RAILforum: What era?

This is topic What era? in forum Model Railroading at RAILforum.

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Posted by jcater (Member # 31) on :

What era do you model and why? I model the year 1890 in the Colorado Mountains. Why? Because I love steam, and live in the area I model. The era was chosen because in 1890 "new" innovations in railroading were becoming available and it also was the height of the silver and gold extraction era in Colorado. Of course, it is the fall of 1890 on my layout...that is a no brainer.
Happy Modeling!!
John
See my layout at: http://jstrainstation.homestead.com

Posted by Mike C (Member # 35) on :

Hi all! I have been modeling the N&W in the late 40s early 50s for the past 5 or 6 years. Before that I went through the usual 25 years of O gauge genearic Ho scale and evan some N scale. I was drawn to the N&W by the coal hauling theam and their not so typical locos. I chose this time because I can run all different mallets, streamlind Js and of course the great little 4-8-0s. BTW jcater thats a real nice layout you have there, fall in the Rockies

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Its only money

Posted by Bos (Member # 42) on :

I'm into Western Pacific in the mid-sixties. There was a brief period when there was the regular WP traffic, a contractor railroad building Oroville Dam, a special train for cement, Plus, Feather River Railway used a Shay locomotive for a little while . It was TRES-COOL for an 11 year old.

Posted by virtual-bird (Member # 37) on :

Nice topic John.

Well since Im not ThAT serious, I am into this for the fun.
others are complaining that the handrails on their new katoatlaslifelikeconcorarnold sdgp4420-2 are not correct.. I couldnt care less. I wouldnt know the difference.!

Me. I model the a coal mining region in a fictional place .. that way I dont have to please anyone with scale and " oh that bridge isnt really there and its a tunnel"..

also makes for easier track planning. Put more track where there is room!

Long coal trains look kewl to me, actually LONG any trains look good!

When I lived in South Dakota for 6 months there was a rail yard in Aberdeen, and always we would get the daily freight... one day I stopped counting at 120 boxcars/general!

era, well as my sig says.. no era. John does the early 1890's. well I have some steam locos(10!) from 19somethings(who knows and who cares!)'s and also some LLike SD-7, KatoSD40-2, and Bachmann (hides face)C44-9... plus more.

I am into this for F U N...

one thing I would like to make the steam trains steam... can this be done?

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RR:
K, C, & Bird Butt Railroad - SP, NS, and ROCK admirer. Its a coal mining region of a place far far away, that shares with SP, NS, and some CSX..
Also some Custom RARE Bird RR sd40-2's coming!
Era:

Time stands still round these parts, and we have everything from Steam, to Diesels of today.

Posted by Bos (Member # 42) on :

I'm more concerned with a certain "plausibility' factor than the number of candlepower of a certain MARS light.I have yet to see accurate models of a
California Zephyr that weren't scratch or kitbashed, but if the colors and feel of it works .......

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Posted by Konstantin (Member # 18) on :

I don't really have an era for my railroad. All my locomotives are diesel. I use three RS-1 which were introduced in the 1930's, but they usually pull trains without cabooses which are typical today. I also have two F7s. I have an Amtrak Superliner pulled by F40s that comes through three days per week each direction, but I also have some local passenger trains that look more like 1950's vintage.

Dean

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Elias Valley Railroad (N-scale)
www.geocities.com/evrr

Posted by scott whitfield (Member # 56) on :

The Sachse Central and Purple Mountain RR is so early in development I'm not sure of the era. It will probably be 1930's thru 50's. I grew up in the diesel age and that's all the rolling stock I have now. Will get some steam later. I like the southwest and evergreens so I have a mixture of both looks.
so hey, do I sound like I know what I'm doing or what. My layout is on the G Day site in Texas.

Posted by NVTiny (Member # 45) on :

I model the 1880's to 1900 Nevada desert Railroad [short line]. I also use the C&C and V&T as links to the rest of the world.

I have a 1/3rd acre of outdoor railroad. the loop is 497 feet long. more track to be laid
in yards and towns.

So far I have 8 trestles and one bridge, 2 waterfalls and a 30 ft river. I scratch build all my stub switches and run battery and RC, in all types of weather..

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NVTiny
Desert Springs & Rattler Gap Railroad
http://www.trainweb.org/dsrg/dsrg.htm

Posted by millcstl (Member # 60) on :

The really neat thing about this hobby is Rule#1-It's your Railroad! Personally I modle the Rio Grande about 1939(the first year they came out of recievership)and try to model as prototypicaly as possible I find that aspect of the hobby chalenging. But hey, I take liberties-"modelers licence",also. And who says you have to be "stuck"in one era. Usually, with a little forethought you can plan for building modernization and engine facility upgrades. There have been some good magazine articles about changing eras with relatively minor cosmetic changes to a layout. That allows you to go back and forth between eras.
The important thing is---Keep on modeling!
Have a good one.

