A Period Poll
- Thread starter CharlesH.
- Start date
I will be modeling the late 30's, if and when I start my layout. I pushed it up so I could use small critters with my steam. Back when I modeled HOn2-1/2 I had a lot of problems keeping the kit bashed N scale steam engines running. I am talking early 70s. So with my new On30 layout I'll push the time up to be late 30s early 40s even though none of the Maine 2 footers had diesels. Mine will have some early ones. I like the way B'mann's On30 engines work. They are real smooth running.
Wimpy
Wiscasset & Carrabassett Ry.
The biggest, littlest railroad, down east
Wimpy
Wiscasset & Carrabassett Ry.
The biggest, littlest railroad, down east
I'll have to figure out where, in Wiscasset, we can interchange your Wiscasset & Carrabassett, and my Wiscasset Bucksport & Schoodic Point.
The 30"gauge WB&SP currently has a 2-8-2, two Shays, a Climax, a Porter 0-4-0, and a contract with Sag Harbor Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. to build a 30' gauge outside frame 2-6-6-2.
I know it isn't prototype, but i'm thinking a branch from Newcastle/Damariscotta, down through Bristol to South Bristol, to the Harvey Gamage yard. to deliver shipbuilding supplies, and another down from Waldoboro to Friendship, as a tourist line.
Pete
I'm modeling my own era being born in 1940, I love steam but can
enjoy both worlds seeing steam go out with trollys and electric and
diesels trains come along.
Ron
enjoy both worlds seeing steam go out with trollys and electric and
diesels trains come along.
Ron
Thoroughbreed said:
If you have a large layout, you can use your steam & heavyweights in a tourist railroad. The steam train can run over the mainline like U.P.'s steam engines, the ex-Santa Fe 3751, or the S.P. Daylight out of Portland, Oregon. There have even been a few situations where they did a historic steam gathering in a modern setting.
I also plan on building an 80's era layout once I finally get re-established in a place where I can do that. Might be another year or two but I have been collecting rolling stock to allow me to run 80's era Rio Grande freights. I haven't been able to resist a few 60's items so I might trade era's for fun. The Athearn Genesis single striped F units are very nice... but mainly its going to be Rio Grande Zephyr or Amtrak CZ for passenger trains and including late 80's intermodal well traffic.
For 80's we still need some late 70's early 80's era auto racks and 89' flat cars (the latter coming soon from Walthers and Atlas)!
For 80's we still need some late 70's early 80's era auto racks and 89' flat cars (the latter coming soon from Walthers and Atlas)!
Modern (2000+) but I went for the last one. That way I can add more modern locos and not be in trouble with modelers more realistic than me (I run an F3A in 2000, not really realistic now, eh?)
epoch 3 : 1945 to 1965 because I was born in 1948 , because it is possible to mix steam and diesel and ... because there was no grafiti on the rolling stock
Biased turkey said:
The second reason for modeling the steam to diesel transition era - having both steam and diesel has been a compelling reason for modeling that time period. For most railroads, you would really have to stick with 1940-1955 because prior to 1940, there were few diesels in action and after 1955, the vast majority of steam engines were gone from US rails.
From memory, the FT was instroduced around 1939/40 and it is true that there were some E units and switchers going in the late 1930's. But generally diesels started showing up in numbers in the early 1940's and were becoming well established as road power by the mid to late 1940's. Few railroads had any steam going after 1955 - some narrow gauge and a handful of standard guage (N&W and Nickel Plate?). I know Rio Grande's std gauge steam finished out in 1955 and after that it was gone.
I have an old friend in Indiana who is modeling the Rio Grande in 1953 so he can run steam next to diesel and represent alot of interesting operations. In 53 there were quite a few steam engines still serving along side diesels although most were in helper service (mid train and back of train) by that time.
My main layout focus is British, so my buildings and layout generally reflect the 1950s (which is what I voted for). Occasionally, I'll run locos from the 1920s-1940s, and the layout is still appropriate.
I also occasionally run North American locos, mostly from the 1950s again. (But they have to travel through a very British-looking envrionment!)
Rob
I also occasionally run North American locos, mostly from the 1950s again. (But they have to travel through a very British-looking envrionment!)
Rob