A Time machine

Dan Padova posted:

I think some of us, particularly Baby Boomers, would love to have a time machine.  There are those eras that we would jump at the chance to spend a few hours, days or even longer in.  For me the 1930s has always been intriguing.  While it was The Great Depression, there was the great era of streamlining.  Especially in the railroad world.  

To think of the amount of trains running on any given day seems like it would be a continuous railman trip.  

Putting aside the social norms of those times and having the knowledge i have now, I think it would be a very educational adventure.

 

Very interesting, Dan.

i think my first choice would be the early 1950s: a time of hope and prosperity, great for Lionel trains and real trains, and the Yankees (Mickey Mantle as a rookie, who was Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio all in one).

Having grown up in the '50s, I already know what to expect, but it was indeed a great time to be a kid.

I'll take a first class ticket on the Broadway during the roaring twenties! 

Can't imagine the RR infrastructure at the peak of the steam era. And train stations in their glory and grandeur. 

Probably more likely to have been a poor coal miner like my grandpaps though

I agree with Dan, and I would shoot for the 1930’s, especially around 1935/36, and head straight to the Lionel factory. I live in NJ, so it would be an easy trip.  This was the turning point, when Lionel shifted to making the less expensive trains, ( 027 ga.; Mickey Mouse Train; the handcars), which basically saved Lionel.  I have so many questions, as to how certain locos were made.  I lived through the 1950’s, as Dan has.

The first thing I would do is buy a round-trip ticket from Chicago to LA on the El Capitan.  After arriving back, I would take the same trip on the Super Chief.

Then I would fast forward to the day Apple went public and purchase 1,000 shares.  Need I say more?

I grew up in the 60's so probably the post-war era for me. From a railroading perspective the steam to diesel transition must have been cool.

I would like to go back to the 60s when my grandfather operated a switcher for Southern in Chattanooga.  My older cousins got to spend some time in the cab with him, but I was not old enough until after he graduated to mainline engineer.  Would love to spend a day with him working in the yard.

RSJB18 posted:

I grew up in the 60's so probably the post-war era for me. From a railroading perspective the steam to diesel transition must have been cool.

I agree

I would love to go for a long ride in a caboose drinking coffee and talking trains in the early 1950s as an adult (I was a young child then) with a couple of other train lovers at the end of a long freight train.

Let’s have Doc Brown build us a time machine out of a DeLorean, lol.

The period I'm most interested in is the 1850s.  Locomotive design had been more or less perfected, but there were still plenty of early (1830s) British engines running around.  Since railroads were doing everything to promote their new tracks and service, they were very photo friendly!  Camera gear of the time was fairly primitive, but I think I could make it work.  As a bonus, I might be able to meet Stephen Foster and hear him sing some original songs.  The other period I find interesting is the 1870s.  The UP Transcon had just been completed and covered a thousand miles of wilderness.

"My Wife is  Most Knowing Woman!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvqm6SY1FQo

"This life we all know is a short one,

Though some tongues are long, heaven knows!

And a miserable life is a husband's 

Who numbers his wife with his foes!

Kent in SD

Put me on the street outside the window of Madison Hardware in late November of '56 with 500 bucks in my pocket and a '54 Desoto to pack my trains into for the ride back...

Two23 posted:

The period I'm most interested in is the 1850s.  Locomotive design had been more or less perfected, but there were still plenty of early (1830s) British engines running around.  Since railroads were doing everything to promote their new tracks and service, they were very photo friendly!  Camera gear of the time was fairly primitive, but I think I could make it work.  As a bonus, I might be able to meet Stephen Foster and hear him sing some original songs.  The other period I find interesting is the 1870s.  The UP Transcon had just been completed and covered a thousand miles of wilderness.

"My Wife is  Most Knowing Woman!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvqm6SY1FQo

"This life we all know is a short one,

Though some tongues are long, heaven knows!

And a miserable life is a husband's 

Who numbers his wife with his foes!

 

 

Kent in SD

Kent, I enjoyed your interesting reply and entertaining song by Stephen Foster on YouTube. Arnold

I have a time machine, but I parked it and can't remember when.