Era Error

[dragenrider]

I need some help from the members of the prototype type!

On my HO scale layout I run a mixture of 40 ft and 50 ft box cars. No freight car exceeds 70 ft with bulkhead flat cars and covered hoppers being my longest cars. There are a lot of friction bearing trucks present with the most common being the modern roller bearing style. I have wide vision cupola cabooses. My engines range from old 44 and 70 tonners to a GP 60 as my most modern. GP-9's are the most frequently used engines along with SW 1200's.

What year would best describe my railroad? [?] I've been saying 1980, but I think I'm too far up the line. I want to claim the most recent year possible given the mixture listed above without having to make major changes. I do wi***o be prototypical, however.

If you need more info, let me know and I'll post it. Your input and knowledge would be appreciated. [:p]

[railman]

I think 40-50 footers got chased out in the 70's....friction bearings were outlawed for interchange service in the 60's (I think). GE tonners live everywhere, GP-9's are still kicking and that GP60 still has about 40 years ahead of it.

My diagnosis- you have the same disease I've seen in my own railroad- cross-era-itus.

It is only cureable by becoming a rivet counter and giving up some of the ecclectic pieces of the collection.

SO unless it really matters, it is not a fatal condition, in fact most hobbyists afflicted go on to live fully productive modeling lives.

Take two blue box kits and call me in the morning.[angel]

"Dr." Railman

[UPTRAIN]

That GP60 didn't come around until about 1985...so yeah, move that era up a little, when I saw the title of this topic I thought we were talkin' baseball in here...[:(]...just kiddin'!

[dragenrider]

Railman & UPTRAIN, thanks for your input. Both of your posts had me laughing!

No, I'm not a stickler for running just equipment from what ever year! I'm trying to figure out where I am. So far, its seems I'm strung out from 1985 back to 1960. I like the short cars and old engines, but I'm not willing to buy anything else until I figure out what year I'm in.

Does anybody catch themselves critiquing "That 70's Show"? [:D]

[Anonymous]

Friction bearings were not outlawed until the early 90s.

LC

[SSW9389]

Dragenrider don't worry, many model rails suffer from MDD (Multiple Decade Disorder). You have realized you have this and are working on it. The pursuit may cure you, but beware you don't develop Foamitous and become a babbling prototype purist.

Sign me,
One who suffers

[PNWRMNM]

If you want to be 1960's early 1970's take the GP 60 off the layout and you are set.

Mac

[Overmod]

Your "era" is mid-'80s to 1994. I can't speak to the use of cabooses vs. FREDs -- but as pointed out in MR (and on the relevant model railroad forums) it's not difficult to model a FRED...

[dragenrider]

So when did the longer flat cars, gondolas and bulkhead flat cars start appearing?

By the way, I like the MDD joke, SSW9389! I don't seek to become a purist! I just want to settle where I am on my layout and buy only cars for that period from here on out. I can't keep jumping around...or can I? [}:)]

[AntonioFP45]

Remember too that because of the large amounts of cars and even locomotives, it takes a while for them to fade out.. Imagine my shock when last year I saw a "powered" CSX GP30 running around town! I've also seen Penn Central and SCL cars too.

Even in the early 1980s, I still saw 40ft boxcars (though ranks were thinning rapidly!)
BTW: I may be "La-La land, but I still see 50 ft. boxcars running around!

A significant feature though, make sure that your older boxcars have no roofwalks. I've been removing the ones off of my 50 footers, filling the holes in with putty and paint matching.

[Anonymous]

Dragenrider -

It's your layout, your equipment and your money. A good friend of mine in O-scale ran tri-level auto racks and tank-type covered hoppers and 85' High-Cube boxcars behind steam, and in all his operating sessions I never heard anybody object.

I've said this before - if a guy comes into my train room and finds something he doesn't like, he's free not to come back.

You run what You like and pay for it with Your MONEY. Don't lock yourself into anything. Do what's fun for you. The hobby is to be enjoyed, and of all the people that need to be pleased with what you do, you're the most important.

Old Timer

[dragenrider]

Old Timer, I think that's some dang good advice! Thanks for reminding me that is indeed my layout and I can mix and match as I see fit. Maybe that's just what I'll do!