Favorite Railroad Decade

[sebamat]

I really like the pre 1900 period, where railroads were an adventure shaping the world. It is (for an european) the typical, Western-movies kind of railroading we immagine for the USA. It was also a glorious period before starting loosing importance to cars &airplanes.
But I found it very difficult to model because of scarcity of commercial products, so I ended up collecting everything from 1880 to 2000..... with main focus on IC 1998, that is the one I meet during my study in the States.

Sebastiano from Switzerland

[ClinchValleySD40]

1970's - during my RR career.

[ClinchValleySD40]

1970's - during my RR career.

[locomutt]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tjbjrvt68

My choice is the 1950's. I grew up on the C&O Alleghany Subdivision. H-8's, K4;J2a,J3,were all present in my earliest memories. We usrf to "meet" every Passenger run at reasonable hours of the day, some of the engine men would look for an awestruck 6 year old and lift me up into the cab.

Then came the "streamliners" which actually caught my attention more than the steam power. F7 ABBA sets on the freights, E8 A A A sets on the passengers. Then the GP7's arrived in force. A very exciting time to grow up.

Trains were frequent, many of the westbound steam were double headed indeed a very nostalgice time

Tom Blair
Hampton Roads, VA

WOW,

What a TIME!

I grew up around the C&O,and have long been very loyal to them.
I TRY to model in the 50's-60' era.

I was born in 1950,go figure.
To any C&O fans out there,Do the names Raceland&Russell
mean any thing. I've had the PRIVILEGE of being in the roundhouse
at Russell.

P.S. If anybody wants to respond,you will find me on the Train mag Forum.

[locomutt]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tjbjrvt68

My choice is the 1950's. I grew up on the C&O Alleghany Subdivision. H-8's, K4;J2a,J3,were all present in my earliest memories. We usrf to "meet" every Passenger run at reasonable hours of the day, some of the engine men would look for an awestruck 6 year old and lift me up into the cab.

Then came the "streamliners" which actually caught my attention more than the steam power. F7 ABBA sets on the freights, E8 A A A sets on the passengers. Then the GP7's arrived in force. A very exciting time to grow up.

Trains were frequent, many of the westbound steam were double headed indeed a very nostalgice time

Tom Blair
Hampton Roads, VA

WOW,

What a TIME!

I grew up around the C&O,and have long been very loyal to them.
I TRY to model in the 50's-60' era.

I was born in 1950,go figure.
To any C&O fans out there,Do the names Raceland&Russell
mean any thing. I've had the PRIVILEGE of being in the roundhouse
at Russell.

P.S. If anybody wants to respond,you will find me on the Train mag Forum.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by LuthierTom

Hey, Jim, I'd like to schedule a trip in your time machine to the 1950s to catch some N&W action, both steam and early diesel, but only if I can take 21st century audio and video/film recording equipment back with me to get state-of-the-art records of the action. Oh, and if I can schedule a 2nd trip, I'll go back to the 1967-72 time period with the same equipment and get state-of-the-art records of the Saturn V. [:p]

...and I want to bring back a '57 Bel Air convertable, a '59 Gibson Les Paul, a '60 Fender Stratocaster, a '65 Mustang convertable, and a '65 Fender Twin Reverb when I come back from those trips! [:D]

You know there are lots of things I would like to bring back too. There were many good steam engines that even though many were made none were preserved for future generations to see. The New York Central J3As would be one engine I would bring back. And lots of Alco engines too. And tons of other neat cars like the Model As, Ts, and you name it. Give me the 57 T-Bird and the 64 Mustang. Man oh man, we could go on forever. [:D] I think I will have to brake out in song, " M e m o r i e s, may be beautiful and".

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by LuthierTom

Hey, Jim, I'd like to schedule a trip in your time machine to the 1950s to catch some N&W action, both steam and early diesel, but only if I can take 21st century audio and video/film recording equipment back with me to get state-of-the-art records of the action. Oh, and if I can schedule a 2nd trip, I'll go back to the 1967-72 time period with the same equipment and get state-of-the-art records of the Saturn V. [:p]

...and I want to bring back a '57 Bel Air convertable, a '59 Gibson Les Paul, a '60 Fender Stratocaster, a '65 Mustang convertable, and a '65 Fender Twin Reverb when I come back from those trips! [:D]

You know there are lots of things I would like to bring back too. There were many good steam engines that even though many were made none were preserved for future generations to see. The New York Central J3As would be one engine I would bring back. And lots of Alco engines too. And tons of other neat cars like the Model As, Ts, and you name it. Give me the 57 T-Bird and the 64 Mustang. Man oh man, we could go on forever. [:D] I think I will have to brake out in song, " M e m o r i e s, may be beautiful and".

