I model modern era. Always liked it and will continue to do so. But I've come across a particular model that doesn't fit my era, and I'm planning to adjust my currently under construction layout to accomodate its era. Primarily making the layout dual era by not getting too specific about the structure details and other doo dad scenicy pieces.
This model:
(Not necessarily the road name, although I like it) I love the tall stumpy look, and the efficient repurposing of an otherwise outdated coal hopper. And I've always been drawn to the SE USA wood products industry. Frankly, I like a lot of the cars used in that industry, so this hopper had an advantage into my heart.
That got me thinking.
Were you drawn to an era and place you liked, then accumulated equipment based upon that layout idea?
Or did/do you have favorite models that you built your layout around, for the purposes of seeing those models in action?
Open discussion is welcomed.
- Douglas
Hello All,
DoughlessThat got me thinking. Were you drawn to an era and place you liked, then accumulated equipment based upon that layout idea?Or did/do you have favorite models that you built your layout around, for the purposes of seeing those models in action?
I completely sympathize with the dilemma you pose.
Here are several previous threads...
Why we pick the era we model.
Layout Theme.
Hope this helps.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
DoughlessWere you drawn to an era and place you liked, then accumulated equipment based upon that layout idea? Or did/do you have favorite models that you built your layout around, for the purposes of seeing those models in action?
When I started four years ago, I wanted completely modern day equipment and buildings. About two years ago, I saw the Kato 1950's "City of Los Angeles" and immediately bought it. It became my favorite train.
I don't have any issues running modern equipment through a modern day layout, but with a 1950s passenger train running at the same time. I like it.
York1 John
To me, a dilemma has to be pretty solidly thorny, and inscrutable, to be labeled that way. Almost all situations where one or more options are open, all are legal/permissible, and it's hard to tell which is the best option, are cracked by a methodical approach to discerning the key factors, the most salient anyway, and then assigning them a 'virtue' score, or a weight. From there, a matrix tells you which of the best two options stand out.
When I entered the hobby, the LHS guy plunked a spankin' new BLI Hudson on the counter, laid out some tracks, and showed me how it ran and made sounds, even with DC power. I was bitten so hard they laughed me all the way out of the store. With the Hudson, of course.
From there, I began to learn about the road, the era, and kept compiling a list of intriquing history and hardware that I eventually acquired. It seemed a natural fit to build a transition era layout, and that is my entire history to date. It helps that an SD-75 looks great running along the same rails and through the same scenery.
When I started seriously getting into modeling back in '04, I picked up a Rivarossi NYC 0-8-0 switcher as a Christmas present to myself. I was smitten with the ruggedness of the model but the locomotive broke down within two days. I returned it to the LHS and picked up one of the Athearn NYC 2-8-2 Mikes. Even on DC it ran very well and I was happy with the purchase.
Wanting a switcher to accompany my freight locomotive, it wasn't too long after that I picked up a Proto 2000 NYC S1 on eBay for <$30. It also ran very smoothly and I began purchasing & assembling kits to add rolling stock to my "fleet" of NYC locomotives. I also began reading up on and learning about the NYC. I had NO idea that one of the major NYC yards - Collinwood - was just down the hill from my house. I can actually hear sometimes at night.
I thought I would probably only purchase a few NYC locomotives since my layout was going to be the proverbial 4 x 8 shape. Boy! - Was I wrong! I discovered the beautiful NYC Hudson. BLI released their NYC 4-8-2 Brass-hybrid Mowawk so I had to pick that up. That was followed by the iconic Dreyfuss Hudson from BLI. Rounding that out was a BLI Niagara.
I have always liked steam but I found myself being drawn to the look of the early diesels - particularly the switchers. I also learned that most of the above ran during the 40s up to the mid-50s. The 40s had a special place in my heart because that's when my parents were married and I grew up listening to big band music. My tastes are pretty simple so I prefer more of a rural setting for modeling rather than an urban one.
I guess I would have to say steam is what drew me into modeling and HO (availability) then being in an location that was very much a part of the history of the NYC. From there my taste and knowlege base grew and I began discovering and becoming fascinated with the history aspect of prototype railroading. And my "burgeoning" locomotive roster has continued to grow over that time - LOL.
