ERA Layouts

[modelrailroadforums]

I'm building a small 4x8 layout and while I've not focused on any particular ERA (20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, etc.) I've decided to reformat the layout so it focuses on a particular ERA - probably 1930-1950, but frankly, have no idea how to determine which locomotive/engine/rolling stock comes from that particular ERA. The structures, people and cars typically can be identified, but not the locomotive, etc.

Can you help? Are there any websites for HO scale that focuses on ERAs?

 

[Gary B]

Any type of locomotive you're interested in you can find info on the years in service either in several picture type books or by using our friend Google. Now the actual train cars that maybe tougher to find, if only due to the variety and small details that may have changed. I would say, don't sweat it too much, if it looks like it belongs then go for it.

 

[trailrider]

Basically, you are looking at the "transition period", when steam was still being used, but diesels were being introduced. At the end of the 1950's many railroads had phased out steam altogether, but some still ran steam locomotives into the 1960's, mainly on their branch lines. I clearly remember, prior to 1954 or so, the Chicago & Northwestern running a bunch of 4-6-0 Ten Wheelers and 4-6-2 Pacifics on their North suburban Chicago runs. They were in pretty bad shape at the time, and delays were common, until Ben Heineman took over as president and replaced them with E8's and bi-level commuter cars. (KATO makes both the cabless and the cab versions of the bi-level commuter cars. The cab version has the headlight and markers that automatically switch on when the train is running car first, which they did inbound to Chicago. Outbound, the locomotive led.)

I model mostly Burlington Route, with Northern Pacific and Great Northern passenger trains, and they were mostly dieselized right after WWII ended. Of course the Burlington introduced their shovelnose diesel unit passenger trains in 1934 (my grandfather rode the first Zephyr run from Denver to Chicago), but had some good-sized steamers running until the early-mid-'50's.

On a 4x8 layout you will probably be dealing with 22-in. radius curves at max, and probably 18-in. So you will want to pick locomotives, steam or diesel that will handle that curvature. You will get a lot of opinions, but Athearn F7's will work fine, and be quite correct for the 1940 thru mid-1960's (and even later), and IMHO, I like Mantua steam locomotives, which will all take 18-radius curves without problems. Unfortunately, they don't make the 2-8-2 Mikados anymore, but the 4-6-2 Pacifics are available, with improved mechanisms and, if I have read it right, even DCC-ready. They also have logging articulated steam locos, and switch engines.

I would check with Barnes & Noble Books, Wm. K. Walthers, and Kalmbach Publishing (Model Railroader Magazine) for titles of books dealing with the era. You don't say which geographical area interests you most, but there are tons of books on individual railroads in all parts of the country.

Hope this helps.

Green boards all the way!
Trailrider

 

[ICG/SOU]

If you have an idea of the prototype (which railroad you want to do), then guessing which locos were in use when becomes moot.

 

[trailrider]

If you have an idea of the prototype (which railroad you want to do), then guessing which locos were in use when becomes moot.

True. Of course, unless you are adhering absolutely to the prototypes' motive power, there can be room for some leeway. For example, years ago I built a kit of a Pennsy 0-6-0 switch engine. The Pennsylvania Railroad favored Belpaire fireboxes on its steam locomotives, which most railroads did not, going with radially-stayed fireboxes (the latter being round like the rest of the boiler, whereas the Belpair firebox has squared-off bulges that stick out at the top of the boiler, in front of the cab). Now the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy R.R. pretty much used radially-stayed fireboxes on its steamers. But its parent, the Great Northern liked the Belpaire design, and many of its steamers reflected that policy. Since I model a ficticious subsidiary or division of the "Q", it was easy enough to decal the locomotive to either G.N., or my G.G. & W. and simply say the loco was on loan/lease.

In actual fact, the "Q", GN and Northern Pacific and the "Q"'s subsidiaries, the Colorado & Southern and Fort Worth & Denver leased and loaned (pooled) equipment to each other, long before the I.C.C. permitted them to merge the books into the BN. (In fact, the GN and NP jointly owned the C.B. & Q., and had interlocking directorships dating back to the late 19th Century!) Before the "merger" it wasn't unusual to see GN's orange and green striped Empire Builder pulled between Chicago and Minneapolis by silver Burlington E-unit (diesels). And the NP's North Coast Limited got a similar treatment. Some of the passenger cars decorated for the name trains might have the C.B.&Q letters in the upper corner of the other road's cars!

Can't speak about Eastern railroads, but I suspect there was some of this that went on. If California, Oregon, Washington and even Nevada are what you want to model, even freelanced, you've got the Southern Pacific, West Pacific, and even some of the logging railroads in the forested mountains could be a possibility. I'd love to have an SP cab-forward articulated on my pike, but that's stretching things, and I'm not sure how well a 2-8-8-4 would negotiate 20" radius curves. OTOH, an SP GS-4 in Daylight paint scheme might work, if it has the center two sets of drivers blind (no flanges on the drivers).