[slotracer]

I picked the fifties although that all happened before I was around....the forties thru the mid sventies has to qualify anyway. To each his or her own, but I can't see anything attractive in rialroads from the eighties on, especially the nineties when the last mega mergers occurred and boiled everything down to just a few corporate clones, sterilized of any personality. I don't think so much it is a case of my being closer to what was, it is more recognition of the fact that a primnary thing that makes rail buffs like railroads is variety, uniqueness of carriers, and operations. Back Then, there were complex and busy junctions and yards, paint scemes, architectural design, china and corperate identity that was close to home. The railroad had a deep tie with the community and your dailey life. Today it is just another transportation mode that may roll through town. (maybe not if you had your rail line merged and ripped up).


I parked my cameras after 1980 and only reused them a brief stint when SP was about to be taken over by UP in 95-96....got some pix of Tennessee pass before abandonment. I wouldn't get caught dead looking ike some nerd with a camera around railroad tracks today, no matter what was rolling thru town. It was fun in the seventies though with so many local operations, active towers and variety of roads and schemes.

How many others have hung it up, when and why?

[slotracer]

I picked the fifties although that all happened before I was around....the forties thru the mid sventies has to qualify anyway. To each his or her own, but I can't see anything attractive in rialroads from the eighties on, especially the nineties when the last mega mergers occurred and boiled everything down to just a few corporate clones, sterilized of any personality. I don't think so much it is a case of my being closer to what was, it is more recognition of the fact that a primnary thing that makes rail buffs like railroads is variety, uniqueness of carriers, and operations. Back Then, there were complex and busy junctions and yards, paint scemes, architectural design, china and corperate identity that was close to home. The railroad had a deep tie with the community and your dailey life. Today it is just another transportation mode that may roll through town. (maybe not if you had your rail line merged and ripped up).


I parked my cameras after 1980 and only reused them a brief stint when SP was about to be taken over by UP in 95-96....got some pix of Tennessee pass before abandonment. I wouldn't get caught dead looking ike some nerd with a camera around railroad tracks today, no matter what was rolling thru town. It was fun in the seventies though with so many local operations, active towers and variety of roads and schemes.

How many others have hung it up, when and why?

[Anonymous]

love the 90's and the good SF power frieghts

[Anonymous]

love the 90's and the good SF power frieghts

[LuthierTom]

Hey, Jim, I'd like to schedule a trip in your time machine to the 1950s to catch some N&W action, both steam and early diesel, but only if I can take 21st century audio and video/film recording equipment back with me to get state-of-the-art records of the action. Oh, and if I can schedule a 2nd trip, I'll go back to the 1967-72 time period with the same equipment and get state-of-the-art records of the Saturn V. [:p]

...and I want to bring back a '57 Bel Air convertable, a '59 Gibson Les Paul, a '60 Fender Stratocaster, a '65 Mustang convertable, and a '65 Fender Twin Reverb when I come back from those trips! [:D]

[LuthierTom]

Hey, Jim, I'd like to schedule a trip in your time machine to the 1950s to catch some N&W action, both steam and early diesel, but only if I can take 21st century audio and video/film recording equipment back with me to get state-of-the-art records of the action. Oh, and if I can schedule a 2nd trip, I'll go back to the 1967-72 time period with the same equipment and get state-of-the-art records of the Saturn V. [:p]

...and I want to bring back a '57 Bel Air convertable, a '59 Gibson Les Paul, a '60 Fender Stratocaster, a '65 Mustang convertable, and a '65 Fender Twin Reverb when I come back from those trips! [:D]

[Anonymous]

It's gotta be the 40s and 50s. That's back when BIG steam and first generation diesels ruled the rails. Ahhhhh, the good 'ole days.

[Anonymous]

It's gotta be the 40s and 50s. That's back when BIG steam and first generation diesels ruled the rails. Ahhhhh, the good 'ole days.

[Anonymous]

My choice is the 1950's. I grew up on the C&O Alleghany Subdivision. H-8's, K4;J2a,J3,were all present in my earliest memories. We usrf to "meet" every Passenger run at reasonable hours of the day, some of the engine men would look for an awestruck 6 year old and lift me up into the cab.

Then came the "streamliners" which actually caught my attention more than the steam power. F7 ABBA sets on the freights, E8 A A A sets on the passengers. Then the GP7's arrived in force. A very exciting time to grow up.

