I like 'em all...
Thank you for sharing your work with us.
This is as good a photo as I've ever seen... 
Is this an "M" class Northern?
Mark in Oregon
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I grew up along the Seaboard Coast Line through north Florida in the 70s and 80s. Nothing about that place or era appeals to me.
As for "transition era" stuff, I see very few modelers adhering to an era where steam and diesel actually ran together. Almost 100% of the layouts I've seen that claim to be transition era run everything from USRA era to modern stuff...
The picture is of a M68 Western as the grande called their northern ,it belongs to mr Eric Lindgren
Mike Flauding posted:The picture is of a M68 Western as the grande called their northern ,it belongs to mr Eric Lindgren
Beautiful...loco and photo. Thanks!
Mark in Oregon
p51 posted:As for "transition era" stuff, I see very few modelers adhering to an era where steam and diesel actually ran together. Almost 100% of the layouts I've seen that claim to be transition era run everything from USRA era to modern stuff...
Takes a lot of work to make sure your layout actually adheres to the period. A train of 1944 cars is a whole lot different than a train of 1948 cars since a lot happened in the decade between 1940 and 1950. Accuracy and fidelity are hard. 
For me I love the 1940's. I'd certainly model the glory days of the roaring 20's but that's impossible given the age shift in the hobby.
The WWII era was neat as is the fifties with the last remaining postwar equipment mingling with diesels.
As for modern era, I tasted real railroading. Modern models don't cut it.
When I initially changed from HO to O scale I was all over the place in modelling - I built kits if the prototype had eye appeal to me. One of the first was a Mainline Models 50' 1 1/2 door single sheathed SP box car SP box car. That was followed by a USH plastic UP 50' cushion underframe box car (ACI color bar codes). I acquired a modest roster of O scale PRR locomotives that incongruously spanned 50 years of prototype practice. Looking back I was an avid model railroader - but I wasn't a railroad modeler. I had a layout that functioned as an operating stage for the rolling stock I built/acquired, but even in close framed shots the layout didn't look like the PRR I saw in books and video's. . My modelling objectives began to change after joining the PRRT&HS in the mid 1970s'. The Keystone's in depth articles about PRR locomotives, cars, infrastructure, and operations provided insight into how PRR's standards and practices evolved over time. With knowledge I no longer was comfortable coupling a post 1954 shadow keystone cabin car to a locomotive lettered per 1930's standards. The more I learned about the railroad the more I wanted to build a railroad that modeled elements of prototype operations ( in addition to the locomotives and cars).
I selected 1952 for my era as it was a time of great motive power diversity on the PRR. A vast array of first generation diesels ran side by side with most classes of PRR steam. In particular it was the last year PRR T1's ran in revenue (secondary) service. A financial advantage of narrowing my modeling focus to a region and point in time is that it serves to curb a my latent drive to collect the PRR locomotive alphabet. One downside of going with 1952 was that I had to sell/trade off a large number of shadow keystone freight cars I custom painted and lettered.
Rule292 posted:p51 posted:As for "transition era" stuff, I see very few modelers adhering to an era where steam and diesel actually ran together. Almost 100% of the layouts I've seen that claim to be transition era run everything from USRA era to modern stuff...
Takes a lot of work to make sure your layout actually adheres to the period.
Really, it isn't hard at all. Unless you're buying your rolling stock blindfolded, its very easy to look up timeframes for it all in this internet age.
I think that's the difference between collectors and people who really want to be era-specific.
There's nothing wrong with running anything you want, just don't run a GEVO with a string of Pullman heavyweight coaches and say it's "transitional" era.
p51 posted:Rule292 posted:p51 posted:As for "transition era" stuff, I see very few modelers adhering to an era where steam and diesel actually ran together. Almost 100% of the layouts I've seen that claim to be transition era run everything from USRA era to modern stuff...
Takes a lot of work to make sure your layout actually adheres to the period.
Really, it isn't hard at all. Unless you're buying your rolling stock blindfolded, its very easy to look up timeframes for it all in this internet age.
I think that's the difference between collectors and people who really want to be era-specific.
There's nothing wrong with running anything you want, just don't run a GEVO with a string of Pullman heavyweight coaches and say it's "transitional" era.
