Modeling 1968-1976-ish

[ljudice]

I've been looking at re-opening a second front in modeling, namely in addition to 1993 Conrail, having a parallel focus on Penn Central.   I am hoping this will
solve my jumping around problem, since I will have two complete, mostly non-overlapping model sets to play with.  Towns and industries could be basically the
same (except probably closed in 1993).

I am wondering how PC modelers cope with the mess of changes in the 1968-1976 era:

  -   Amtrak
  -   COTS labels
  -   Roofwalks

I get wrapped up over issues like avoiding Amtrak, but including cars with COTS labels, which is not exactly right since they do not overlap....

You guys fixated on a year - or allow +/- a few years in there for leeway.   Just wondering what people's thoughts are...

[Rich_S]

I've been looking at re-opening a second front in modeling, namely in addition to 1993 Conrail, having a parallel focus on Penn Central.   I am hoping this will
solve my jumping around problem, since I will have two complete, mostly non-overlapping model sets to play with.  Towns and industries could be basically the
same (except probably closed in 1993).

I am wondering how PC modelers cope with the mess of changes in the 1968-1976 era:

  -   Amtrak
  -   COTS labels
  -   Roofwalks

I get wrapped up over issues like avoiding Amtrak, but including cars with COTS labels, which is not exactly right since they do not overlap....

You guys fixated on a year - or allow +/- a few years in there for leeway.   Just wondering what people's thoughts are...

For me personally, I try to keep rolling stock with in the modeling era. For a Penn Central layout pre ConRail,  if you have a car with a builders date of 1977 on the layout, for me personally that would not fit the era. I'd also expect to still see some New York Central and Pennsylvania freight cars, and a few locomotives and cabooses. As you move closer to 1976, you'd see less NYC and PRR locomotives and cabooses. If your modeling a section of the PC that saw Amtrak service again you'd have to decide is it 1971 or 1975? I happen to prefer beyond 1973 when Amtrak managed to get everything painted into the Amtrak Broken arrow paint scheme. I know others prefer the 1971 Rainbow era of Amtrak. I can't remember off the top of my head, but I think roofwalks were outlawed in the mid 60's, but railroads had 10 years to comply, so when it comes to roofwalks the best thing is to look for a photo of the prototype if possible. I guess the bottom line is, it's your railroad if you're not really into Amtrak, then just go with Amtrak never ran that section of your Penn Central layout.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I don't know how to solve those problems, other than trying to not get too nuts over secondary interests, but I 100% support your decision.

While my prime focus is, of course, 12/85, I really do love stuff from the 70s too. There's been a lot of PC and Reading stuff seeping into my collection lately. In fact, more of it than actual CR stuff over the past two or three years.

[C855B]

Welcome to my (frustrating) world. Rolling stock was in all sorts of transitions - with/without roofwalks, with/without consolidated COTS (and two different styles at that), ACI phase-in, several larger-capacity cars introduced circa 1975 that would stick out like sore thumbs in pre-'70 consists. Alco closed their doors in '69 and lots of RRs purged their rosters of them. Then there's the Amtrak issue.

FOR MYSELF, I'm allowing some fudge room. My target is a blurry 1965-1975 UP, mostly to allow such sins as having PAs, FAs and RS/RSC-2s sharing the same terminal space as one or two SD40-2s. For rolling stock, I'm OK with build dates up to about 1978, maybe one or two cars that "I gotta have" with 1980 dates on them. Auto racks have to be open (I need to hurry to pick-up this month's MTL release). No Amtrak in my world, either. However, NO U-1 dots! That represents a hard date.

To get some relief, the long-term plan is to have a branchline of the layout devoted to 1945-1950, where I can run small steam and first-gen diesels without apology, and maybe have a sprinkling of lower-quadrant semaphores.

[unittrain]

I model 1978-1980 because it allows the greatest diversity in equipment in my opinion, you have all the 1st generation power represented on up to the first SD50 units, with a decent amount of ALCO and some F units still around. For rolling stock you have just about every type of car and road you can think of in quantity dating from as early as the late 30's, along with the first railgons and late 70's exterior post boxcars.

[haasmarc]

I don't know how to solve those problems, other than trying to not get too nuts over secondary interests, but I 100% support your decision.

While my prime focus is, of course, 12/85, I really do love stuff from the 70s too. There's been a lot of PC and Reading stuff seeping into my collection lately. In fact, more of it than actual CR stuff over the past two or three years.

