alright folks, this is it, the big debate, what is the best time period, Steam, Streamline, or Modern? me personally, the transition era. (yes, that counts) make sure to tell why. i love the transition era because it mixes two of the most famous types of trains. also guests easily recognise steamers better than diesel. have a great day, and happy railroading, peace off.
First, I would say it is personal preference and not a debate.
I like the transition era because the cars are mostly 40 foot, most of the newfangled diesels are four axle types, and steam is still around. Trains are not blocks of the same types of cars. There are more railroad names to choose cars from because the mega-mergers have not taken place. There were more short line operations around then too, and they make really good railroads to model.
If you are modeling in the modern era, you need large curves because the modern cars are really long and don’t look good on the smaller curves like 18 inch radius. Large curves means that you need a bigger or large space for your layout. And you can’t put as many cars on a modern era layout as a layout of the same size in the transition era.
You can still have steam in the modern era, you just have to be creative about using it. Such as some type of anniversary celebration, rail fan trips, etc.
Just one persons opinion.
What debate? Nothing to debate! it’s all about preference & my preference is to include a fictional railway museum on my layout to include anything I want. I get modern diesels as well as ancient steamers & everything in between.
Gord
I agree it’s a preference thing.
Personally, I like the transition era. With the Ma&Pa I can have everything from truss rod wooden boxcars through steel boxcars. Truss rod open platform passenger cars. Pre WWI locomotives and diesels. The late 40’s early 50’s are a great era to pick. As a bonus, there’s probably more available in each scale for that time period.
But I could do 1900 to WWI as well. You have to build more, but it’s a fascinating time. Passenger trains ran everywhere and lots of them as well as freight. Trains were shorter and equipment smaller. A good time frame for a small layout with tight curves.
Enjoy
Paul
Absolutely!!! [Y]
Tom
yea, i understand the personal preference thing, but i see so much of modern railroading products, i think that there may be a thing goin on between steam and diesel. bu thanx 4 replying gaiz! : )
I prefer the late 30’s and on into the mid-50’s so that I can have all the latest articulated, Texas, and Northern types. And that’s it. However, it doesn’t preclude me from acquiring and enjoying anything else, including two Santa Fe warbonnet SD75M diesels.
So, if I were asked what is the best era, I would say that the best is what I model because second best is what I don’t model. And buddy next to me could answer differently, but for the same reason, and we would both be right. His overhead lights illuminate his vision when he turns them on, and mine illuminate my vision. Each vision works for its creator.
-Crandell
As noted several times, it’s strictly a matter of personal preference. And mine is the late transition era, 1954 to be exact. Early GPs and SDs, still plenty of E and F units, plus there was still some steam around. And for my fictional line (a brdge route between the Union Pacific and Chicago & North Western) there were plenty of streamliners – the City of San Francisco, the City of Los Angeles, the City of Denver. Trailer-on-flat car was just getting underway …
But that being said, I’ve always thought about modeling a shortline struggling through the Depression in the 1930s. Maybe someday.
'Tis a conundrum, as they say, isn’t it? [:)]
I know that in my scale (HO), there is enough out there to do almost any era you choose. Steam, Transition, Early and Modern diesel–there’s certainly enough out there to make most of us pretty darned happy, so I would suppose it’s what really GETS to you.
For myself, it’s the late steam era (1940’s, early ‘50’s) with a smattering–a very SMALL smattering-- of 1st generation diesel. Nothing newer than an F-3, an E-6 or a PA. And big steam for the most part, since I model a mountain railroad. Which means WIDE curves for those Articulateds, 4-8-2, 4-8-4 and 2-10-2 steam beasties (yes, big steam needs as much ‘room’ as the newer diesels and 85’ freight cars).
So, it’s really up to you, not what is ‘popular’ or ‘right’ as far as your Era selection is concerned. If you like the New Stuff, go for it. If you like earlier Eras, well go for that, too. It’s YOUR model railroad.
Tom [:D]
That’s akin to saying blonde,brunette or red head…[(-D]
For me I find 77-80 exciting times because of the rebirth of the railroads and those colorful short line IPD boxcars.
I also find modern day railroads exciting as well for several reasons.
I guess I am transition period. But I all so made up my time line. Big Steam is still ran (like it should still do) and I run mainly 50’s Diesel’s. But in my time wrap it is still 1971, reason? I love the old HP cars and they are prowling my street’s now.
Odd part? I still have some modern Diesel’s like SD 50’s, Dash 9’s and GE AC 6000’s. But, no car newer than 1971!
I am odd, but it is my Rail Road.
Cuda Ken
Short lines and narrow gauge in 1900 in HO suits me quite well.
Cars are short, generally 28-34 ft. 8-20 car trains in the mountains were prototypical. Don’t need a lot of cars that won’t fit era- or space-wise. Car kits are available, or I can give scratchbuilding a try - wood cars are reportedly not difficult. Locomotives are small, and not readily available (easy on the wallet). Again, no big roster that I can’t afford or use. 18" radius curves (can go sharper) are just fine. Taken as a whole, the era is perfect for the model builder in me.