So, in a nutshell, I guess the locomotives I chose or were drawn to dictated my modeling goals and era. I also think that I wouldn't enjoy MRRing nearly as much if I were modeling the modern era. I liken it to the choice of living either in a new home...or in a 1920s Arts & Crafts style bungalow. To me the choice is obvious: One is a house...the other is a home.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Sorta. I'd never really given Amtrak much consideration until I moved to DC and started using the Capital Limited from time to time to visit home.
So my western Pennsylvania layout goals shifted to accommodate the Capital Limited.
My main base layout is set late 1980s into the 1990s. I have locomotives for Amtrak, Conrail. Also started with BNSF, Southern Pacific, Santa Fe, Burlington Northern and Union Pacific.
Secondary main layout is the New York Central between 1950-1953 and 1957-1967.
Fun Layout 1: A final layout "in which I'm building" 1946 post war steam only. Three locomotives 2-8-0, 2-8-2, and 4-6-2. Having fun with a small over 2x4 foot theme.
The fun railroad 2 I like is the Chessie System. I adore the colors and logo, problem is I have no place or plans. Unless it's a diamond crossing or interchange or something.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
My case is more about a particular building over locomotives and rolling stock. I had been dreaming and acquiring materials for months, or years, to build up a PRR Middle Division in the mid 1950s setup. However, after going through some older issues of Model Railroader and looking at New England based layouts I wanted to try my hand at that. Well, next I got the Wrisley Papers kit by South River Model Works. I felt many trepidations about beginning about 3-months ago but I'd complete a step and just kept at it. The instructions show a diorama design the company did and how to build that, and it's beautiful, but I wanted it to be part of the shelf layout I want for my basement room. So, I designed the benchwork around the building and the area it occupies as it's over 1.5" below track level. The freight cars needed to serve it would be boxcars plus a hopper as seen by coal having been dumped on the ground from the trestle. The setting shown in the kit's pictures is the early or late '30s based on looking at the autos and railroad equipment. I've always been drawn to the transition era so that's what I'll set my shelf layout. Plus, I already have loads of '40s and '50s cars and trucks.
Alvie
Not a "favorite model", but more along the lines of "what was available" drove me to model 1968 when I started SGRR layout #2.
This was the very early 1990s, I was modeling N scale, and Kato had released the SD9, GP30, GP35, GP40, and SD40 (no dash-2s) in undecorated N scale. These were mass-produced, and easy to obtain in the quantities I needed for big-time double tracked class A mainline.
Micro-Trains had all the N scale undecorated freight cars I would ever need readily available.
With easy-to-obtain, good quality equipment on hand, the era was set at Tuesday, August 6th, 1968.
Truth be told, I always wanted to model steam, but good running North American prototype steam in N scale was not a practical option.
When I switched to HO scale a few years later, I originally set the year in 1968 as well, but I always knew this would not last. Then when Bachmann released the Spectrum 2-8-0 in undecorated it was over. I bought one of these, and a Tenshodo USRA 0-8-0.
I backdated the SGRR to Tuesday, August 3rd, 1954, and I have been happy ever since.
So I guess the answer is "yes", twice. Two times the availability of certain pieces of equipment has cemented the era of the SGRR. However, the transition era is where I really always wanted to be.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
DoughlessI model modern era. Always liked it and will continue to do so. But I've come across a particular model that doesn't fit my era,
Why does it not fit your era? Isn't that an 11-80 rebuild date on the left end of the car?
You could have labeled this Filosophy Phriday...
I thought I was gonna have a widely floating timeline era layout, pre transition to post, and in between. But now a large imposing industry narrows it considerably to post... Or just ignore that chip pile sometimes! Dan
Not so much favorite models, but my layout is based around 1970. Then the grandchildren became involved. They joined in the fun from the age of three. To make things easy for them I bought three 0.4.0 steam engines cheap plus a few trucks.
Now they are older they want to run my diesel locomotives etc. the steam locomotives were forgotten.
It was then when I got the idea to run the steam engines myself, setting the timeframe in 1914/19. Just like 'Topsy' the idea has grown into a layout in its own right.
Now I run diesels one running session, steam another on the same layout.
The grandchildren run the diesel trains!
David
To the world you are someone. To someone you are the world
I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought
I model a somewhat set era. So I have made two mini layouts for a certain engine. I made a small Industrial layout (ho scale) for a walthers ML-8 and I've also made a small (36in diameter) layout (Ho scale) to run an 1880's passenger train. I think it is great fun to to this. I'll soon make another micro-layout in N scale for a friend who is starting in the hobby, but can't build a large layout. It will be a different locale and era then my larger layouts.
