Yes, the way that producers can apply paint these days must make that Employee scheme look fantastic. Although I am not a collector of locos I don't run, I may buy one just for its beauty.
Just like I might do with a steam locomotive one day. Probably an articulated. Even in plain black they can still be quite interesting.
- Douglas
ATLANTIC CENTRALI have never bought into any of the social-phycological theories about "recapturing your youth".
Not me either. The only things I like from the 70s and 80s, when I grew up, are maybe a couple dozen movies and about 1/4 of the music.
I like the romance of creating a world I know is not a realistic representation of real life in 1954, but more like the "rose colored glasses" view that I have of a time I have no real knowledge about.
People that claim to like all the music from the 70s or 80s time should really listen to a few FULL top-40 countdowns, and get a refresher for how much terrible music there really was in the mix before "classic rock" radio cherry picked all the good stuff for us.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
I totally agree. I model early-mid 40s steam & early diesel - nearly a generation before I was born. I didn't see a live steam locomotive in-person until I was maybe 6-7. However, because my family had an American Flyer layout with steam & diesel, I knew what each looked like by the time I was 2 or 3.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
DAVID FORTNEY I MODEL the modern era. Even though I was born in 1946 I never liked early diesels. But for some reason a big modern diesel really caught my eye and ears about 30 years ago. So out went the older models although I did keep most of my steam which I run on special occasions. It's hard to explain my attraction to the more modern diesels but I do like the heritage and specialty paint schemes along with the basic schemes of the UP, NS,CSX and some short lines. There you have it my reasons for liking the modern era, some friends don't understand why I like the modern era when I grew up in the transition era but there you have it. Dave
I MODEL the modern era. Even though I was born in 1946 I never liked early diesels. But for some reason a big modern diesel really caught my eye and ears about 30 years ago. So out went the older models although I did keep most of my steam which I run on special occasions.
It's hard to explain my attraction to the more modern diesels but I do like the heritage and specialty paint schemes along with the basic schemes of the UP, NS,CSX and some short lines.
There you have it my reasons for liking the modern era, some friends don't understand why I like the modern era when I grew up in the transition era but there you have it.
Dave
Dave, I know lots of guys between your age and mine who model modern/present day. It makes perfect sense to model what you see.
I have never bought into any of the social-phycological theories about "recapturing your youth".
If I was going to choose a different era from 1954, it would be 1915 or 1925, even farther from my lifetime.
Sheldon
mbinsewi I was born in 49, and never around railroads, only watching at crossings. I model "modern", as I know nothing about steam. I was never around it, or saw it. I do like F's and GP's, and lost track of modern locos after the dash 9. All I know about the ACE's is the different "squared off" thing on the nose. To me, all steam locomotives look alike, except some have more wheels than others. I'm in the north woods, and lovin it. cabinets and counters are in, appliances come Friday. Mike.
I was born in 49, and never around railroads, only watching at crossings. I model "modern", as I know nothing about steam. I was never around it, or saw it.
I do like F's and GP's, and lost track of modern locos after the dash 9. All I know about the ACE's is the different "squared off" thing on the nose.
To me, all steam locomotives look alike, except some have more wheels than others.
I'm in the north woods, and lovin it. cabinets and counters are in, appliances come Friday.
Mike.
Mike, when I was growing up, I only saw trains on an occasional trip to the city, Baltimore. We lived in the very rural suburbs and not near any tracks to speak of.
But, I grew up with model trains. My uncle owned a hobby shop. My father was a "seasonal" model Railroader and started me in the hobby at age 10 by building me a layout and then grooming me into full ownership of it.
I started learning railroad history and technology then.
By age 14 I worked in a local hobby shop (my uncle had passed away, his shop long gone) and belonged to the local club, a group that is still around and has a well published layout. So I had lots of great mentors in the hobby, met lots of well known people in both the hobby and the business.
But even aside from trains, I am a technical kind of guy and a history guy.
My 7th grade science project was a demonstration of how the Westinghouse air brake works........
Now I don't claim to be the last word on any of this, but I can explain to you all the important basics of how trains work, or cars, etc.
So for me, model trains are about recreating a version of history from before I was born, in a time when the railroads were flush with cash and optimistic. And making even the fictional aspects feel believable.
The steam locomotive is an amazing machine, and its development and evolution is tech guy heaven. Or, boring as all get out to the extrovert crowd........
MotleyKevin, Not sure if serious? well kinda looks like this.
I am completely serious. I used to model 1968, and I can spot a GP35, GP38, GP40 easily and tell the difference with just a glance. I can spot the dash-2 models, and they were not allowed in 1968.
Anything not around in 1968 is all a blur for me, and it all looks very much the same.
mbinsewiTo me, all steam locomotives look alike, except some have more wheels than others.
I used to be exactly the same way. Then when I decided the STRATTON AND GILLETTE steam roster was going to be all brass I began to learn a lot so my purchases would be wise.
I read the article Bill Darnaby wrote on building the locomotive fleet for the MAUMEE, and decided to follow a lot of his ideas.
I decided that the boiler shape of the USRA designs would be my basic standard, and I look for that feature when buying non-USRA wheel arrangements.
I figure that the SGRR would have dieselized early. No modern super-steam locomotives, but lots of EMD F units.
Since I have looked at so many brass models, I can spot ATSF steamers on a glance. I can usually pick out SP and GN steam locomotives without looking at the text. B&O and SOUTHERN look very similar to me, but other modelers have told me they do not. Of course PRR stands out, but a few other road's locomotives mimic them.
I am getting better at it.
I'm a PRR steam modeler but I do have the GE ES4400 with the big GE logo on the nose. And I just got the honoring the Veterans loco with sound. Great locomotive.
My PRR diesel roster are early Alco, and Baldwin with a couple of EMD up units. I may save up some $$ for some sharks or baby face Baldwin cabs.
Pete
My You Tube
Motley SeeYou190 Dave, sounds like you have a winner there. I do not even know for sure what an SD70ACE looks like! -Kevin Kevin, Not sure if serious? well kinda looks like this. https://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2019/06/06-up-unveils-powered-by-our-people-special-paint-scheme
SeeYou190 Dave, sounds like you have a winner there. I do not even know for sure what an SD70ACE looks like! -Kevin
Dave, sounds like you have a winner there.
I do not even know for sure what an SD70ACE looks like!
I'm with Kevin. I have a general idea, but for the most part one modern day diesel looks like the next.
I lost interest in diesels pretty much after the 60's........
There is not enough time to know everything, so I adopted this motto years ago - "I was once well rounded until I learned what I really liked".
Glad the OP is happy, I will never own one.
Happily stuck in 1954.........which defies the theory that we model the trains of our youth since I was not born until 1957.......
Michael
CEO- Mile-HI-RailroadPrototype: D&RGW Moffat Line 1989
Just received the new engine today. I have to say it is one of the better engines that they have made.
The graphics on the side is just outstanding and the detail especially under the sill is incredibly well done. I expected a great engine from Athearn Genesis but they went beyond what I expected. All their genesis engines are something to have but this one is something special.
Btw, it runs and sounds great also , not any issues out of the box.