Anyhow, the most important thing is to have fun!

Green boards all the way!

Trailrider

 

[ICG/SOU]

Of course, unless you are adhering absolutely to the prototypes' motive power, there can be room for some leeway.

This "leeway" is how I talked myself into a GM&O RS1 and soon a GM&O F3A and B set. It's all about the fun.

 

[NYW&B]

If you look carefully around the Internet you'll be able to find several sites that list the introduction date and common in-service duration for nearly all diesel locomotives. Steam is, of course, much more open ended. In many cases, steam locomotives built slightly preceding and during WWI lasted right up until the very early 1950's. Most of the transition from steam to diesel occurred right after WWII, so the time frame you are proposing for your layout potentially gives you very wide latitude in obtaining locomotives.

As pointed out already, representative rollingstock can be the big stumbling block currently. Many freight cars lasted in-service for 20 years and more during this era. While their original "built dates" may appear of the car, heralds and paint schemes sometimes changed radically over time. Unfortunately, the appropriate date of the corresponding paint scheme on HO cars is rarely indicated. So, while a car's built date might imply that it could have been in service in your era, the paint scheme could well be later. About the only way around this is to search the Internet for dated images of the car to see what it looked like at a time corresponding to your time frame.

NYW&B

 

[Cjcrescent]

If you look carefully around the Internet you'll be able to find several sites that list the introduction date and common in-service duration for nearly all diesel locomotives....So, while a car's built date might imply that it could have been in service in your era, the paint scheme could well be later. About the only way around this is to search the Internet for dated images of the car to see what it looked like at a time corresponding to your time frame

NYW&B

Or you can do what a lot of folks have done over the years, buy cars that "look" right for the era, just to fill out the trains to start. Then you can start, if you want, to replace the foobies, (cars with wrong paint color, numbers, never existed on that Railroad), with accurate car models and types. There is still a great number of modelers who don't bother with this aspect of the hobby.

 

[trailrider]

If you look carefully around the Internet you'll be able to find several sites that list the introduction date and common in-service duration for nearly all diesel locomotives. Steam is, of course, much more open ended. In many cases, steam locomotives built slightly preceding and during WWI lasted right up until the very early 1950's. Most of the transition from steam to diesel occurred right after WWII, so the time frame you are proposing for your layout potentially gives you very wide latitude in obtaining locomotives.

As pointed out already, representative rollingstock can be the big stumbling block currently. Many freight cars lasted in-service for 20 years and more during this era. While their original "built dates" may appear of the car, heralds and paint schemes sometimes changed radically over time. Unfortunately, the appropriate date of the corresponding paint scheme on HO cars is rarely indicated. So, while a car's built date might imply that it could have been in service in your era, the paint scheme could well be later. About the only way around this is to search the Internet for dated images of the car to see what it looked like at a time corresponding to your time frame.

NYW&B

The main thing I look for in freight car models is whether they have roof walks and ladders going clear up to the top of the car. If not, even though they may have an original built date earlier, they are modeled after the period when OSHA dictated removal of roof walks and installation of half-ladders. That occurred well after the period we are discussing.

Strictly speaking, by the 1950's, freight cars should not have truss rods and turnbuckles on the underframe, unless they are being used in Maintanence of Way (MOW) or similar non-service applications. Truss rod cars would have either been scrapped or rebuilt with center beam construction.

Also, I just can't see a train as "complete" (except for switching operations) without a caboose on the end! That End Of Train Device just don't hack it...for me! Of course the "Q" and some other roads didn't call them that... They were officially "waycars". But a caboose by any other name... On branch lines and earlier you might find "drovers caboose", which could be a combination (combine) baggage/passenger car with a cupola on the baggage end.

Green boards all the way!
Trailrider

 

[OCN Guy]

Another idea is proto-freelancing, like how Tony Koester did the Allegheny Midland loosely based upon the Nickel Plate. You can come up with a plausible freelance, whose theme is that they bought the old steam other lines were dropping and refurb'd them... that way you can run your main prototype alongside the engines you like, but with a freelance name...

 

[malletman]

Also, try to keep a "family" look to your steamers and diesels, railroads tended to buy from one or two builders unless your dealing with like the PRR, which seem to want to sample a little bit of everything and come up with a few of thier own designs. There are plenty of steamers out there for small layouts, both plastic, diecast and brass. Diesels would be early switchers from Alco, Baldwin, Lima and EMD along with F units, Baldwin Sharks ect. Just depends on what you want. The further you get back towards the 30's, the less diesel and more steam you will want to have. Keep in mind that huge influx of diesels into road service wasnt till after the war. War time kept the steamers in main line duty and regulated the diesel builders to mostly switcher designs till after the end of hostilities. The local club I belong to used to run in a certain era where no equipment after a certain cut off date was allowed on the layout. It was lots of fun but also took lots of focus as one would always be tempted by all the "new" stuff on the market. Cheers and good luck! Mike