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December 31, 1959. The year my Grandfather retired from the N&W. The "official" year (1960) N&W switched from steam to diesel.
"I ain't workin' for no dang stinkin Diesel Railroad"!
Gilly
I like the 50's because I can pretend there is still happy coexistance between the late steam and early diesels on my layout. Also, I view that era as a better time in American history.
Based on the progress I've made this year, my wife would call it "The Incomplete Era".
Larry
The UP era of large steam power and turbine power. From the 30's to 1970 approx. nothing like large locomotives built for the Union Pacific.
A rather elastic 1957-1962, with occasional time warps from "the future."
Rusty
1940s era and steam for me although I am thinking about getting some F3s but not quite sure about road name as I would like to have something more than PRR colors.
My vehicles are mid-30s to mid to late 50s and the layout will probably fall into those parameters too. Before interstate highways vehicles had longer lifes which leaves more room for fudging eras. But there is still time to change my mind!
Mine is the late fifties, but sometimes futuristic autos do appear.
The era of Lionel's knuckle coupler.
Trying to stay in the 1965-1975 era.. Pennsy and Penn Central, I remember these from my younger days....
Late '40s to the '60s. Let's me use both steam and diesel. As with some others here, I frequently feel that time was a "better time".
Late summer 1955. I have faded "I like Ike" posters, Wonder Bread billboards, etc. I make exceptions however, beyond that time, for really cool diecast cars from into the 60s, and my collection of TV and movie detectives scattered about the layout, which includes some from the 1890s (Sherlock Holmes) up through a few like Inspector Lewis of the present era.
30's to mid to late 50's
Roughly late Thirties through early Fifties. I try to encompass both steam and early diesels.
I model the 40' through the late 50's, all steam. I am a big N&W/NKP/UP guy so BIG steam is a love of mine.
My tagline says 1948-1957, but the real "sweetspot" is 1953-1957. Allows me to run transition era diesels and steam. And it puts Weirton Steel at the height of its power.
George
For my two rail layout, I mainly stick to 1953-1957 so I can run CNJ Steam (ran until 1954) and early diesels along side PRR diesels, Postwar modified K4s and GG1s. A sweet spot for my modeling interest on the NY&LB.
In three rail, I prefer 1975-1990 since that is when I actually watched trains on the NY&LB, but I am also getting more into some western roads of any era to run at my club with is really for the public. Color and variety tends to dictate the kinds of trains I run for the public anymore.
For me, 40's into the early 50's.
Big Steam and a couple Galloping Geese.
There are oddities like the Coors Silver Bullet and the Phantom at times.
Spring/summer 1953. Milwaukee Road. Don
I model 1971 to 1986 B&O and Chessie Railroad Etc. Based on the coal mines in the early 70,s to late 80,s
Modern times.
Modern times, too. My layout shows the late 90's.
Last century, from about 1940-1967.
When the Chessie System, Burlington Northern, ILLINOIS CENTRAL GULF, and Santa Fe cars appear it means the time period is anytime after 1972.
Andrew
None in particular. It runs the gambit from the ATSF 3000 from the early 1900s to the RailRunner of current times.
Since my passenger cars are PRR "Fleet of Modernism", the trains go to 1948. The model automobles cut off at 1959. My urban/city buildings are what you would find in the 1930s-1950s. I was born in 1942, so my layout represents my "early years".
Modern times with a lot of cars from the '50s & '60s. Except for a few of the wealthier town residents that have current model cars, no one has purchased new vehicles since the '50s-'60s. However the railroads prospered and have been updating their fleet equipment regularly, they have mostly current locomotives with newly updated track.
From "Father Knows Best" to "Happy Days."
Pete
1950 - 1965
No particular era, we just run what we like.
My layout is made to loosely represent the 1950's.......toy train layouts, that is 
East Pittsburg 1951.
I originally chose mid 50's, pretty much because of the automobiles I could get for my layout plus had some mid 50's trains. I think though I might change that to the war era. I am doing a layout based on a very small town and could go with just a handful of automobiles.
September, 1940. The aspens are screaming yellow and a little snow has fallen in
the high country. Steam is king, and many shortlines still survive, to be kept so
by the movement of tons of war materiel in the eminent Second World War. As do
survive a few independent auto makers, while the products of the once great varieties of now defunct makes still raise clouds of dust on America's rural gravel roads. There
were many railroads, there were many makes of automobiles....all was right with
America, although Poland had been invaded.
Lionel 1957 NYC Basement (aka PW retro classic).
contemporary..Rigby yard south portland maine, Guilford,Pan Am,Norfolk Southern and ocassional BNSF. Mostly GP's SD's and Dash 9's.
1905--1953
Southern Pacific circa 1950
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