Posted by virtual-bird (Member # 37) on :

quote:
Originally posted by NVTiny:

So far I have 8 trestles and one bridge, 2 waterfalls and a 30 ft river and run battery and RC, in all types of weather..

Checked out your site. Fantastic layout! neat site too..
wish I was into trains when I was in the USA few years back, would have looked into things more.!

IS Bachmann the main choice in 1:24?

some excellent images too!

Posted by jcater (Member # 31) on :

Hey Bird...
How are things coming along on your layout?? Hope things are good down under!! As for me, all that is left of the CSW is the website

as it has been packed and readied for the move. The good news is that the wife has given me 1/2 of the new garage for a new and improved CSW

Good luck and Happy Modeling!!
John

Posted by jcater (Member # 31) on :

quote:
Originally posted by NVTiny:
I model the 1880's to 1900 Nevada desert Railroad [short line]. I also use the C&C and V&T as links to the rest of the world.
I have a 1/3rd acre of outdoor railroad. the loop is 497 feet long. more track to be laid
in yards and towns.
So far I have 8 trestles and one bridge, 2 waterfalls and a 30 ft river. I scratch build all my stub switches and run battery and RC, in all types of weather..

Holy Cow...now THAT is a railroad

!! Great web site too!! Keep up the good work and Happy Modeling!!
John

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Colorado and Southwestern, the Top of the Rockies!

Posted by NVTiny (Member # 45) on :

quote:
IS Bachmann the main choice in 1:24?
some excellent images too!
[/B]

Thanks virtual bird!

I use B-mann engines and rolling stock because I now like to bash my stuff before it gets on the railroad.

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NVTiny
Desert Springs & Rattler Gap Railroad
http://www.trainweb.org/dsrg/dsrg.htm

Posted by virtual-bird (Member # 37) on :

quote:
Originally posted by jcater:
Hey Bird...
How are things coming along on your layout?? John

Me... yea sydney is sydney. preparing for the disaster of the olympics... oh joy...

Well my layout is dead in thee water at the moment... But the more I look into things, and see other layouts and what people have, the less happy I think I will be with the size of the layout and design. I think I want more than I am capable of doing! also more layout than I have room for!

Just finished the extensions on the house, and painted the room, and THIS WEEKEND it will start..

HONEST IT WILL - SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN!

Time stands still round these parts, and we have everything from Steam, to Diesels of today.

Posted by jcater (Member # 31) on :

Bird
As in most things, it is good to remember that size doesn't matter, as long as you can have fun

!! Happy Modeling!!
John

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Colorado and Southwestern, the Top of the Rockies!
http://jstrainstation.homestead.com

Posted by ajy6b (Member # 77) on :

I model the Norfolk and Western and a little bit of Conrail. The era is the late 70's. My route is a fictional jointly owned bridge route in North Central WVA.

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AJ Y6b

Posted by jcater (Member # 31) on :

By the way AJ...great weebsite! Happy Modeling!!
John

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Colorado and Southwestern, the Top of the Rockies!
http://jstrainstation.homestead.com

Posted by ajy6b (Member # 77) on :

John,

I am glad you liked my website. :-)

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AJ Y6b N&W and Conrail Fan
http://communities.msn.com/TheGRRModelRR (my page)

http://www.nvrra.org (my club's page)

Posted by William (Member # 91) on :

i model mostly modern freelance except for the mbta commuter rail and amtrak

Posted by Alan (Member # 151) on :

My layout is current (with a bit of lee-way

). My first major experience of American Railroads was in 1998, when my son and I paid a visit to southern California, and got hooked on Tehachapi, Cajon, etc.

So the layout is BNSF and UP, plus predecessors, but also the freelance Andersley Western, which runs Alco's

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Alan

The perfect combination - BNSF and N Scale!

Posted by jcater (Member # 31) on :

Hi Alan, welcome to railforum

!! A bit less crowded here than at Trainboard, so it's good to hear from as many folks as possible!! Your layout sounds great, any pics on the web?? Happy Modeling!!
John

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Colorado and Southwestern, the Top of the Rockies!
http://jstrainstation.homestead.com

Posted by Alan (Member # 151) on :

Hi John, Yes, there are a few pics on my Andersley Western website, still in embryo stage

Andersley Western Railroad

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Alan

The perfect combination - BNSF and N Scale!