Modeling Railroads of the 1950s Special MR editon

[Piedsou]

Picked my issue up at Borders. All of the local bookstores (Waldens, Borders, Barnes & Nobel) as well as the hobby shops have it.

My own observations:

For someone who was 3 to 13 in the 50's and models that era, I found the issue wanting.
I'd rate it a C-. The town photo on page 8-9 gave me more modelling ideas and info then the rest of the magazine put together. I wi***hey would have included more of these type of pics. There have been many great photos in Classic Trains taken in the 50's and it was these type of pictures I was looking forward to seeing but found lacking.

Why, when having specific articles on the Santa Fe and Southern Pacific, did they have to use pictures of SF and SP engines in their article on locomotives of the 1950's? Any other railroad would have been preferred. Too much Santa Fe. Again, no southeastern railroad was represented in the magazine, photos or otherwise.

Paul Dolkus' article "The billboard did it" was nice. However, it would have been nice if they had included some billboards in various scales that could have been cut out and used like they have done with various monthly issues in the past.

Bob Smaus is an excellent modeler, but the citrus grove article would probably have been better off in a monthly issue of MR instead of a special issue for the 50's. Way too specific.

Overall, just not enough specific info on bringing back and refreshing the memories of what the 50's really looked like.
Just my own opinion and hopefully constructive criticism; I'm sure many others will find the issue fascinating.

Dale Latham

[davekelly]

Just got it this weekend from Barnes and Noble and I HATE IT! It's given me way too many ideas to think about and my "to do" list is now twice as long!!

Seriously. I loved this issue. Even if some of the articles could have used "more meat" it did start the brain churning. I loved the article on placing the era through use of billboards, clothing etc. Although I guess I knew all that before reading it, reading it really gave me more of an appreciation on how to set the era.

I hope Kalmbach continues along this line. Perhaps a special issue on the 60's? A quarterly or bimonthly update in Model Railroader? Maybe something along the lines of the old "Railroad You Can Model" - every now and then an article pertaining to a specific time period. The possibilities are endless!

[Adelie]

I had mine before I got shipped from the east coast to Alaska, back and then to New Mexico and back. So, I had a lot of time to read it cover to cover. I model the fall of 1958.

I wish it was about three times its size, but I guess it should leave you wanting more! Great publication and I'm extremely glad MRR put it out and I ordered it.

[SilverSpike]

I have read up to page 30 and what an issue it is. The first few articles have very good information on prototype operations of the era including the transition from steam to diesel and the move from heavyweight passenger to lightweights. This issue has me wondering if there is a complete list of motive power with the years of operation for each unit and the railroad it was operated under. It would be interesting to see a matrix or spreadsheet of all the locomotive types, not just a roster list but with info on the period of operation as well. It would be helpful in running various time periods on the layout.

[tcf511]

I got mine. In one of the photos, the roadway clearly has yellow lines down the middle. I was under the impression that highway departments didn't start using yellow until the 60s and that I should only use white lines. Can anybody confirm one way or the other? Just curious.

[dinwitty]

got mine at the hobbyshop. I have back issues of trains/ Railroad/ RMC/MR and a few others dating into the 40's, so I have tons of info, but its not enough. Theres also railroad specific books.
Still not enough. Since I model specific areas I try to find something that works.
I will be modelingf parts of the South Shore, and the best thing I found was a cab run video from South Bend to Chicago shot around the 50's. I can snag images from it and use that.
The mag will touch you on the 50's and has info I havent seen, the Dearborn Station was good to have, that made me buy it.

I try to model an area close to exact but with selective freelancing to fit for the modeling area (That will happen a lot) I try to catch the flavor however, since I will model downtown chicago, theres no room for all that, so its a freelance interpretation.
It'll work for operating concepts.

If you want to continue 50's modeling, check ebay for old issues of Trains/Railroad/MR/RMC etc mags or other places selling old mags.

[Anonymous]

I purchased this copy at the Hobby Shop today.

I like it. I also got the "Industries Along The Tracks" as a sort of a filler.

