What era draws your attention the most?

What era catches your attention when other people model it?

  • early-mid 19th century

    Votes: 1 0.8%
  • late 19th century

    Votes: 9 7.2%
  • early 20th century...pre-USRA

    Votes: 6 4.8%
  • WW1-WW2

    Votes: 30 24.0%
  • transition Era

    Votes: 37 29.6%
  • later 20th century

    Votes: 16 12.8%
  • modern

    Votes: 26 20.8%

  • Total voters
    125
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leon

New Member
HO and N. I m trying to get something started in the attic but at the present time I am mostly in the repair mode with a lot of armchairing.
 

Mountain Man

Active Member
I'm in the preliminary stages of planning and experimenting with construction methods. I know what you mean about "armchairing"! :wave:
 
Modern for me - today, in fact. I think it's because most of my railfanning has been recent and I love to model what's local. My son says it's the same for him.
 

nkp174

Active Member
There certainly are interesting variations in construction over the years. The area I model didn't really look all that different in 1930 as in 1880...aside from the cars and hats. The biggest change was the appearance of the trains.

There certainly was quite a bit of cool architecture created in the late 19th century.

Here is a picture of the Lace House in Black Hawk, CO from hauntedcolorado.net
Lace_House_11111-595x446.png

The same now as in the 19th century. Unfortunately (for everyone not living in the area), Gilpin County legalized gambling and after 100+ years of Central City & Black Hawk being unchanged (and gorgeous), the Casinos arrived and permanently ruined the architecture (but greatly helped the sagging economy).

It's nice to see turn of the century modeling to now be possible in N scale...with the newer offerings such as Atlas's 2-6-0. I wouldn't want to build an empire around Bachmann's old line.

Rusty Spike, that is perfectly logical. There is something to be said for modeling your local (after all, most people do!)
 

Mountain Man

Active Member
There certainly are interesting variations in construction over the years. The area I model didn't really look all that different in 1930 as in 1880...aside from the cars and hats. The biggest change was the appearance of the trains.

There certainly was quite a bit of cool architecture created in the late 19th century.

Here is a picture of the Lace House in Black Hawk, CO from hauntedcolorado.net
Lace_House_11111-595x446.png

The same now as in the 19th century. Unfortunately (for everyone not living in the area), Gilpin County legalized gambling and after 100+ years of Central City & Black Hawk being unchanged (and gorgeous), the Casinos arrived and permanently ruined the architecture (but greatly helped the sagging economy).

It's nice to see turn of the century modeling to now be possible in N scale...with the newer offerings such as Atlas's 2-6-0. I wouldn't want to build an empire around Bachmann's old line.

Rusty Spike, that is perfectly logical. There is something to be said for modeling your local (after all, most people do!)

Unfortunately, a lot of folks including model railroading magazine editors profess to be tired of the Colorado Rockies. :rolleyes:
 

nkp174

Active Member
Unfortunately, a lot of folks including model railroading magazine editors profess to be tired of the Colorado Rockies. :rolleyes:

Well, I'm tired of the D&RGW :mrgreen: After all, 90%+ of the stuff they cover is either Rio Grande or Freelance with all Rio Grande power and mostly Rio Grande rolling stock circa 1950. That is quite trite. Especially the "freelance" stuff which really blends together for me. I'd like to see some genuine frelance that isn't just a D&RGW layout with Rio Gordon & Franklin RR (or whatever) on the tenders. I like how some of the guys one here really customize their otherwise specific locomotives into truly unique power. I guess that is one of the beauties of the 1970s...it's far easier to sell me on a believable freelance railroad.

As for Colorado being trite: Where are the F&CC layouts? Where are the early D&RG layouts? Maybe if the covered the Montana Southern for a change, instead of the D&RGW, they wouldn't be so board. (for the record, I do always enjoy D&RGW stuff...I'd just like to see more variety).

I'd love to see a city layout based around 1900 with the awesome architecture of the era. I'd also like to see more costal railroads...any time period.
 

Mountain Man

Active Member
I agree with you. I never get tired of the majesty of the Rockies, nor the inventiveness and drive of the early mountain railroad pioneers.

I was initially going to model the Phantom Canyon and the F&CC, but all the negative comments about the Rockies changed my mind - I decided to go with something truly unique instead.

Of course, the same argument works for me, as well - I am tired of switching yards, coal railroads eastern freight lines and those endlessly-the-same diesel consists. Seen one, seen 'em all. :rolleyes:
 

Fluesheet

Member

Good grief, can you imagine having to scrape and paint that gingerbread? THAT would be somewhat time consuming!

I'd like to see some genuine frelance that isn't just a D&RGW layout with Rio Gordon & Franklin RR (or whatever) on the tenders.

During my K-36 courting period, my free-lancish concept was to assume that the narrow gauge Springfield, Jackson and Pomeroy (later DT&I) remained narrow gauge into the 20th century, with a focus on the difficult climb over Summit Hill between Bainbridge and Waverly, OH.

I figured that the K27/28/36's were more or less catalog items from Baldwin / Alco, with my heavy Eastern narrow gauge road purchasing the same basic locomotive as the D&RGW. I'd have to man up and re-detail brass engines though.