Working sail in the port, buggies and wagons instead of cars, many small as well as large rail-served industries, and a very different way of life to research.
Small layouts, model building instead of buying, something different from the next guy - who could ask for anything more?
Fred W
Unless you are die-hard tied to a specific era, why not consider multi-era play?
I run steam form early 20th century to mid century. But I also have trasition era diesels. and I have more modern diesels. I can’t run the real modern larger diesels on my 18r curves, though.
All I do is change out a few things, like cars and trucks and such that are more era specific and change trains! Many Buildings can stay the same as we have even train stations around here dating to the 1800s, and other buildings are still around from the early 20th. But I do swap out some of them also, fitting in about the same footprints.
I have a very very small layout,but have lots of fun changing out eras and runing various era trains!
Even teh esteemed Dave Vollmer {where has he been lately?} has a dual era PRR steam /Penn Central diesel layout!
Just my thoughts and opinions and ideas, others may vary.
I agree with what has been stated in posts above.
It’s a matter of personal preference.
With me, It depends on what sticks to me. I love brick look that older locomotives give, as well as the sleak, aerodinamic look of modern-day locomotives.
Because of that, I use what ever I like , which means that an SD-80 MAC, or an AC-6000 could be paired up with an SD-7, or any other combination of locomotives.
I agree, you can have multiple eras on your layout with just a few changes.
That being said, I really like the modern era. Why? Because I like to model what I can see, getting instant feedback. It’s the coolest thing in the hobby. I can go railfanning, hang out by the yard, and watch all the same locomotives that are on my layout.
Instant feedback, where as with earlier eras, you have to depend on books, photos, historical societies, museums, etc.
The best one is the one you like.
I’m in the mid 70s-mid 80s. Dunno if there is a specific name for that era. I like it because I can run alot of equipment that I like. I like the assortment of locos and rolling stock from the 70s. I added the 80s because the Tiger stripes and a good amount of cars I ended up with have 80’s build dates. the mid-80s also allows me to have some early versions of some modern cars (double stacks, enclosed autoracks, etc)
Okay, here we go again. As I have stated before, I model 1989-1990, the Santa Fe is the primary road, Oklahoma grain belt is the location chosen because I grew up in Enid Oklahoma and lived there until I finished seminary in 1959. I also worked summers as an extra yard clerk at Enid in the 10th St yards while going to seminary. So I model the portion of the Oklahoma Div from Oklahoma City to Guthrie OK, then to Arkansas City via hidden trackage into staging. I model the Enid district from Guthrie through Enid on the middle deck and then down to bottom deck, Cherokee and Kiowa KS on the Enid District and terminate at Waynoka staging. Oh, the chosen era 1989-1990 because I spent a summer there in 1989 documenting the Enid district so my trackage, industries, trains fit that era catagory.
Bob
The obvious answer to the great non-debate? The best time period is the one that snaps the individual modeler’s cap - anything from Best Friend of Charleston to GEVO and gensets.
Equally significant - or non-significant - is the individual’s choice of modeling location. There’s a whole world out there, and a bewildering variety of railroads that served (and still serve) it.
That said, I chose my blurred point in space-time for an intensely personal reason. I was there, and I fell in love with it. Not until later did I discover that I had, inadvertently, planted my boot on the exact spot where I could legitimately use almost every commercially available locomotive, passenger and freight car I have acquired since.
- Steam was slowly yielding to catenary and diesel power, but was still well represented.
- Cars that had survived the Pacific War, weary and battered as they were, were running off their last revenue kilometers before being white-lined and hauled to the scrappers.
- Brand-new classes of diesels, catenary motors, passenger and freight cars, never before seen, were rolling off the erecting floors and into service.
- Passenger service was moving toward DMU and EMU sets, but locomotive-hauled trains were still numerous.
- The little narrow gauge logger was thriving, and would survive for eleven more years before being superseded by self-loading log trucks.
When and where? Check my signature.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
The transition era will give you a good variety of steam and diesel locomotives to run, and some of the early diesel paint schemes were quite attractive. The rule of thumb for modeling the transition era is to run diesels in the yard (end cab switchers) and a mix of steam and diesel locos in freight and passenger service. As to how much steam vs. diesel depends on the year of transition.
Yard operations on most major railways were the first to be dieselized, and dieselization began in the late 1930s, when the locomotive manufacturers began to offer standard production models. By the mid 1950s, most yard operations on major railways were dieselized.
There is no “best” era - it is a question of liking and personal choice, which may, however, be influenced by the availability of equipment.
There seems to be hardly a shortage for modern era equipment, also at moderate prices. If you go for steam in the 1920´s, things look differently. There is only a fairly limited number of locos available, unless you go for the big ones in the market. You will have to look for used brass locos, which are still quite pricey.
If your era is the early days of railroading - well, tough luck. Other than those Bachmann 4-4-0, your selection of rolling stock is very limited. Interesting fact is, that the type of loco, “which built a nation”, is not really available.