[MudHen_462]

Got It !!! I think MR did a great job on this one.... they could run another one or two volumes as annuals, and not really scratch the surface of this era, however. This is definately a "library copy" for me....

Bob

[BRVRR]

Its on the shelf in the LHS here in northeast Ohio. I'm going to pick one up this weekend. Have a train show to go to first though.

[Anonymous]

Over all well worth the wait! Enjoy Elvis BB King and the 50's.
Will

[SilverSpike]

YEA!!! YEA!!! YEA!!!

After some waiting, I have just recieved my copy today!

Can you say time warp?

I'm gonna make a tall chocolate malted milk shake, put on some BB King and Elvis music and read my 1950's special MR edition.

[Anonymous]

Odd, I went to my LHS today and there were copies to the ceiling! I ended up buying just one though he wanted me to buy a dozen, seems the delivery guy was quiting his job, didn't want to drive all over the country.

Tons in Peoria!

Seriously, I just went to the LHS and got mine, I like the stories, the detailing section is very good.

[CNJ831]

Like nova and CBQ, I would have liked to have seen much more "how to" and "characteristics of the time" than was actually included. While helpful, the scope of the work seems more of a brief overview of the period and a call for you to do your own research than any sort of actual reference volume.

I believe it was Andy S. who wrote a detailed WWII era reference piece in MR a few years back which I found decidedly more helpful when it came to what railroading was all about in those particular years.

CNJ831

[novacoach]

I'm with CBQ guy here - I liked it but was left wanting more - I'd I have liked more "how" as well as "what" for example - the billboards - where did Paul Dolkos get the ones he used? I'm not meaning to be critical and there's much good stuff but I'm a little dissatisfied.

Chris

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Lotus098

How come you guys have already gotten it? According to this it shouldn't ship out until the 30th.
http://store.yahoo.net/kalmbachcatalog/model-railroading-model-railroader-magazine-special-issues.html

That's the retail ship date -- we all pre-ordered it at a special price. In my case, the pre-order offer came with my subscription renewal.

[selector]

Still...(cough)...waiting....

[Anonymous]

How come you guys have already gotten it? According to this it shouldn't ship out until the 30th.
http://store.yahoo.net/kalmbachcatalog/model-railroading-model-railroader-magazine-special-issues.html

[Fergmiester]

My wife picked it up and went through the pages, then commented "There's a lot of old pictures of the fifties in here" ! Then she read the front cover.

I picked it up two days ago and can say I will be reading this one for a while as it has a lot of pertinent stuff in it.

Well done guys!

Fergie

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by andrechapelon
BTW, my only real "criticism" is the Bob Smaus article on making orange trees. I'll reread to make sure I didn't miss anything, but I swear that Bob neglected to mention his source of HO scale "oranges". C'mon, Bob, is this one of those "if I told you, I'd have to kill you" pieces of information???[:D]

Woodland Scenics item # T47 - "Apples and Oranges". [:D]

[Anonymous]

I work for a Magazine Wholesaler, depending where you are look for it Friday or Monday at the soonest to be in Stores.

[andrechapelon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by MReditor

Thanks for all the kind words about the magazine.
To answer a few questions:
1) All the articles are new, including the Armstrong article,
2) while we might do a follow-up, the early 1900s aren't the most likely era (we did an article on modeling that era in January 2005, though),
3) If you don't have your issue by the middle of next week, please call Customer Service at 1-800-533-6644 and let them know.
Thanks for reading MR,
Terry

Got mine today. Superb issue. Favorite articles were the ones by Bob Smaus on the citrus biz, closely followed by Keith Jordan's on the AT&SF Surf Line. We moved to Southern CA from Denver in early 1952, and one of the most vivid memories I have is of driving down Foothill Blvd (US 66) between San Bernardino and Pasadena and seeing miles and miles of orange groves. I also seem to remember that the Pacific Electric had a line that went up the center divide on Euclid Ave which runs between Ontario and Upland. If memory serves, that line not only served the citrus industy, but also an Arrowhead Water bottling plant as I seem to recall a cut of tank cars marked for water service trailing an ALCO switcher. My Aunt Florence had a brown 1948 Pontiac that stalled at a railroad crossing in Pomona shortly after we move to California. Car was demolished by a UP freight. Fortunately, Aunt Flo bailed out in time. God, I'm getting old.

