Thanks to everyone for their comments--that's why the people who post on these forums are the best.
Basically two eras have always fascinated me: the present day so I can run the latest technologies and the 1969-1970-1971 pre and immediate Burlington Northern merger years. I think this comes from having seen a photo of the Mainstreeter as a child: it was just into the BN era and had NP F units along with a newly Burlington Northern one plus a rainbow of BN predecessor passenger cars.
I was thinking that when I do create my new layout, I could always partition it when it came to buildings--one area could be the modern era and one area could be the past. All food for thought. Thanks again for everyone's suggestions.
Avoid really modern-looking buildings, although some mostly-glass structures were starting to show up in the 1960's. Most of the DPM and Walthers structures that are available will cover a very long timeframe.
As for autos and gas station price signs, just "embrace the change." These are all small, easily replaceable parts, so you can maintain separate sets for each era. Those who look at your layout regularly will notice the differences in time frame, and will appreciate your effort to focus on the details. I've found that most of my visitors know more about cars than they do about trains.
Esso became Exxon in the 1972-73 timeframe. Cities Service changed its name to Citgo in 1965.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
One problem modelling 1960's to today all at once in one layout is passenger equipment - in the sixties you didn't have Amtrak yet. Of course early Amtrak was a mix of equipment in pre-Amtrak paintschemes, but you'd really have to choose pre- or post-Amtrak passenger equipment I think. Plus there's mergers to think about, like BN and PC (and Conrail!).
My suggestion would be to consider rotating eras between 2 or 3 periods. Start out in the sixties with pre-merger railroads running their own passenger trains. After say 4 months switch to the eighties - now the freight cars are without roofwalks, some new railroads are around (BN, Conrail) and others are gone (NYC, GN etc.)...but you still have cabooses. Amtrak F40PH's abound, and Amtrak would still be running quite a few 'heritage' cars, although in the west Superliners were taking over. Then model today for the last period, lots of double-stacks and FRED's, modern Amtrak equipment and BIG diesels (SD-90's, AC4400's etc.). Then rotate back to the 60's.
You could probably make the buildings etc. 'generic' enough on the layout to only have to change a few things, like automobiles and a few billboards. Most figures will be OK in all three eras, for fun you could throw in a few hippies in the sixties, or punk rockers in the eighties (Preiser does make them!!). Maybe change out one or two buildings...like you could make an Amoco station that gets replaced with the same building kit (like the Walthers gas station) only now decorated for BP.
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
My era is mid 1950s. I don't want to pin myself down any more specifically than that. I run steam and first generation diesels. My New York, Binghamton, and Western Railroad is a fictional line with the modeled portion being through fictional cities but the staging yards provide interchange to real places and real railroads. The railroad is a takeover target of the New York Central which has leased traffic rights over the line so there is quite a bit of NYC equipment. I do fudge a little. For example, NYC's jade green box cars did not appear until steam was gone on the NYC but I have several of these and I have no problem running them. If I can run a fictional road through a fictional place, what's the big deal about moving a paint scheme back a few years. I do limit myself to running the types of rolling stock that was around in the 1950s. All the boxcars have roof walks and most are 40 footers. The newest automobile I have is a 1957 which would have actually appeared in the fall of 1956.
Right now, my roster is about two thirds steam but I intend to bring the mix up to about 50/50. From time to time, I will shift a few years forward and back by changing the balance between steam and diesel, perhaps going all diesel at some point, but that would only be temporary. Steam will always live on the NYB&W.
To those who like to turn the crank on the time machine, by all means do so. Not too far, though. Dinosaurs don't fit into ANY era's cattle cars .
As for me, the main driving force is the September, 1964 timetable of my chosen prototype. Everything else is built around that, including years of research and, now, over forty years of familiarity. Trying to duplicate that effort for another month in a different decade is enough to make me cringe - especially since a lot of my research resources are no longer available.
OTOH, when I DO turn the crank on the time machine, it goes a LONG way forward - to the Confederation Universe of the 35th and 36th centuries. Only bad thing - NO RAILROADS .
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - usually)
Of course it's your layout and you can do what you want, However...
Are you settling?
Do you want the heritage stuff because it's really cool and you just can't part with it?