Trains were frequent, many of the westbound steam were double headed indeed a very nostalgice time

Tom Blair
Hampton Roads, VA

[Anonymous]

My choice is the 1950's. I grew up on the C&O Alleghany Subdivision. H-8's, K4;J2a,J3,were all present in my earliest memories. We usrf to "meet" every Passenger run at reasonable hours of the day, some of the engine men would look for an awestruck 6 year old and lift me up into the cab.

Then came the "streamliners" which actually caught my attention more than the steam power. F7 ABBA sets on the freights, E8 A A A sets on the passengers. Then the GP7's arrived in force. A very exciting time to grow up.

Trains were frequent, many of the westbound steam were double headed indeed a very nostalgice time

Tom Blair
Hampton Roads, VA

[Anonymous]

I'm going to "split" decades here. I'd pick 1945 to 1955. Mainline steam was widespread in all its variations and the diesel power that was arriving was unique both in execution of design and application of paint.

For me, that era encompassed all the hallmarks of railroading. That's probably why my favorite rail magazine is "Classic Trains"

[Anonymous]

I'm going to "split" decades here. I'd pick 1945 to 1955. Mainline steam was widespread in all its variations and the diesel power that was arriving was unique both in execution of design and application of paint.

For me, that era encompassed all the hallmarks of railroading. That's probably why my favorite rail magazine is "Classic Trains"

[Anonymous]

I voted the 90's, mabee it's cause I'm only 30, but this era seemed like the most exciting.
There were still several class ones. There was all the new locomotive models (4th generation). Santa Fe brought back the red warbonnet scheme. Amtrack started buying more equiptment. Metrolink came on scene in LA. Southern Pacific was buying cool new power (GP60 B40-8 SD70M & C44-9/AC4400). But mostly I loved seeing all the intermodial equiptment.

[Anonymous]

I voted the 90's, mabee it's cause I'm only 30, but this era seemed like the most exciting.
There were still several class ones. There was all the new locomotive models (4th generation). Santa Fe brought back the red warbonnet scheme. Amtrack started buying more equiptment. Metrolink came on scene in LA. Southern Pacific was buying cool new power (GP60 B40-8 SD70M & C44-9/AC4400). But mostly I loved seeing all the intermodial equiptment.

[Anonymous]

I also voted for 1880 because my interest is in the Civil War and earlier periods. Due to limited choices, it is very difficult to model this period in 0. I do have some HO equipment which is more prototypical, but they are shelf queens since I never got around to building a layout for them. I also like even earlier trains, the Bachmann HO models of the John Bull, the Prussia and the DeWitt Clinton make me wish someone would do these in larger scales!

[Anonymous]

I also voted for 1880 because my interest is in the Civil War and earlier periods. Due to limited choices, it is very difficult to model this period in 0. I do have some HO equipment which is more prototypical, but they are shelf queens since I never got around to building a layout for them. I also like even earlier trains, the Bachmann HO models of the John Bull, the Prussia and the DeWitt Clinton make me wish someone would do these in larger scales!

[Anonymous]

Their is No Question the 1990's with all the Mergers new Diesels and we had more Railroads

DOGGY

[Anonymous]

Their is No Question the 1990's with all the Mergers new Diesels and we had more Railroads

DOGGY

[Anonymous]

BOvsPRR [:)]

altweddle [:)]

Welcome to the forums. [;)]

Glad to have you both. [8D]

[Anonymous]

BOvsPRR [:)]

altweddle [:)]

Welcome to the forums. [;)]

Glad to have you both. [8D]

[Anonymous]

They were really, really trying to still sell the passenger train in the '50's and some of the most stunning equipment was developed for that purpose. As a transition era, the employees were still trying to get the best out of the schedules, and the equipment mix was about as eclectic as it gets. The best of the old and the best of the new.
The other reason that I chose the '50's is that my first reccollections are from that time, and that was what got me started.

[Anonymous]

They were really, really trying to still sell the passenger train in the '50's and some of the most stunning equipment was developed for that purpose. As a transition era, the employees were still trying to get the best out of the schedules, and the equipment mix was about as eclectic as it gets. The best of the old and the best of the new.
The other reason that I chose the '50's is that my first reccollections are from that time, and that was what got me started.

[AggroJones]

I chose the '50s. The time when steam and diesel ran side by side. PAs and Cabforwards. Geeps and Bullmooses. F units and Mikados. Its all good.