BTW, my only real "criticism" is the Bob Smaus article on making orange trees. I'll reread to make sure I didn't miss anything, but I swear that Bob neglected to mention his source of HO scale "oranges". C'mon, Bob, is this one of those "if I told you, I'd have to kill you" pieces of information???[:D]

Andre

[MRTerry]

Thanks for all the kind words about the magazine.
To answer a few questions:
1) All the articles are new, including the Armstrong article,
2) while we might do a follow-up, the early 1900s aren't the most likely era (we did an article on modeling that era in January 2005, though),
3) If you don't have your issue by the middle of next week, please call Customer Service at 1-800-533-6644 and let them know.
Thanks for reading MR,
Terry

[Anonymous]

Still haven't received my copy out here in San Diego.. Anyone else still waiting???
George

[Anonymous]

How about doing an issue on Modeling Railroads at the turn of the century (1900's). It's a period that isn't modeled quite as much, so that might impact Kalmbach's thinking in terms of potential sales, but it would be fascinating. If I was going to start all over and model a different era, it would (might? in the future?) be the 1900's. The urban railways of that time were incredibly interesting.

[Anonymous]

Everyone needs this its great. Lets hope it becomesa yearly!

[rrinker]

Question, which John Armstrong layout article is that? It sound similar to one in a 50's issue of MR I have.

--Randy

[davekelly]

Just looking at the table of contents, I am now kicking myself for not ordering it earlier. Will have to do it ASAP. Pryke, Smaus, Dolkos . . .. should make for a great read!

[egmurphy]

Since I forgot to order earlier, and since I don't have an LHS anywhere near by, I just ordered it online through the Model Railroader Store yesterday. I can wait for it to arrive.

http://store.yahoo.com/kalmbachcatalog/model-railroading-model-railroader-magazine-special-issues.html


Regards

Ed

[Anonymous]

TABLE OF CONTENTS
8 You have to know where to look
A half-century beyond the 1950s, modeling information is still out there/By Tony Koester

12 Locomotives of the 1950s
Diesels on the arrival track, steam on the departure/By Robert S. McGonigal

18 Add realistic weathering to your motive power
Modeling steam and diesel locomotives of the 1950s/By John Pryke

28 A perfect year
Changing operations on the Surf Line were the key to selecting a favorite year/By Keith Jordan

COVER STORY
34 Modeling Chicago's Dearborn Station
In the 1950s, Dearborn was where western railroading began/By Gary Hoover

42 Freight equipment and operations
Train makeup, paint schemes, operation: the '50s are ideal for modeling/By Robert S. McGonigal

46 Moving citrus to market
Produce stays fresh in ice refrigerator cars/By Bob Smaus

52 Quick and easy citrus groves
Signature scenery for Southern California circa 1950/By Bob Smaus

56 The billboard did it!
Subtle (and not so subtle) clues to suggest it's the 1950s on your layout/By Paul J. Dolkos

62 Build a YMCA residence
Two HO scale DPM kits form a brickbuilding that's right for the times/By Richard Ivins

66 Kicking the tires
From pickups to semi-trailers, a look at some common trucks of the 1950s/By Lou Sassi

70 The 1950s railroad scene
More people, more structures, more details along the right-of-way/By Robert S. McGonigal

76 Modeling the right-of-way
The steam to diesel transition makes for a diversity of trackside detials/By Bill Darnaby

80 Moving Appalachian coal in O scale
This plan captures the essence of modeling two 1950s Eastern railroads/By John Armstrong

90 It's all about the memories
Youthful railroad-related experiences were...in the vernacular, swell/By *** Christianson

[Markgro]

Could someone please give a full rundown of the table of contents?