If you start building your layout to accommodate things you don't want just to keep from throwing them away, it won't be long before you will have spent more money on your layout saving the old stuff than the old stuff is worth and you Will end up with a compromise.
Unless this "heritage stuff" is something you can't live without, put it on eBay and use the money to buy stuff that will really make your layout exactly the way you want it. IF the stuff has sentimental value, put it on a shelf in a glass case.
If you want to model modern, model modern.
Chip
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.
BNSF4ever, No I haven't done a 60's to present layout, but will share a few thoughts.
First; it's your pike and YOU can do, run, portray any darn thing you want! That's the neat thing about "modeler's license". I personally have a "Time Compressed" pike but it is still period.
By period, I mean that ever though a certain RR didn't run steam after, say 1959...It may still be convincing to stage 1964 and get away with it. And there is always the scenario of the old short line, mining or logging, or even a tourist line running with old equipment.
However: Running a pike set in the 60's to present day, really wouldn't be a whole lot different than your thoughts on the club running the SD70's and the PFE reefers! Rolling stock and motive power has changed dramatically over the past 40 years. Just looking at what we have seen on the roads; reporting markings on cars are way different today (even 20 to 30 years ago) then in 1960...Also roof walks, safety appliances, the overall size of the cars....Not to mention the roads themselves (haven't seen a GN, NP or a Frisco car for years)!
The B&O / CSX scenario can certainly be done with swapping rolling stock, power, autos and the like and I think it could be a real blast. But, if you do want to stick to "period" which it sounds like, regarding your comment about the local club, you really do need to set and follow a few guidelines.
As for your question about building: My thought is that most ANY older building will fit most ANY era, as they do tend to live on. On the other hand, ultra modern new doesn't have the same flexibility.
Again, it's your pike and with the modeler's license you may do as you wish.....Just thought I would throw my 2 cents in regarding "period".
Enjoy your railroading!
BRJN wrote: I suggest you drive around the downtown areas of some cities near you. You will find some REALLY old buildings, some brand-new, and some in between. As long as you aren't modeling residential sections, you can have a fairly 'timeless' city scene. Industrial buildings seem to last forever (except in the most-modern phase, when they are boarded-up eyesores). Farms and natural scenery, of course, have always looked the same from a distance.Take in the view and maybe a camera too and try to get that ambience for your scenery choices.Of course if you buy a lot of modern autos you will have to replace them when you do 1960, so make the streets easily accesible to life-size fingers. My biggest objection to doing multiple eras is that of cost - I don't have enough money to properly duplicate all my scenery &c twice! But if you can and will, go ahead and have fun with it.
I suggest you drive around the downtown areas of some cities near you. You will find some REALLY old buildings, some brand-new, and some in between. As long as you aren't modeling residential sections, you can have a fairly 'timeless' city scene. Industrial buildings seem to last forever (except in the most-modern phase, when they are boarded-up eyesores). Farms and natural scenery, of course, have always looked the same from a distance.
Take in the view and maybe a camera too and try to get that ambience for your scenery choices.
Of course if you buy a lot of modern autos you will have to replace them when you do 1960, so make the streets easily accesible to life-size fingers.
My biggest objection to doing multiple eras is that of cost - I don't have enough money to properly duplicate all my scenery &c twice! But if you can and will, go ahead and have fun with it.
Changing autos, trucks & people in "period" dress, plus maybe an interchangable building or two will make an easy transition. I finished High School in '59, and beleive me, things have changed, but not that much! In north Jersey the major change has been more buildings & homes & less "country", but most of the buildings I remember from the 60's are still here. Just dont put price signs at the gas stations!!! Also watch the brands, Exxon replaced Esso in the '60's!
I was working on a layout set in modern day Illinois but I had to take it down as I will be moving soon. I hadn't got far so I am essentially starting from scratch. The problem I have is that I have as much "heritage" rolling stock as modern day stuff. Thus, I thought it would be best to make a layout more generic in time period so I could run whatever I wanted. I don't mean like a local club layout where you have an SD70M pulling old PFE reefers passing 1940s era automobiles (I've seen this locally). I mean constructing a layout that could pass from the 1960s to today. Has anyone else done this? What tips do you have for buildings, vehicles, etc? I did see an MR story a few months back of a B&O/CSX layout where the guy had different signs for his depots and switched around automobiles.