I think you need to read my entire statement to get the gist of it. And I qoute:
"Takes a lot of work to make sure your layout actually adheres to the period. A train of 1944 cars is a whole lot different than a train of 1948 cars since a lot happened in the decade between 1940 and 1950. Accuracy and fidelity are hard".
It's easy to determine that a a GEVO shouln't be pulling a 1937 boxcar. But it's much more difficult to determine how many K brake train cars your consist should have in 1948 versus 1938 or 1940. Or how many NYC box cars versus PRR box cars versus SP gons.
I'm a prototype modeler and I do P:48 so everything, from the track details to the type and road of the cars used to finding accurate 1:48 autos matters to me. The research (and search for the equipment) is a lot of the fun of the hobby for me.
Lots of fun 
I would choose modern over them all. I really enjoy modern diesels for all their development. Watching the big train modern train lengths and learning how they handle them.
I unfortunately, buy anything. So I can't say that I stay true there. I do scratch build strictly modern because I can't buy what I like RTR.
There is something special about modeling an older, specific era. You're not only making art, you're creating a snapshot, transporting the viewer back in time. I think for older people, that tugs at and invokes memories while they study the layout.
Now I don't have any memories of the steam era so I can only imagine it. I appreciate the craftsmanship of all who share what they do.
I remember the chemical plants and watching switching moves the most in the late '60s threw the '70s. I didn't see many engines but maybe that's why I look so hard at the cars in the train? Viewing out of the back window of my parent's car when I was very young, I could only see a small line of tank cars. I wasn't allowed near the tracks. When you're five years old and your dad load's tank cars, that's what you look at threw admiring eyes.
My favorite era of railroading hands down is the 1970's. Financially, railroads were a mess, for example, Penn Central and the following Conrail, but it's because of the mix of older equipment, such as 40 foot boxcars and towers mixed in with equipment still running today, such as the SD40-2 that make me love it. Only in the 70's could you see an RS-11 running with an F unit! It's because of that when I move in to my own house I plan to model the WM from 1967-72.
Taken 1976, not by me^
1971
1950s transition era, steam to diesel and modern era 1990s to now.
I am 48 and born in 1968 in Northern California, only lived in California and Colorado, three era's, all in the Western states:
1) 1937-1957 Late Steam-First Generation Diesel, Southern Pacific, Denver & Rio Grande Western, Western Pacific
2) 1968-1982 Again SP, WP, D&RGW, NP, GN, ATSF in the merger era.
3) 1876-1905 California, Nevada and Colorado short lines and narrow gauge.
Plus I like any thing else that runs on rails! Trolley, Interurban, Mine Railroads, etc!
ncng
Interesting thread, thanks for starting it Erik!
I model the Pennsy Electrified Mainline-what is now called the Northeast Corridor- through New Jersey ca 1956. That enables me to have both ball herald and shadow keystone paint schemes, run GG1s of all stripes, and have both steam and diesel. I pretty much adhere to the era, but I have been known to stretch things a bit with the locale. For example I have a set of BF 16 sharks, because I think they are cool. (My story is they got lost).
By "adhere to my era", it means ball herald cars are dirtier than the what would have been freshly painted shadow keystone cars. No autos or trucks are newer than 1956, and the older they are, the more dirt, rust and dents they have on them. (The only exception is a used car lot that has a model of every car I ever owned. At least they are confined in one spot). All cars and trucks have 1956 NY license plates. All phone numbers (on bill boards, vehicle sides, etc) are in the period correct format. All buildings, streetlights, etc are lit with either incandescents, or LED's that look like them. Signage is of the proper vintage, even if I have to get the proper fonts. Same for architecture of the buildings, even if it results in a two month scratchbuild effort.
For me, part of the fun of being a Railroad Modeler (to use Ed's term) is doing the research to "get it as it was"
I aim for 1952 and the Santa Fe but I appear to be using a shot gun because I miss frequently. Santa Fe most likely because the one Lionel engine I had when I was a kid was Santa Fe. Transition era 2 rail O scale because when I got back into trains as an adult, the group I "joined" were/are primarily transition era 2 railers. 1952 because that is year where most of Santa Fe engines fit the best. Cat whisker and cigar band FT's running together as they did in 1952. PRR, CNW, CGW and the CBQ frequently interrupt the Santa Fe theme.
