Edit post

Edit your reply below.

Post Body
Enter your post below.
Lupo - Neon has been around for decades - mostly little signs in shop windows outlining the shop's name or some slogan about the shop. Some larger rooftop signs existed, but not sure if they used neon, as the construction of those neon signs was relatively fragile and susceptible to damage from the weather and vandals. Some biilboard type signs were lit up with conventional incadescent bulbs like spot or flood lamps, but most were not. A lighted sign in front of a church or a large cross on top that was lit up wouldn't be out of place on certain denominations. Got to be politically correct here ! LOL As far as Jetrock's comment re: the lack of vehicles in very poor neighborhoods - I somewhat disagree - even in NYC where I grew up, and reasonably close to the PRR's Sunnyside Yards, and within spitting distance from the elevated IRT subway line, many folks had cars - mostly older ones - at least in the '50s before parking spaces and garages cost almost as much as rent. In cities that I have lived in, or near by - in north Jersey, Bridgeport/New Haven, Tampa, and Orlando, SanFrancisco/San Jose, Los Angeles/Orange County, Dallas/FortWorth, Raleigh/Durham. and where I'm at now - Atlanta - there were, and are vehicles in 'seedy' inner-city neighborhoods, for many of the cities I mentioned with the exception of NY had fairly lousy public transportation systems in the '50s and '60s. - the era that you're modeling. If anything, public transportation isn't much improved in most cities now. . . Granted - there was very few nice cars or trucks evident unless one were implying the sterotypical drug dealer's or pimp's ride, but if there was - let's use an example - a plumbing supplier in the neighborhood (why does the movie "Goodby Columbus" come to mind ?) the owner probably lived in a better part of town, and most likely didn't take a city bus to his business every day. He may have had a new Buick or a Cadillac, or a new GMC truck today. Also, many poorer folks don't always have their prioities sorted out, and a shiny car was a status symbol back then as it is now. There are many older small single family residences scattered throughout seedy parts of some towns - often right near the tracks, as that's where many communities began in order to have access to taking the train or to nearby places of employment - it's not uncommon at all to see cars in front of these homes, or parked in narrow driveways on narrower lots, sometimes instead with an access to a small garage from an alley behind the home, and in between the neighbors behind them. Lots of these still in LA, Dallas (they still build alleys behind homes in Dallas), and on Long Island, like my aunt's home was in Jamaica - not your 'garden spot' then or now. Next time you're watching a cops and robbers sitcom filmed in LA and they conduct the requisite weekly chase scene, watch for these alleys (as they always seem to end up racing down them, and shooting across intersections narrowly avoiding a collision, and inevidedibly, either the cop or the robber slams into something, jumps a fence, runs thru a backyard, and you know the rest of the story. . .) Those alleys are often littered with tdented up trash cans, cardboard cartons, abandoned cars, busted up fences, and beat up looking dogs. BILL
Tags (Optional)
Tags are keywords that get attached to your post. They are used to categorize your submission and make it easier to search for. To add tags to your post type a tag into the box below and click the "Add Tag" button.
Add Tag

Update Reply

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Model Railroader Newsletter See all

Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!

Subscriber & Member Login

Edit post

Post Body

Tags (Optional)

Subscriber & Member Login

Users Online

Search the Community