I'm doing. Making sure accurate freight cars are within those years.
That's why I buy freight cars with their picture taken when a manufacturer produces that product. So I can see if the freight car had the exact paint and lettering. If the car was built/painted in the 70s or 80s and has the car appeared in the 90s or 00s. I get that car since it can serve within 20 years or more without really getting new equipment.
I was at a (very enjoyable) Model Railway Exhibition in Newcatle-upon-Tyne, England today, as usual buying used HO Freight Cars. The only ones I can afford usually have decals that read, "NEW 12-68", for example. Having learned recently that Cars have a 40-50 years lifespan means to me, that early 2000's - 2015 and they're out of the game.
My era starts 1995, when I envisage Anacostia Holdings to have repainted all the South Shore Line GP38's into orange livery - upto 2016 (after which GPS Positive Train Control System equipment was fitted to the Cab-roofs, totally spoiling the aesthetics of such fantastic-looking locomotives - my opinion)
So hopefully the Freight-roster I am building-up, will be "good enough".
I am modelling a Railroad I have never witnessed (apart from YouTube) in a country I have never visited and already I am locked into a dated time-frame, albeit a 20-year span is pretty generous and flexible.
2016 was when I first became interested in N. American R/R's and CSS&SB Freight. It is so true - 1st impressions are the most important.
"It's the South Shore Line, Jim - but not as we know it".
me i would sit on the stairs in the cellar while my dad worked & he had stacks of popular mechanics from the 50s & 60s well in the back they had
ads about building a BIG BOY well it stuck so me being stupid i bought all big union pacific articulates & what comes with that is big raduis & way to much real estate needed , if i could do it over again it would be 2 axle power lol
I chose to model roughly 1955 to 1965 centering on 1962. 62 was a good year for me and trains. My fave loco, gp30 came out, I joined my local MRR club, I’d ride my bicycle to the rail yards and watch the crews switch cars, and it was near the end of roof walks, and 40’ cars as standard. GP 7s and 9s were common as well as GP20s and Alco RS and S3s and 4s. By stretching to 1965 I could justify GP35s.
Jim (with a nod to Mies Van Der Rohe)
up831I chose to model roughly 1955 to 1965 centering on 1962.
I used to model 1968, then switched to 1954. Those 14 years were a huge difference.
1954 is USRA steam, F units, and GP-7s.
1968 was GP-40s, SD40s, GP35s and GP30s.
It is amazing how much changed in that short time span.
My layout is set in the 1950's. This is the era I grew up in. There were a lot more trains running in those days. I rode a lot of trains back then. As kids we enjoyed driving over to the B&M Wayland station to pick up Father coming home from work. Commuter train pulled by a B15 Mogul, wooden open platform coaches with truss rods. I like steam, and I like diesel. I can run both in the 1950's. Freight cars were mostly all 40 footers, they look better on tight curves and I can get more of 'em onto the sidings. Plenty of good vehicle models available. And plenty of RR rolling stock models, at least now.
David Starr www.newsnorthwoods.blogspot.com
dstarr My layout is set in the 1950's. This is the era I grew up in. There were a lot more trains running in those days. I rode a lot of trains back then. As kids we enjoyed driving over to the B&M Wayland station to pick up Father coming home from work. Commuter train pulled by a B15 Mogul, wooden open platform coaches with truss rods. I like steam, and I like diesel. I can run both in the 1950's. Freight cars were mostly all 40 footers, they look better on tight curves and I can get more of 'em onto the sidings. Plenty of good vehicle models available. And plenty of RR rolling stock models, at least now.
13 of those open platform/wood truss rod B&M cars are at the Strasburg Rail Road, most still in daily service today.
I have ridden on all the ones in service there at one time or another.
https://www.strasburgrailroad.com/
They have a page with a PDF of the equipment roster that details the history of all their equipment.
