johngriffey18ca1I'm just trying to get an idea of if folks stick to their modeling era and road name(s)?
Yes, for the most part. I model a pennsy-themed layout set in the mid-1950's. Nearly all of the cars and locomotives I've purchased are appropriate for that theme and era. I've had to fudge a little on some of the steam power I've bought, but not terribly, and it works with the storyline of my layout anyway, so even those aren't too anachronistic. Over the years I've purchased a lot of "boxed lots" (mixed stuff) so have acquired cars from all eras, particularly more modern than my selected era. I have zealously weeded those out and do not run them on my layout. A few are marked for years newer than my era but research shows that they were produced appropriately for my era, so I have set those aside in case I ever get completely bored with nothing at all to do and want to attempt to back-date them... :-)
John
Most of my purchases in the last 10 years are within road, era, and locale. One of the advantages of the Ma&Pa in the early 50's is that I can run older steam, truss rod open platform passenger cars, truss rod boxcars with typical 50's rolling stock. And the interchange roads, PRR and B&O, can have more modern engines. But really, this is a hobby and I have no problem straying occasionally.
Enjoy
Paul
I model British Rail of the late 1970´s into early 1980´s - the late so-called Blue Diesel period. Setting is somewhere in the north of UK, i.e. Scotland, which limits my choice of traction and rolling stock, as well as the look of buildings and structures.
Although there are many "objects" of my desire outside that region and area, I strictly adhere to the chosen scheme - mainly for budgetary reasons. It also helps me to "style" my layout consequently.
I model the mid-1970s in HO scale and almost all my locos are early diesels (e.g. RS-3s, GP7s, S-2s, SW9s). Most of the stuff is CN and CP, but I have a little bit of BN, PC, C&NW, and some locos painted for my own short line. I won't buy any steam locos or modern diesels, so I don't have to worry about straying away from my 'era'.
OK, my railroad and era are the Southern Railway from 1975 to 1985. About 80% of my locomotives fit that decade. I have a few Sou steamers and a few other steam locomotives that I just like, mainly 2-8-4 Berkshires. Since I live in central Florida I have acquired a few SCL and CSX diesels. My favorite diesel is the SD45 so have a few non Sou SD45s.
As far as rolling stock goes I'd say about 40% is Southern and the rest is anything that fits the era, ie. no double stack well cars. Since I like to run my steamers at the club I'm a member of I have a small collection of steam era freight cars from all roads. I'm not big with passenger trains but I do own about 20 Sou passenger cars, at least that's how they are lettered.
selector Nope, I'm one of those grubby collectors who has engines from about five or six different roads, often on the layout at the same time. That includes a couple of SD-75M's along with my steamers; got one in the yard this minute next to steamers from the NYC, N&W, and the C&O. I run what I like when I like. If I were bent on modeling, it would be different. -Crandell
Nope, I'm one of those grubby collectors who has engines from about five or six different roads, often on the layout at the same time. That includes a couple of SD-75M's along with my steamers; got one in the yard this minute next to steamers from the NYC, N&W, and the C&O.
I run what I like when I like. If I were bent on modeling, it would be different.
-Crandell
Crandell can you hear that........its the sound of all the rivot counters wincing...
Now, before everyone gets upset, I have respect for someone who maintains his or her era. In fact, my collection is entirely from the 1930-1960 period, but I have a N&W Mountain steamer next to a Santa Fe F3ABA consist. I also have a few Mini Metals vehicles from the early 60's. I buy what is interesting to me and I run what I buy. I can't imagine how someone could see a loco that they really love and not buy it (assuming they can afford it) just because its not in there era?
Crandell:
Yah, but it always looks so darned COOL!
Tom
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!
John:
For me it's fairly easy. I model the era between 1939-1954 and my major railroad is the Rio Grande during the steam era--with Southern Pacific trackage rights, I'm a "Proto-lancer" not a "Proto-type" modeler. Which means I can have both Rio Grande and SP 'big steam' and first generation diesels (very few diesels, BTW), because that's what I grew up with.
Luckily, there are a lot of rolling stock models available for that particular era out there, and I can buy them without actually worrying about the fact that they just 'might' be a little 'too modern' for my freight or passenger car fleet.
If I happen to come across a 'foreign road' steam locomotive that I'd really like to have on my MR, I can always explain it away by saying that it's been 'leased' from the foreign road because of motive power shortages due to the traffic patterns on my railroad. So therefore, I can have locomotives from Missabe, Great Northern, Colorado and Southern and even as far 'back east' as the Chesapeake and Ohio. Historically, it happened a lot with Western railroads as the traffic patterns fluctuated between the Pacific and European Fronts during WWII, and the Pacific Front in the subsequent Korean conflict.
So I'm factually okay for the most part, there.
Now, would I have one of my Rio Grande or SP steamers hauling a train of double-stacks container cars? Heck no, double-stacks don't fit my 'scheme', besides I think double-stacks are BORRRRING!
Would I have one of my Rio Grande northerns hauling a streamline train with vista-domes? Yup. Rio Grande did that with their "Royal Gorge" for several years when they acquired second-hand domes from C&O's ill-fated "Chessie."
Would I acquire Rio Grande or SP 'Tunnel Motors' to handle a string of 1940 refrigerator cars? Nope. And I LIKE those Tunnel Motors a lot--they just don't fit into my 'scheme' of things.
So yes, I pretty much stick to my modeling era and for the most part, my road name(s). I don't think it's because I'm a stickler for 'prototype'--but because it's something I'm more comfortable with.
However, if it helps, I've got an 'old time' 1880 Rio Grande passenger train I run sometimes, complete with a cute little 2-8-0. But it's my 'movie train', understand. When I run it, I always set up a 'movie company' alongside the tracks, LOL!
I model the modern BNSF and I do stick with the era. However, I do have 3 UP auto racks, 1 CSX autorack, and 1 NS autorack. Of course I have some TTX cars, but about 90% of my fleet is BNSF.
Will
My era is 1989-1990 for the ATSF and I stick pretty closely to it. I may fudge once in a while and buy something that is a year or two out of my era either way just because I want it. Otherwise, I am the ATSF in Oklahoma in 1989-1990.
Bob
It takes a good deal of discipline, but, yes I stick to my era and road. DJ.
Let me put it this way. I have a hobby budget. When I spend outside my era, it takes that much longer to get the stuff I need.
Chip
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.
I'm just trying to get an idea of if folks stick to their modeling era and road name(s)? For example, I model the modern era and Union Pacific. However, I have purchased SP daylight and I'm getting all the SP daylight cars that are coming out from MTH. I also have a challenger engine with a coal tender vs the oil tender it has now and the SP daylight I mentioned eariler has whitewall wheels which are from the older days of railroading. Do you find yourself straying outside what you set up as your era and road? I try not to because cost is already high, but there are some neat items for purchase out in the market