I may be dating myself with that title but oh well. [8D]
I recently backdated my layout. Orginally, my Penn Lake System was conceved as a mid-1990s super-regional running across northeastern, PA. With that in mind, I built a fleet of GP38-2s, GP60s, and SW1500s. Some in my PLS scheme, and others in Candian Pacific (and is subsidiaries, Soo and D&H), and Conrail. In addition, I aquired double stack, and spine cars, as well as the necessary containers and trailers.
Then it started. My buddy (who’s deeply into modeling the D&H in the late 1940s and early 50s) gave me an Alco PA in the D&H blue warbonnet. He then began refining his collection, and I suddendly found myself with a number of D&H Alcos and cabooses.
The final straw, was, when I happened upon a Reading MP15 and caboose at the LHS. That led to some Reading C424s (currently being painted) and RS3s (on order).
So, upon reflection, I packed the 90s stuff away, and changed my theme. The Penn Lake, now set in the mid 1970s, is a shortline jointly owned by the Reading and Delaware & Hudson, running through northeast, PA. Reading and D&H provide the locomotives. With exception of the lone MP15, they are all Alco RSs or C424s. This change also allowed me to run a number of 1960s and 70s boxcars, that I collected (because I thought they looked neat).
Luckily, my scenery, and buildings work well with either era. However, I built my signals following 1990s standards. The signals are all placed to the field side of the tracks, instead of to the right of or above the track as required in the 1970s. I’m ignoring that for the moment, but may eventually recontruct the signals, to conform with the 1970s standards.
Funny how the best laid plans of mice and men get changed up.
Nick
