Poll: Which time period do you model?

My preferred period doesn't quite fit any of the selections, so I had to pick the no specific period option. But my primary period is mid '50s to mid-late '60s. With a few exceptions if I really like something. 

Like Nicole, my period doesn't quite fit the listed categories.  My period is post WWII but before 1950.  There was a big difference between pre-WWII operations and equipment and post WWII.  Plus the late 40s was a different era than the 50s, when our country started to see rapid cultural, social, and industrial changes.

 

Ron

1952 +/- three years

You are right about that period.  I thought of the distinctions you mention and others as I was writing out the poll and thought "If I'm not careful I will end up with over a dozen time periods here." so I tried to broaden each, with the effect you commented on.

 

Even with just the thread of us commenting, you see a trend already developing - what I expected.  I model the 1950s, although as Nicole said, when something really important from another era comes up, or I just like it, well . . .   Anyway, I think most people model a time around when they were kids, and given the demographics of folks on this foru m, I expect a heavy emphasis on post WWII and the 1950s . . .

40's through the late 50's.

My wife said i play with trains and she don't no what to with me.

I collect/operate modern steam and first generation diesels  as well as electrics of the same era 1935-1955. 

Very interesting poll Lee.  I suspect age has something to do with the era we operate and model.

While it's not set totally in stone for me, I prefer the '50s to late '60s...the last decade of the CB&Q before the '69 merger...cascade green would usually roll on my tracks if it said "Burlington" only. My son{7}, however, likes anything...which is fine by me. "All trains are cool dad" was the reply I just got from him...enough said! 

I like the mid 50s - 1965 era since it covers the Southern Railway change from green to black and ACL purple to black. I have tried to keep this time frame for both my HO and O scale models. I have also allowed some 1980s era SCL / Seaboard System models since that reminds me of my high school days at the Wilmington (NC) Railroad Museum.

I picked the -35 to -50 slot.

I Like steam favoring Big steam and am not interested in Diesels.

But so far I've avoided the 4-4-0's but they do look interesting...

So on my Layout Steam carries on.

I try to find scenic items that fit the pre mid 50's time slot.

Cars and trucks are slim picking partially due to non production in the war.

The time frame I voted on is close to what I do.  But I have always described my layout/interests as "late steam to early diesel/electric".  The latest I do is 1959; however, a particular fire engine I wanted was available only in a 1960 model, so I "compromised".

 

Bill

When I was accumulating HO for the dream layout (that never came to fruition) I concentrated on PRR Steam / early diesel.  Interesting, to me anyway, is now that I am running and operating trains on my carpet empire, a lot of the old things I thought were ugly I now want.  The FM Virginian for example.  Interesting how we can change.  I am going to go with what appeals to me for a while on my carpet and once I am again in a home I can see what I feel like then.  This is one of the things that I love about this hobby.  Other than wiring, there really is no wrong way to do things.

I chose the 1935 to 1950  era because of my interest in steam and early diesels.  Bo

 

 

Visit my website Bo's Trains at http://www.bostrains.com

I wish we could respond to polls from an iPad. Late steam; early diesel. All our autos are from before 1960. 

I choose 60-80s.  I grew up in and around Baltimore (still here) and remember seeing Chessie/B&O/C&O livery littering the rails around the Baltimore area.  Also, I try to limit myself to a certain period so I don't go broke trying to buy up everything and anything.

More specific than a particular period, my layout is set in September of 1959. All of the diecast cars are from 1959 and earlier. The one exception is a 1960 Corvette. Theoretically it was possible to purchase that car brand new in September of 1959. I was never happy with the purple color of that car and I may try one of Lee's repainting projects.

You forgot to include "All of the above"!

 

My HO layout (when it's put togeter) is the 'KL&B Eastern Lines RR Museum', which includes things from just about all of the time periods you listed.

 

My O/O27 stuff is more of a mixed bag of things that struck my fancy, or were given to me as gifts.

 

Wow...I'm the only one who models the 19th century! I wonder how MTH and Lionel (and SMR) can be successful with models from that period.

Cool poll.  I wonder wonder how many people who do pre post war period and post war period actually do both. I'm one of those "model what I like" kind of guys but it does make scenery difficult.  Right now my layout exists in this nebulous "could be the 50's, could be the 60's, could be the 70's" arrangement.  Everything looks OK except the SD70ACE; it's a bit out of place.  My N scale layout is worse - i've got a mix of E/F powered streamliner "name trains" rolling around with state of the art SD70ACE and ES44 Intermodal consists and coal drags.   There's also a bullet train in there somewhere.

I model a railroad that's like the Ohio central was in the 21 century. I have steam powered specials and diesel freights   

I answered 35-50, but a perfect fit for me would be 30-55, Close enough, By the way, first poll for me ever where you are allowed to change your vote. Kudo's

Late 1980's-90's

CSX

West Virginia coal hauling out of the hollers of the Logan subdivision.

GP38's, GP40's, SD35's

A few older paint schemes from Chessie, and even B&O never made it to the paint shop so they are present, but few.

My railroad is 1950's with some cheating going on. I model the Milwaukee Road and I don't believe a Pacific, Mikado, Northern, F-7, SW-9 and GP-9 were running in the same time period. My die-cast cars and trucks are 1959 or older and I try to keep the scenery, buildings etc. looking like the 50's. Mly childhood was in the 50's and 60's, (I was born in 1949), so I think that explains my time period for modeling. Besides, it gives me the opportunity to run both steam and diesel.

I model 1948-1957 on the Pennsylvania Railroad.  1957 is the last year of steam operation on the Pennsy.  I am also doing some cheating because while ore jennies are well within the timeframe, the specific ore jenny used by the PRR dates to 1960.  Same deal for coil-covered gondolas.  If I were strictly adhering to the prototype, iron ore would be carried in (visually) lightly-loaded gondolas and coils would be transported in box cars.

 

Hey, didn't someone run an O-gauge confessional awhile ago? 

 

George

1906 thru 1934 tinplate

I answered 1935-1950. I limit my Pennsy equipment to1949 (the T-1's still in limited service)-Nov, 1952 (when PRR started repainting passenger units into that garish Tuscan). Saved a lot of money on diseasels, too.

I too couldn't pick from the listed choices.  

 

I run Lionel Pennsy from 1946 to the present.  (The 'Knuckle Coupler' era.)

I selected 1900-'35, but the layotu will mostly reflect the inter-war period with a few anachornisms.

I *also* model 1860s on my modules of our club layout, but we can't pick more than one.

Good Poll---I model in the 1935-1950 category.

 

Adding to the post about time period perhaps being related to age got me thinking as to why someone chose the particular period they model.  

 

I'm 47 and always had a fascination with WWII and history.  I also really like steam engines so I guess I just fell into this time frame without really thinking about it too much.

 

--Greg

Mostly postwar from '48 to '60.

My current layout is December 1952. 

11:59 PM December 31, 1959; the date my Grandfather retired from the N&W.

 

"I'm not working for a dang stinking diesel railroad!"

 

Gilly

 

 

No, SMD4 there are at least two of us.

Heheh, mine's still on the old years calender since it's now January{for the rest of the day}...spose I should flip it a month or two. 

Summer of 1940 Chama to Antonito, ON30.  Russ

I selected the last catagory.  I started out collecting items from late steam/early diesel, but when I finally purchased a new modern/current diesel a few more followed.

I am running steamers from the 1930s to modern engines.  But nothing earlier.  I checked the any period.

Lackawanna Railroad from 1935-1955.