JJF
Prototypically modeling the Great Northern in Minnesota with just a hint of freelancing.
Yesterday is History.
Tomorrow is a Mystery.
But today is a Gift, that is why it is called the Present.
JDawg I model a somewhat set era. So I have made two mini layouts for a certain engine. I made a small Industrial layout (ho scale) for a walthers ML-8 and I've also made a small (36in diameter) layout (Ho scale) to run an 1880's passenger train. I think it is great fun to to this. I'll soon make another micro-layout in N scale for a friend who is starting in the hobby, but can't build a large layout. It will be a different locale and era then my larger layouts.
I think that's where I'm headed. My wife and I expect to move out of this house in a few years. At this point, my plan is to then have two layouts, sort of double decked one on top of the other to accomodate both eras. I'll have to study this idea more to see if that's really doable.
It might be cool to model the exact same location, one layout set in 1970, the other layout 2010. Study all of the changes that could have taken place in 40 years; with some free-lancers license where needed. Then again, it might not be worth the effort.
maxman Doughless I model modern era. Always liked it and will continue to do so. But I've come across a particular model that doesn't fit my era, Why does it not fit your era? Isn't that an 11-80 rebuild date on the left end of the car?
Doughless I model modern era. Always liked it and will continue to do so. But I've come across a particular model that doesn't fit my era,
My modern era is post 2000. By that time the big 61 footers and the 7,000 cf Greenville hoppers displaced those stubby guys.
They were more common in the 60s and 70s, but obviously must have lingered a bit longer on the Chattahoochee Industrial RR
I also decided to make the same city that resembles differently between eras. Instead of different cities and names I chose to leave as one.
The decision was New York Central in New York and then transition into Conrail maybe a little PC. Since I wanted NYC and CR on the same layout. I can change a few things here and there.
When designing my current layout, nearly 15 years ago, I made provisions for the largest equipment possible because I wanted to be able to accommodate virtually anything. My curves are Kato HO 26.375" radius, minimum, and several are 31" plus radius. The tunnels which are located on curves were custom made (pieces of insulation foam sheet with lightweight plaster over them) to be taller both so that I could reach inside to get anything derailed, but also so that double stack trains could operate easily. The tunnel portals have been wide enough for any steam articulated including big boys and yellowstones.
I have had many railroad interests from late steam era motive power through mainly 1970's and later diesels. The railroad era I remember most would be late 1980's and early 1990's. That was when I completed the balance of my railfanning and took a few photographs.
I had said that I'd never do the "modern era" for various reasons, but "never" turned into being a long time--far too long since the ATSF/BNSF merger and UP's acquisition of DRGW/SP/etc such that eventually I had to just give up and cave in.
Of course, this discussion is why folks like Tony Koester had chosen at one point in their life to have two completely separate eras on the same layout. In his case, the one was Nickel Plate Road steam to diesel transition, and the other one he used Alco Centuries and similar motive power.
In my own personal case, as much as I can love and be totally fascinated by steam power, it always requires more special care and feeding, and I also eventually came to realize that it was so far before my time, also with rolling stock type and paint scheme limitations, such that I should just leave it to the history books. It just became very easy for me to do that.
Now that I've made the switch to "modern era" I'm trying to restrict myself to rolling stock that survived in pretty good condition beyond 2010. That means there are many favorite rolling stock items that are now just too old to belong. I simply don't have the heart to weather the crap out of some high end freight cars and locos and put 16 diesels and 4 big steamers out for sale along with a fleet of freight cars. As my tastes were changing I had also accumulated some newer models that are still in the middle and don't belong that much after 2010.
Since then I have replaced my entire diesel roster with engines that are new from mid-2016 until now...Some are hitting the street less than 2 years after the prototypes in real life.
Not saying anyone else should do that but that is what I did. Also I tried engines from an importer that I was not wild about previously, due to a disagreement between them and a personal favorite store, but the engines have been better than expected.
In so many places around the world, the structures that lined the tracks are still there a hundred years on. It does not look too out of place to run a modern train through an area with old(er) buildings.