Modern UP and BNSF for me. But I do have some steam that still exist such as 4014 3985 844 and 4449 for excursion trains. I also have a complete Blue Goose set (fantasy I know but it is so pretty!). I see modern all day about 50 feet from my shop with UP, ACE commuter, and Amtrak California. And yes I become a Meercat when I hear the trains!!
80s and 90s era power usually CSX seaboard and chessie system NS Conrail and Amtrak
John Sethian posted:By "adhere to my era", it means ball herald cars are dirtier than the what would have been freshly painted shadow keystone cars. No autos or trucks are newer than 1956, and the older they are, the more dirt, rust and dents they have on them. (The only exception is a used car lot that has a model of every car I ever owned. At least they are confined in one spot). All cars and trucks have 1956 NY license plates. All phone numbers (on bill boards, vehicle sides, etc) are in the period correct format. All buildings, streetlights, etc are lit with either incandescents, or LED's that look like them. Signage is of the proper vintage, even if I have to get the proper fonts. Same for architecture of the buildings, even if it results in a two month scratchbuild effort.
For me, part of the fun of being a Railroad Modeler (to use Ed's term) is doing the research to "get it as it was"
Exactly, I agree 100% with this.
My layout was, from the planning stages, was to be as close as I could get to accurately representing the mid-WW2 era, narrowed down to summer of 1943.
To me, the research was the interesting part.
p51 posted:John Sethian posted:By "adhere to my era", it means ball herald cars are dirtier than the what would have been freshly painted shadow keystone cars. No autos or trucks are newer than 1956, and the older they are, the more dirt, rust and dents they have on them. (The only exception is a used car lot that has a model of every car I ever owned. At least they are confined in one spot). All cars and trucks have 1956 NY license plates. All phone numbers (on bill boards, vehicle sides, etc) are in the period correct format. All buildings, streetlights, etc are lit with either incandescents, or LED's that look like them. Signage is of the proper vintage, even if I have to get the proper fonts. Same for architecture of the buildings, even if it results in a two month scratchbuild effort.
For me, part of the fun of being a Railroad Modeler (to use Ed's term) is doing the research to "get it as it was"
Exactly, I agree 100% with this.
My layout was, from the planning stages, was to be as close as I could get to accurately representing the mid-WW2 era, narrowed down to summer of 1943.
To me, the research was the interesting part.
Couldn't agree more. I still have probably 7-8 ears until I move out (I'm 16) and have already been doing extensive research on the WM line I want to model so I'm all set when I start construction, whenever that may be. I'm a big railroad history nut, and, like you said, it's very interesting. I've biked the entire line and it's neat to see what it once looked like without the trees, for example.
Michael, I'm 47 and I was planning the layout I have long before the stuff I have now even existed, when I was almost as young as you are now. I started planning my layout almost 30 years ago!
Well. That's a complicated question for me. In O scale standard gauge I prefer modern era(2008/2010) in 0n3 I model locomotives and cars from the DRG&W. Circa 1947. In On2 I like 1920's Maine two footers. In HO scale I build era 3 (1970's) German steam of the deutsche bundesbahn. In N scale I model 1960's Japanese steam. So yeah. I keep my interest diverse I guess. I like lots of variety. However I am only building a layout in O scale. I like the mass and details I can incorporate into the scenes....
For my American outline modelling, two Eras for me; late 1970's/1980''s for my prototype interest, the Soo Line, & sort of late 1990's to present for my freelance Shortline.
For my British outline stuff, that's mostly 1970's (which I remember) & a bit of 1960's (which I don't!!) - that decade being our Transition Era here.
So I don't really follow the 'norm' of modelling what I saw in my younger days. How I got into American trains is a long story, but my interest in the Soo was sparked by the very first picture of a Soo loco I ever saw; I loved that white & red livery with the big, bold 'SOO' in black on the sides. I went for the 70's/80's so I could have old F-Units as well as 1st & 2nd generation EMDs.