My layout is 6x9 feet. 18" curves. So I can't have, and don't want, any long engines and cars. I like steam and don't mind early diesels. So this puts me back in time. I haven't pinned down specific era, but I do like older automobiles too. Maybe I will settle into the late 50's. I am not much into prototyping at this point, so I do have some flexibility. My benchwork is still in early construction, but my Alco S4, GP7 and 2-8-0 Consolidation do narrow down my choise of era.
I visited Strasburg a few times back when I was doing Franklin & Marshall college in Lancaster, in the early 1960's. Rode the trains a few times. Don't remember the B&M coaches, they must have come to Strasburg later.
nwsisumy Alco S4, GP7 and 2-8-0 Consolidation do narrow down my choise of era.
Welcome to 1954!
This is where all the cool kids hang out.
dstarr I visited Strasburg a few times back when I was doing Franklin & Marshall college in Lancaster, in the early 1960's. Rode the trains a few times. Don't remember the B&M coaches, they must have come to Strasburg later.
Three of them were among the very first eqipment at Strasburg, 1959 - ex B&M coach 1182, 1960 ex B&M coach 2093, and 1962 ex B&M combine 875.
The rest came in the late 60's and early 70's, many after spending time on the Moradnock & Northern at the orginal Steamtown in Bellows Falls.
But, at the time you would have been there, I believe the cars would have been lettered "STRASBURG", and painted yellow if I recall.
A decade or so ago they lettered most of the cars to their original roads, but all in the Tuscan red/brown scheme they use today. Over the last few years they have returned many of then to once again say "STRASBURG".
They have an incredible car shop where they restore and maintain this equipment to the highest standards. And using some old cars as a starting point, they have built their own diner, parlor and lounge cars for upgraded service.
It is quite an impressive operation and trains run nearly all year long, and run every day of the week in the warmer season.
rrinkerno Mars lights
D&RGW has Mars lights on their F units as-delivered in the 1940s I believe. You can see them operating in an early 1950 film/video about the CZ.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
I chose the 1950s because it was the transition era allowing me to run late steam and first generation diesels. I have only one vague memory of seeing a steam engine in service and when I got back into model railroading in the late 1970s, originally I intended modeling the 1960s. On an impulse I bought a Rivarossi Mikado and that hooked me on steam. I decided to switch to the transition era then. That meant a some of the rollng stock I had acquired was not appropriate.
My first layout was a fictional branch of the UP. I collected a lot of big steam, including a Big Boy, two Challengers, and two Northerns, all Rivarossi. When I moved and began a new layout, I decided to model a fictional eastern railroad and settled on 1956 as the year. I try to keep my vehicles and rolling stock appropriate for that year but I will fudge a little. Since I am creating a fictional road and towns, is it that much of a stretch to put a Jade Green NYC box car on the layout. I've got a few 1959 vehicles on the layout as well but the styling blends in with the rest of the 1950s vehicles so they don't really stand out.
SeeYou190 nwsisu my Alco S4, GP7 and 2-8-0 Consolidation do narrow down my choise of era. . Welcome to 1954! . This is where all the cool kids hang out. . -Kevin .
nwsisu my Alco S4, GP7 and 2-8-0 Consolidation do narrow down my choise of era.
riogrande5761 rrinker no Mars lights D&RGW has Mars lights on their F units as-delivered in the 1940s I believe. You can see them operating in an early 1950 film/video about the CZ.
rrinker no Mars lights
Various railroads started to experiment with daytime headlights and warning light systems like Mars lights in the mid 30's. But there were no regulatory requirements and no consistent policies even within a given railroad until the sixties.
Many railroads still ran with no daytime headlights at all into the early 50's, others had different policies for different areas/conditions, or different types of locomotives. While others quickly adopted daytime headlights and Mars lights as equipment was replaced or upgraded as early as the 40's.
My ATLANTIC CENTRAL runs with daytime headlights on all locos and Mars lights on most diesels, believable and correct for my 1954 period.......and easy to implement on the models.