Now I got myself thinking about it again (and afterall, the trainset is still in the design phase)...:p

I was initially going to model the Phantom Canyon and the F&CC, but all the negative comments about the Rockies changed my mind - I decided to go with something truly unique instead.

Of course, the same argument works for me, as well - I am tired of switching yards, coal railroads eastern freight lines and those endlessly-the-same diesel consists. Seen one, seen 'em all. :rolleyes:

I'd agree that there is a lot of cloning going on - but the advantage that the Appalacians and Rockies offer model railroads is sinuous track routing - much easier to "sell" in a limited space. The one thing I love about modular model railroads is the room they offer for a steam locomotive to stretch it's legs.

Matt
 

Mountain Man

Active Member
Good grief, can you imagine having to scrape and paint that gingerbread? THAT would be somewhat time consuming!



During my K-36 courting period, my free-lancish concept was to assume that the narrow gauge Springfield, Jackson and Pomeroy (later DT&I) remained narrow gauge into the 20th century, with a focus on the difficult climb over Summit Hill between Bainbridge and Waverly, OH.

I figured that the K's were more or less catalog items from Baldwin / Alco, with my heavy Eastern narrow gauge road purchasing the same basic locomotive (I'd have to man up and re-detail brass engines though).

Now I got myself thinking about it again (and afterall, the trainset is still in the design phase)...:p



I'd agree that there is a lot of cloning going on - but the advantage that the Appalacians and Rockies offer model railroads is sinuous track routing - much easier to "sell" in a limited space. The one thing I love about modular model railroads is the room they offer for a steam locomotive to stretch it's legs.

Matt

Yep - I agree. I'm not much for huge consists thundering down endless straights anyway.
 

nkp174

Active Member
Good grief, can you imagine having to scrape and paint that gingerbread? THAT would be somewhat time consuming!

Amen!

I figured that the K27/28/36's were more or less catalog items from Baldwin / Alco, with my heavy Eastern narrow gauge road purchasing the same basic locomotive as the D&RGW. I'd have to man up and re-detail brass engines though.

Yep. The Baldwin 2-8-2s were unique. No one other than the D&RGW ever had a K-36. Second hand K-27s ended up in Alaska (due to WW2, I think...I know K-28s did) and on the RGS. The K-27s started off as funky Vuclain compounds with sloped back tenders :eek: Odd ducklings. EBT #12 was 10x prettier when new than the mudhens.

The Alco 2-8-2s, the K-28s, were not unique. The Oahu Railway and Land Co had 4 of them. The C&S also considered getting some. The other 3' gauge 2-8-2s I can recall were all inside frame. So they'd have been the best bet...especially since several were available after WW2.

Re-detailing things really eliminates what I don't care for...because then they take on the character of their new owners just as every F&CC 2-8-0 an 4-6-0 took on the character of their new owners.

btw, mountain man, I'd probably model F&CC if I couldn't model the South Park or the Colorado Central. I intend to add the Portland, a few VGM gondolas, a few boxcars, caboose #3 and a couple passenger cars to my fleet. A Bachmann forney would make a nice staring point for Golden Circle #51 :twisted:
 

Relic

Member
Ok, now I have the urge to expand on my original,simplistic answer.I don't "play with" my trains much,for me it's the modeling,making scenes that are as real looking as I can make them with the limited resourses available to me{see "poverty is....."}I run the trains once in a while to keep up on maintainance but that's about it,meby when the scenery is done.
I'm old enough to remember steam,spent a lot of time playing arount the station/freight shed,putting pennies on the track,climbing on cars in the siding,stuff like that.And my father worked on he section here till the mid sixties.
I guess I've chosen the era I did as much for the autos and buildings of that time as for the actual railway part.
Popularity has nothing to do with anything,I'm having the devils own time finding autos from the early '60s,I have one '61 Chev.Guess all my lpp will have to hang on to their '50s iron{few folks here had new cars anyway}
Any questions?
 

MasonJar

It's not rocket surgery
I guess I've chosen the era I did as much for the autos and buildings of that time as for the actual railway part.

I'll second that since we are moving into our own reasons for modelling the era we do... Not actually having experienced them, it nevertheless seems to me that the 1920s and 30s were transformative years. For me, the interesting points are:
  • the beginning of the change from a rural to urban population
  • transition from manual labour (horses and men) to machines ("modern" steam shovels, trucks, tractors)
  • people's worlds expanding from regional to national/international through better roads, public transit, air and sea travel
  • the rise of modern institutions (at all levels) that we can recognize today, from stores to international organizations ("Hollywood" is a 1920s "phenom", beginnings of United Nations-like organizations, Canadian Tire was founded in 1922 ;))
  • the influence and rise of technology (aviation, automobiles, telephones, electricity, radio, beginnings of TV and colour photography, etc, etc)

The fact that the art deco/streamlining scheme is available in the world of locomotives is the icing on the cake! ;) :D


