Steam & diesel lovers. Age correlation?

[KenK]

I'll be 40 next month. I like Steam locos, prop fighter planes, and front-engined Indy Cars, even though they're all before my time.

[tatans]

Over 50:: Diesels stink and make noise and look like tin macaroni boxes, see, there is a correlation. We are right and you young whippersnappers are all wrong. Isn't that the way things are??? I wonder what the younger vote will be in 30 years from now, comparing SOMETHING to old fashioned diesels ??

[Anonymous]

Im 25 I love newer engines, but there is always something catchy about steam to me!

[AggroJones]

QUOTE: Originally posted by BoRockhard

I'm 20 and absolutely LOVE steam. Especially the articulateds. Although I grew up with C44-9Ws, SD40-2s, SD-60s, and GP38-2s, I would much rather own a SP AC-11, NP Z-6, DMIR M-3, and B&O EM-1.

I'd also rather own a steam locomoitve.
Even though you can buy 2 or 3 modern high-end plastic diesels for the cost of one HO articulated, I'll still hold out for the articulated!

[darth9x9]

I am quite impressed with a real steam engine. When I am near the Western Maryland Scenic Railways engine, I can feel it breathing and being "alive" if you will. But the old adage that you model what you grew up with applies to me.

[hd8091]

Whan I was a kid my friends andI would watch the Rayonier log trains come down from railroad camp. Ever since then I've always been partial to steam. I've still got the pennies they flattened.
tom

[Anonymous]

I am 55 and so missed steam in its glory days. [V] I remember seeing ACL F3's (I think) behind my granfathers farm in south Georgia when I was a child. However, my preference is for steam simply because I like to see all the 'monkee motion' involved.
This does not mean I don't like diesels, but the diesels I have tend to run more toward the unusual (F-M's, Baldwins, etc.) Everybody seems to have GP's and F's, so I have none. (die hard contrarian)

Cliff

[Anonymous]

I am 55 and so missed steam in its glory days. [V] I remember seeing ACL F3's (I think) behind my granfathers farm in south Georgia when I was a child. However, my preference is for steam simply because I like to see all the 'monkee motion' involved.
This does not mean I don't like diesels, but the diesels I have tend to run more toward the unusual (F-M's, Baldwins, etc.) Everybody seems to have GP's and F's, so I have none. (die hard contrarian)

Cliff

[orsonroy]

QUOTE: Originally posted by j1love

I would assume (dangerous I know) that age does play a big part in what one models. I am 38 and like others in this forum, I break that mold. The only steam engine I have seen is in the Franklin Institute here in Philly, however, I LOVE STEAM!! I will model the late 40s to the late 50s when I get enough room, but in the meantime, I thoughorly enjoy researching and collecting Pennsy steam and first generation diesels. (sometimes I feel like BLI and Bowser should send me a check instead of the other way round :-) IMHO, a steam engine is the closest a man will ever come to producing life on his own.

Jim,

You live in Philly and you have only seen ONE steam engine? For shame! You're less that a two hour drive (in good traffic) away from DC and the Smithsonian, Strasburg and TWO railroads (Strasburg and the RR Museum of PA), and East Broad Top (OK, that might actually be three hours...)

Take the family and wander north to Strasburg next month. There's something for everyone in that town, and you'll be able to hang around what's arguably the prettiest steam railroad in the USA.

Go now!!! The Power of Steam Compels You!!!

[rexhea]

I am 59 and although I like the diesels, I favor the steam. I suppose a lot has to do with the awe that I had as a boy with the huffing and puffing and the turning of all the drive mechanisms---the power of it all. Yes, I remember them from as far back as the late 40's to about 58 or 59 when IC changed out their steamer for a diesel [:(] in Providence, Kentucky.

Fantastic memory!

What do you have with a diesel? Noise and fancy lights. (Just Kidding![:-^] )

[j1love]

I would assume (dangerous I know) that age does play a big part in what one models. I am 38 and like others in this forum, I break that mold. The only steam engine I have seen is in the Franklin Institute here in Philly, however, I LOVE STEAM!! I will model the late 40s to the late 50s when I get enough room, but in the meantime, I thoughorly enjoy researching and collecting Pennsy steam and first generation diesels. (sometimes I feel like BLI and Bowser should send me a check instead of the other way round :-) IMHO, a steam engine is the closest a man will ever come to producing life on his own.

[twhite]

I grew up with steam--I was in high school when SP ran the last of their cab-forwards over Donner Summit. I miss it, the clank, the hiss, the chatter of the cross-compound pumps, the four cylinders going in and out of sync. With steam, since so much of the mechanism was external, you really got a feeling of MOVEMENT! Something I'm sorry to say I've never gotten with a diesel, even though I admire some diesels, especially the old Alco PA's and the later EMD Tunnel Motors. But I find that as I get older and chase trains, that it's the TRAIN I'm interested in, not so much as what's pulling it. However, since I model exclusively steam, I suppose you could say that I'm attempting to relive my youth in the Sierra Nevada. Hey, nothing wrong with that, it's keeping me 64 years young, right?

[Anonymous]

The fact that someone said earlier" Steam is alive" which in MHO is true! I'm 34 and love steam have no intrest in modeling deisel, and when you get down to it I prefer the smaller narrow gauge short lines that were short lived but served the purpose of reaching destinations the major railroads couldn't touch due to cost but were important for tying the little man to the rest of the world. Give me a 260 or a K27 anyday over a big boy or Hudson.

