Favorite time era

[Anonymous]

What is your favorite time era to model and why??

[skerber]

I am for 2000's because I see today in action what I am modeling. I am under 30, so rail action before my adulthood doesn't appeal to me as much because I never l experienced it.

[Eriediamond]

I voted for the 1940's, but I'd also include th 50's as well. Reasons, I think because those were the best years of my life as far as trains are concerned. Steam, and I mean BIG steam ruled the rails then and the noise and smoke and those side rods made my heart throb as they shook the ground when passing. Also as a farm boy back then, the only worries were getting passing grades in school. I'm modeling that era just for the shear joy of it as it brings back those memories. Sorry, didn't mean to get mushy here, Ken

[orsonroy]

1940-1950. Lots of steam, little or no diesels, the most varied amount of freight equipment, and lots of traffic.

[Anonymous]

I like the transition era (40's to 50's) because I can run both steam and early diesel units. I am planning to build my layout for that era, although there may be more modern trains running through my "old" town at times. I also liked the variety of passenger trains during that time with all the various lines running both lightweight and heavyweight passenger cars. Since the different lines were competing for ridership on their passenger trains, they were more colorful than what we would have seen before and what we have seen since.

[twhite]

1940's. I'd also include the early '50's. That's back when the railroads were called upon to do a tremenduous job of hauling essential freight from coast to coast. And big steamers--and little ones pulled off of the retirement line to assist. It was quite a parade back then, you had no idea WHAT you were going to see either hauling or assisting a train. Railroads were scrambling to find power everywhere--even 'borrowing' from each other's rosters. It wasn't uncommon to see a long line of freight headed by the road's latest big steam power with maybe a little 4-6-2 or even a 4-4-2 doing yeoman service as a pusher, or mid-train helper. Where I grew up, near Donner Pass, you could see a 2-8-0 ahead of a cab-forward 4-8-8-2, with a couple of cab-forwards or a 'Deck' (2-10-2) cut in the middle of the train and ahead of the caboose as they attacked the "Hill" (Sierra Nevada mountains). It was quite a show--trains every fifteen minutes or so. That's why I'm attracted to that era, it was BUSY!
Tom[:P][:P][:P]

[willy6]

I voted 1950, however I'm building a modern era layout.I started building my layout before I joined this forum. Members of this forum have convinced me the steam transition era is the way to go, being i have commited alot of money and time in my current layout , i'll stick with it.

[Anonymous]

It seems like alot of modelers like to model what was prevelent in thier youth.
For me,I go back just a bit further and model the fifties rather than the sixties when i was a kid(even though the DM&IR still had Big steam operating,it was pretty much relegated to ore steaming operations within the yard with a very rare extra on the mainline.
I also like very old time teens and twenties potential and am considering a Shortline logging RR for this era down the road.
There is alot to be said for Bigtime Modern Railraoding for sure with those big Diesels MU'd and Entire trains dedicated to just one commodity.
Whatever you model matters not to me.
Give me a throttle and show me east and west [:)]

[mersenne6]

Odd, I was under the impression trains were rolling in the U.S. prior to 1900. [:)] Oh well, I guess those of us interested in <1900 just get lumped into the "other" column. I prefer the 1870-1890 period.

As to why - very colorful engines and cars, a lot of very interesting design changes. From the standpoint of O scale - easy to keep prototypical - short trains, small cars and engines, tight radius curves. The downside - you have to scratchbuild almost everything.

[AntonioFP45]

Basically 1964-71.

Fun time to be a kid growing up in New York. I dream of Jeannie, Star Trek, F-Troop, Julia, and Gilligan Island were among the hit shows that were fun to watch. Muscle cars were everywhere! Got to see plenty of action as the northeast corridor tracks were across the street from my home! I remember those New Haven E33 hauling freights. Passenger trains zipped by at speed.

10-4!