Andrew
 

Mountain Man

Active Member
I'll second that since we are moving into our own reasons for modelling the era we do... Not actually having experienced them, it nevertheless seems to me that the 1920s and 30s were transformative years. For me, the interesting points are:
  • the beginning of the change from a rural to urban population
  • transition from manual labour (horses and men) to machines ("modern" steam shovels, trucks, tractors)
  • people's worlds expanding from regional to national/international through better roads, public transit, air and sea travel
  • the rise of modern institutions (at all levels) that we can recognize today, from stores to international organizations ("Hollywood" is a 1920s "phenom", beginnings of United Nations-like organizations, Canadian Tire was founded in 1922 ;))
  • the influence and rise of technology (aviation, automobiles, telephones, electricity, radio, beginnings of TV and colour photography, etc, etc)

The fact that the art deco/streamlining scheme is available in the world of locomotives is the icing on the cake! ;) :D


Andrew

Beginnings of TV? :confused: Try the 40's for that one. Meanwhile, don't forget The Great Depression of the 30's.
 

nkp174

Active Member
Beginnings of TV? :confused: Try the 40's for that one. Meanwhile, don't forget The Great Depression of the 30's.

I regard the 1936 Berlin Olympics as the birth of the TV era. Yet, that wasn't the first broadcast...and radio was still king (and still is for me...I watch 9hrs of tv per week from September to the start of February...none in between)

The great depression was good for the C&S. There was an upswing of traffic which had the road even considering the purchase of mallets.

Art Deco and Streamlining certainly are wonderful draws to the era. IMO, the 1930s streamliners were way better than the later streamliners: the '38 Century, the '38 Broadway, the 4-4-2 powered Hiawatha, the Daylight...wow.
 

MasonJar

It's not rocket surgery
Beginnings of TV? :confused: Try the 40's for that one. Meanwhile, don't forget The Great Depression of the 30's.

I didn't forget the Depression, I just didn't put it on my list...! ;)

The technology that made early television possible was developed in the 1920s. The US had at least three commercial broadcasts up and running in the late 1920s - Washington, D.C., NYC, and Schenectady, NY.

NBC began regular broadcasts beginning with the opening of the 1939 World's Fair in NYC. CBS had beat them by 8 years, beginning in 1931. In the UK, BBC went on the air in 1932.

Admittedly, the audience was small and urban, but it was the beginning of TV as we know it today.

Now in Canada, we had to wait a bit longer - CBC did not start into TV until 1952.

Andrew
 

iis612

Member
Some of the comments on this thread have caused me to think that we just might be living in a "golden age of trains" and not realize it, simply because it's so easy for us to take things for granted and not fully appreciate the trains that we see every day.

We could very well be living in a golden age of big diesels. Just look at the huge amount of freight train traffic, often hauled by 2, 3 and even 4 to 6 large diesels. Just some thoughts!

Rob

When I decide to get back into model railroading, I had thought about the diversity of the transition era, and it's impact on modern society. That led me to think of modeling something that was way beyond my means, ability, space available, and time.
About 15 years ago I worked for CSX. I thought of drawing on that, as that is what I knew. However, an odd thing occured. I started looking at the roots of CSX, digging backwards through time, if you will. I looked at all of the mergers, buy-outs, expansions, and abandonments that formed the modern CSX. I have researched the timeline all the way back to the 19th century, at least for my particular region of choice. (The region is based on where I grew up, and worked)
My research led me to become attached to a prototype that should have no personal meaning to me, but yet it does.
I am only 35 years old. In my life I have seen, and ridden on a few steam locomotives. But, those memories held no sway in my choice of era.
I picked my era based on fascination, and an odd sense of nostalgia for a time that I do not know, at least not more than what the history books and TV have shown me. It was based on a world crisis, and the miracles the railroads in the US performed day in, and day out, to help defend the world. An era so profound that it transformed American people, and industry. WWII, may it never be repeated in any way.

Matt
 

Mountain Man

Active Member
I regard the 1936 Berlin Olympics as the birth of the TV era. Yet, that wasn't the first broadcast...and radio was still king (and still is for me...I watch 9hrs of tv per week from September to the start of February...none in between)

The great depression was good for the C&S. There was an upswing of traffic which had the road even considering the purchase of mallets.

Art Deco and Streamlining certainly are wonderful draws to the era. IMO, the 1930s streamliners were way better than the later streamliners: the '38 Century, the '38 Broadway, the 4-4-2 powered Hiawatha, the Daylight...wow.

The Berlin Olympics were filmed, not televised. Television was developed in it's infancy during WWII as a guidance system for missiles and unmanned bombers such as the Aphrodite aircraft. The picture quality was extremely poor, being just adequate targeting purposes - certainly no where near the standard needed for broadcast purposes.

As for the Great Depression being "good" for much of anything, my parents lived through it, as did my grandparents. My father joined the military in 1939 so that he could eat regularly, receive regular pay, and have a guaranteed place to sleep, and he was fortunate to be accepted. I have never before heard the world "good" applied to the Depression by anyone.

One of the reasons some historians believe FDR wanted America in WWII was to lift America out of the Depression, something wars are good at doing.

As modelers, we tend to ignore real history in favor of our own particular "pretend" version.
 
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