[Anonymous]

My Grandpa influenced me for steam his Father was aboiler maker for the L& N railroad. I used to like diesels when I was younger but I thinhk it was just due to price. Now I am totally steam driven I really can't see any beauty for a diesel.
Gotta have steam

[Anonymous]

I'm in my 50's and never saw the steam engines in service but they are DEFINITELY my first choice!!!!!! There's nothing like those old locomotives belching smoke and the sound of those steam engines!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

I'm 20 and absolutely LOVE steam. Especially the articulateds. Although I grew up with C44-9Ws, SD40-2s, SD-60s, and GP38-2s, I would much rather own a SP AC-11, NP Z-6, DMIR M-3, and B&O EM-1.

[Anonymous]

I think there are many factors that go into what era your modeling. Age is definitly one.
I model what I see around where I live. Which includes Diesels and no steam. Another factor apart from motive power is also the scenery and car types. I prefer the sleek longer cars more than short wood cars. Lasty i think price and space is another factor. If your layout tcan only handle shorter radius curves and you want to run a good length consist a diesel is the best bet. Most of the young kids getting into the hobby can't afford a decent steam engine but could afford a decent looking athearn blue box diesel. there is a correlation but there are other factors.
Neither steam nor diesel is right for everyone and some may not be impressed but a steam passing by but are amazed when a string of 5 diesel comes roaring through. Like art, a painting to someone may be just splashes of paint on a canvas but to another signifies something totally different. There's really no use argueing over what is better.

[MudHen_462]

I am 65, and I guess the period that "imprinted" me most was the transition era, of when steam was in it's last years amd diesel was the new kid on the block.... I guess that is why my locomotives are "Mikes", steam switchers, E-7A and NW-2 diesel engines. Even though, years later, I worked for the NYC, and later the Penn Central and that was totally diesel years... that steam/diesel period just means "railroad" to me.
IronGoat

[Anonymous]

I like the big, powerful late steam era engines, like Hudsons, Northerns, Colorados(name for a Texas type on the CB&Q), and any other steamer seen between 1920-1958. But I also like EMD E and F units and Alco Pa's and Fa's, Luckily, you could see any one of the afore-mentioned locomotives on any line in the time I model (1945-1950), although on heavy main lines, F units were pretty much the rule, so I model a single track mainline.

[EL PARRo]

I'm almost 18, and I love both old steam and current diesel, although I probably like steam slightly more than I like diesel. That's probably because I think that watching a steam engine operate is more fun than watching a diesel because there are more moving parts, especially on articulated steam locomotives.

[Anonymous]

Chipmonk010, YOU RULE!!!!

[pmsteamman]

Being 28 I grew up with diesels but it took riding behind 2101 (how many remember that loco) and I was hooked. Now I model in HO and live steam. I saw sombody say that they are not alive, which is true, but a steam loco is the only piece of machinery I know that if you dont treat it well it can make you look like a hero or a zero.

[Anonymous]

Hey Argo. You and meshare the same pasion. I am 30 but for 12 years I love the steam to diesel era, mostly the 1950s. U go dude!

[Anonymous]

I'm 12 and I will say that I like diesiel more than steam. I like diesiels from the 50's 60's and 70's best. the trains in the 70's look so dirty, I think they would be good modeling projects and I think they look good to a certain extent. I will be modeling the late 50's and diesiels will dominate although I will have some steam. I will also have some 60's and 70's era diesies and some modern KCS and Oklahoma shortline diesils. Just my opinion.

[Anonymous]

In somebody's signature I saw "If it has flanged wheels, I like it".....I agree........TOTALLY!!!!![:D]

[Anonymous]

I am 33 and love steam I have seen the 3985 twice rode once. Saw the 844 once never rode. I have a hndful of diesels due to pricing but they are equaling out it seems or they are just raising the price of the really good diesels.
I am modelling 40-50's steam era diesels really are boring steam is like a huge animal it has feelings

[Anonymous]

If you think that steam engines are mostly black (which still looks good), check out this link.

http://www.steamlocomotive.com/colored/

[Anonymous]

Steam is not alive? Well technically that may be so, but if you want to understand how it can seem alive I recommend that you watch the 1965 Burt Lancaster movie, The Train. This movie stars Burt Lancaster as a French locomotive engineer during WWII and a whole fleet of SNCF steamers. Toward the end of the movie there is a scene where an old Ten Wheeler is gingerly pushing a flatcar loaded with civilian hostages, sort of as a human shield, when the track is blown up and the flatcar and engine run off the track onto the ties. In retaliation the *** machinegun the whole group of hostages and leave. Burt Lancaster approaches the derailed engine which is sitting quietly hissing as air is leaking somewhere. The air compressor keeps kickin in and out in a soft rythm like a heartbeat. There is no music, no sound but the silent screaming of the dead hostages and the beat of the compressor, sssss-thump...thump, sssss- thump...thump like the beating of the heart of a wounded beast that can no longer fight and quietly awaits the predators to bring on its fate. That may not be life, but it sure is a good imitation of it.


It is always January 21, 1943, my date of birth, on The Mountain Route. I am 61 years old. I was a rail nut even as a child. And I was always fascinated by steam engines and I saw a bunch of them. I only wish I had been more mature so I could have more clearly understood what I was seeing. I had some experience with steam in Europe and Mexico in my later teens and really revelled in it.

Big boy, you're just a young pup next to ol' Odd-d, but I'll be glad to take you under my wing and teach you about steam. After all, I've seen as many diesels as you have, but I've also seen the steam. There is no comparison. There is more to the steam era than engines. In those days railroading was a way of life, now speaking as an exrailroader I can say it is just a job and the only thing that matters is the bottom line. There is no flair, no service.......no life, at least not like there was. Odd-d

[AggroJones]

That would be "red and orange"!

[Anonymous]

ShawnCN,

If you think all steam is black, take a gander at SP 4449!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Orange and yellow!!!!!!!