[howmus]

I model the USRA post WW1 era. Why? I like steam power and antiques I guess. I like the smaller steam power and the smaller trains that were more typical of that time period as well as the industries that have long since disapeared (such as the ice-harvesting industry). My largest loco is a 2-6-6-2 (spectrum) and it really looks to large for the layout I have (Love it though - great runner and beautiful model). Also it is so much fun trying to find anything prototypical for that era in RTR. Most of the frieght cars that are USRA are shown as rebuilt in the 30's or 40's. LOL It forces me to do some scratch buiding and kit bashing of models to keep the era prototypical. Have fun with the trains! Chugga, chugga, Fwoooot, chugga, chugga.

[Anonymous]

Even though I was born in 1990, I love the 1940s-50s era. BIG steam, classic diesels, and streamliners![:D]

[Anonymous]

Guess I was the first to vote for the 80's. Reasons: They are some what the trains of my youth, actually the 70's were too but I like the more muscular look of the 80's diesels, I can still use steam as a museum piece or as a site seeing excursion. I also feel like I have some flexability : take off some of the later loco's and buildings still fit in. We still have buildings from the late 40's and up at least here in Oregon. Plus I grew up next to SP's Taylor Yard and remember the economic and transportation power house it was during those years.

Chris

[nfmisso]

1952; the year EMD sent the hot rodded F7 ABBA set number 459 to demonstrate on the N&W, and N&W started using A-tanks.

459 had engines running at 1750hp (F9/GP9/SD9) rather than 1500hp like they were supposed to be. The N&W dynamometer crew caught this. Even with the extra 1000hp, the 459 barely out performed the Y6b in the mountains, and still could not keep up with the A in the flat lands. When the N&W did convert to diesels, they found it took five EMD GP9 (1750hp) to match the performance of one of thier steam locomotives.

[grayfox1119]

I voted 1940's 1950's same reasons as Tom, I can't add much to what Tom has stated so well.

[IRONROOSTER]

Early 50's during the transition era. Although the 1900's would also be attractive.
Enjoy
Paul

[simon1966]

I am modelling based around 1960. I can get some steam, some great looking passenger trains and I can keep my layout clear of the nasty green that BN came up with after the merger of my favorite RR. I am particulary fond of the Q Blackbird scheme, so tend to concentrate on that. But I am really not all that strict about things. Every now and then the stremlined Mallard Steamer puffs thru Illinois coal country!!

[Anonymous]

I voted 1990 but I really model 1980-present.

[Anonymous]

I model the late 1950's because I love the big steam power that was still around and the classy 1st generation diesels and streamliners. Especially EMD E's & F's and Alco PA's.

[George]

I voted 1960 but have no problem with 1950's or 70's. The 1980's start to distress me but only when I think of carnrey(sp) yellow MOP units.

George Simmons

[Jetrock]

I figure 10 years in either direction of one's choice is a good spread. I voted 1950, really 1940-1960. Transition-era is popular, typically because both steam and diesel were around, but it was also "transition era" for overhead electric lines to diesel too, and the "swan song" for many trolley and interurban systems.

I like it because of the feel of the period, architecturally and aesthetically--I'm big on building buildings. I prefer structures that originated before the postwar building boom. I also prefer small diesels to large ones, and the Forties and Fifties were when a wonderful array of small diesel equipment--GE 44 and 70 tonners, SW's and S's, scuttled around yards and branchlines, and ran mainline work on formerly-electric interurbans where full-sized diesels were too heavy and expensive. And, yeah, there was some steam then, too.

And then there's the fabulous Southern Pacific "BlacK Widow" paint scheme! Rowr!

It wasn't the era of my childhood (I was born in 1969) but I like it better--my childhood was the low point of the railroads, and I'd rather model a higher water mark.

[Anonymous]

Early steam -- 1905 and earlier.

Its cute. The equipment is all short (and lower), and trains are short -- so you can fit more in a tighter space -- tighter curves, steeper grades, lower height needed for crossovers, less distance needed between scenes.

If I went any more modern it would probably be 1930s because it would be great modelling the urban scene.

[douginut]

I voted OTHER. love many eras.

Doug, in Utah