Say it with me.  Reading, Reading, Reading, Reading, READING, READING, READING, READING!!!!!!

Whew.  Got a little excited there...

[amato1969]

I am focusing my modeling on the '74/'75 time frame, which means a variety of markings/logos/roofwalks.  I have found the Morning Sun Color Guides invaluable, as well as web sites such as George Elwood's Fallen Flags and railcarphotos.com.

I treat ACI labels as mandatory, but COTS labels as optional for older cars.  The older boxcars that haven't been shopped will have tall ladders all around and roofwalks, while rebuilt 40-footers have reinforced sills, cut down ladders, and no roofwalks.

Short story, the '70s is a cool era with colorful cars running happily with older/vintage road names and schemes.

  Frank

[bbussey]

I model 1956 for New Haven and 1980 for Conrail, specifically for the reason that there was a diversity in equipment and schemes at those times.

[LV LOU]

Lou,dealing with Amtrak is easy,just do what I do..Model Northeast Pa,Amtrak didn't run here,LOL!!!

[jmlaboda]

I have found the Morning Sun Color Guides invaluable, as well as web sites such as George Elwood's Fallen Flags and railcarphotos.com.

Since it has been mentioned I thought I would point out that George's excellent site is currently down while he is moving it to a new server.  Looks like he will be able to post larger images with the move but it may take upwards of another week or so before it will be back up at the same url... http://rr-fallenflags.org

RR Picture Archives is another great site worth checking out... http://rrpicturearchives.net

[MichaelWinicki]

You may find it easier (I know I did) to select a firm date and stick with it.

I took August, 1970.

That solves a myriad of problems, especially with buying (or not buying stuff) that wasn't there after that date (such as U23B's and GP38-2's), while at the same time allowing for things that were acceptable such as many locomotives still running around in their original paint schemes from the PRR, NYC and the NH.  Not to mention the early years of the PC featured many consists with F units and GP7 & 9's.  The "army" of GP38-2's that showed up after 1970 really squashed the consist variety. 

[wm3798]

I was running 1968-72 on the WM layout.  Amtrak was a non-issue, because passengers were too...  As for the nitpicky details, I didn't lose sleep over them.  Some cars got more attention than others, as time permitted.  But generally it was more important for the rolling stock to have a car card and a waybill rather than the correct ladder or an appropriate amount of rust for that particular day in July.

I'm definitely an "overall effect" kind of guy, and try not to get too wrapped around the axle about minutiae.

If you have a complete enough layout to put time into such things, do whatever floats your boat.  But if (like me) your equipment is presently occupying space in a drawer rather than a freight yard, work on the layout.

Lee

[ljudice]

Good advice all the way around here....   Thanks!!!

[wmcbride]

I was going to do this ten years ago and came upon a good deal on SD35s. I had quite a rainbow collection of them and repainted a few. Then I got sucked into the modern diesels and contemporary railroading. I sold the SD35s.

Every once in a while I still find myself searching for SD35s and thinking hard about Intermountain PC F7s... 

It's tempting since I lived in the middle of it.

(I do have three CNJ SD35s still squirreled away; just could never sell those).

[BOK]

As information, when I started railroading in 1968 on the Illinois Central as a brakeman I remember seeing all kinds of interesting stuff like ice reefers, new jumbo, mechanical reefers just coming into service, most grain moving in 40' single door boxes, and many 10,000 gallon, single dome, tank cars with build dates of 1912 and up still in revenue service. 85' pig flats were just coming into use and there some, 40' baby hi cube boxes for appliance loadings. Most hoppers used on the IC in coal service were still 70 ton, two bay, open tops with a few new, red eye, quad hoppers for coal unit trains. All trains still ran with cabooses, passenger service was declining but many trains still had RPOs. Many industries still had rail service and local freights were busy, along with manned interlocking towers and depots. Engine facilities were old steam ones and a lot of diesel fuel seeped into the ground due to few automatic shut-off valves on fuel nozzels so while serviceable few were modern.

On the down side, passenger train eliminations, branch line abandonments and crew layoffs were rampant and it wasn't a very positive time for the industry. Still, it was a colorful time with very little grafetti other than a few chalk marks on cars and we all looked forward to brighter days.

Sorry if I wrote too much.

Barry