rolling stock time frames

Model Railroader Prototype information for the modeler
1

I would like to keep my rolling stock near to my imagined time frame (1920s-30s) so that things look plausible, if not accurate. Can someone point me to a web source (es) that describes what sort of rolling stock appeared when.

Ron Gove

2

Rennselaer Polytechnic Institute’s NEB&W website has the info you are seeking. You have to join, it costs about $5 a month. Join for one month, find and print out the info, and cancel your membership. (Thats what they tell you to do). Of course you can keep the membership.

3

Don’t forget the NMRA. at nmra.org They have a great library which members can access to get additional research beyond what is online.

Richard

4

Thanks. I will look into that.

5

There is a Yahoo group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/STMFC/ where you can get to contact with people who are very knowledgeable of steam-era freight cars.

6

A Car Builder’s Cyclopedia from your chosen era is a good investment if you really want to be accurate. Actually the ideal is one from as close to your chosen year as you can get, and then one or two of the preceding volumes, since obviously not every car is brand new. They are of course pricey at that age. The Train Shed Cyclopedia reprints are more readily available.

The Jeff Wilson freight car books for Kalmbach are a useful resource but obviously not targeted just at your chosen era.

I am kicking myself now but I discovered the Railway Prototype Cyclopedia series too late and some of the volumes are now out of print – to be looked for at swap meets. http://rpcycpub.com/

Dave Nelson

7

Equipment Registers for the period you are interested in are a good starting place if you can find them. They used to be available on disk for a reasonable price from Westerfield, but he his closing and no longer accepting orders.

I just found a 1917 issue on Google Books. It can be downloaded and it is FREE. There is also a 1901 issue.

While well out of your era, a reprint of a 1952 issue is available from the National Model Railroad Associstion.

The NMRA Library has an extensive collection of ORER’s

http://www.nmra.org/library/orer.html

edit 7/5/17 Westerfield in business with new owner ORER’s available enter store to find them.

http://www.westerfieldmodels.com/