One of my biggest pet peeves is when someone has their layout set on a firm date, say Sept 11, 1921, and the buildings for the time do not look newly constructed and freshly painted. They are presented as they would look today a hundred years later in various states of decay, sometimes to the point of falling down and abandon. Yes, there are hundred-year-old buildings that look as good as the day they were built, but how often do we see 1920s buildings on 1920s layout looking a hundred years old when they should appear much newer.
Modern RR trackside infrastructure can often be set up to be easily removable if you wish to quickly change the era. Having buildings that look right in the age department can be a little tougher to accomplish but we do our best.
Hollywood ignores this same issue most of the time and no one seems to ever notice, but I do, but then my job for 36 years was making sure every detail and contingency was looked after. Maybe I am in the wrong hobby.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
I model 1939 aprox but I have stuff that could have been built. The S4 is much later than my time period but most changes were to internals and minor outside changes. Even the trucks are wrong but were avaliable in my time period.
my layout is a 20th century theme it has a mix of steam and diesel so i would say it is from around the era of the late 1950s. my favorite locomotive that I own is either the polar express or AWVR 777 from unstoppable. my other layout is of the stanton curve from the movie unstoppable.
I caught the logging bug when I saw (and bought) a Bachmann Climax loco at our LHS. It was the starting point of my layout.
Simon
BATMANOne of my biggest pet peeves is when someone has their layout set on a firm date, say Sept 11, 1921, and the buildings for the time do not look newly constructed and freshly painted. They are presented as they would look today a hundred years later in various states of decay, sometimes to the point of falling down and abandon. Yes, there are hundred-year-old buildings that look as good as the day they were built, but how often do we see 1920s buildings on 1920s layout looking a hundred years old when they should appear much newer.
On the other hand there are those who like their watch visibly 'genuine' (meaning to them looking as old as a 160 or longer year-old watch 'should') just like there are those who relish brand spanking new mint-state-70 condition.
Back in the railroad context: I came to the conclusion long ago that proper dust effects including cumulative buildup over time were far more relevant to most 'weathering' effect than either dirt or rusting. Yet we see far more emphasis on the latter often in the utter absence of the former...
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Doughlessbig 61 footers and the 7,000 cf Greenville hoppers
Russell
csxns....7,000 cf Greenville hoppers Who makes them?
I presume that these are the ones in question...
https://www.athearn.com/Search/Default.aspx?SearchTerm=40%27+Wood+Chip+Hopper+RTR&CatID=THRF
Cheers, the Bear.
The Bowser wood chip hoppers are nice too.
Athearn RTR made the hoppers in the OP pic.
[quote user="csxns"]
csxns Doughless big 61 footers and the 7,000 cf Greenville hoppers Who makes them?
Doughless big 61 footers and the 7,000 cf Greenville hoppers
Who makes them?
Walthers made both. A long time ago. The 7000 cf comes painted generally with schemes from the 80s.
And the 61 footer (actually a gondola) a bit earlier.
That is what I thought glad I bought several when they came out can't fing them anymore and the LBF Hubbert ones I have all of them also.
I didn't base the layout on a model, but when I started researching the leather tanning industry I discovered how neatly it fit into my existing layout and how it allowed me to add a few more types of rolling stock. This was the Walthers Empire Tanning Company kit, a number of related structures that filled a big empty space.
I have a dual era layout, 1930s and early 1960s. This kit is perfectly at home in both time-frames. Since it only uses small single carload shipments, no large trains are needed.
I already had a slaughterhouse, so there was a supply of hides available locally. I had two undecorated Tichy boxcar kits I picked up for next to nothing at my LHS, and with some home-made decals I had a pair of old "Hide Service Only" boxcars. Bowser provided an undecorated covered hopper, which became a car for delivery of salt. One of those Hooker Chemical tankers would provide acid, and I already had tankers for fuel oil delivery and boxcars to ship the finished product.
The carfloat was one source for raw materials and one place to ship the finished leather, and staging that came along later was another.
I didn't plan it this way, but before I even started building the kit I began to realize how this industry brought my layout together.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
maxmanWhy does it not fit your era? Isn't that an 11-80 rebuild date on the left end of the car?
Depends on his era...
1980-2000 is 20 years, to current day is 40 years, and the original car is of course much older than the 1980 re-build/re-weigh date, which would pretty much put this thing out of service before the start of the 21st century.
Chris van der Heide
My Algoma Central Railway Modeling Blog