Most Interesting Type of Train to You?

[Rossford Yard]

Probably pressing my luck a bit on creating popular topics, but given the childhood memories didn't seem to pan out as reason for picking an era to model, it occurs that at some point after our train interest was established, perhaps a certain train type really reinforced our love of trains in a certain era?

I can see some rail geeks (modelers and fans) getting enthused (or re enthused) by their first sighting of:

Trains with cabooses
High speed piggy back trains (TOFC in the 70's or Containers later)
Unit Coal Trains
Unit Grain Trains
Industrial switch moves
Yard switching
Post WWII Streamline passenger trains
Interurban
MOW moves
Narrow Gauge
Ore Trains
Commuter Trains
Civil War

I always loved yard switching, but was quite taken by BN unit coal trains.  Somehow (maybe familiarity) those Chicago push pull commuter trains never really appealed to me)


Yes, my list sort of drifted to era, but looking to see if any particular train type particularly floated your boat (car ferries?), either initially or after a few years of train interest?

[trainforfun]

My choices are the first 6 !

[Roger Holmes]

I may be old but I wasn't around to see Civil War trains in action. 

 Put me down for commuter trains on the Milwaukee Road's West line out of Chicago which were interspersed with UP City Streamliners at speed.  Very vague recollection of heavyweight commuter cars pulled by steam.  Clear recollections of orange/maroon/black heavyweights pulled by Torpedo tube Geeps. My brothers and I would walk to the station to meet our Dad returning from work on the train and if we went early enough the UP City of Something would blast through town (Roselle).

Very fond memories of the first corrugated bi-levels on display at the local station (1962 I think) and, of course riding those many times.

[CRL]

Although I like steam, particularly narrow gauge in the larger scales - HO, S, & O, I model N-scale diesel branch line mixed freight & rural mining/quarrying operations. l was attracted to N-scale because it’s the best to use where the scenery can actually dwarf the trains in a more realistic manner than in other scales in a more manageable area. I like to model in N-scale, but use HO track radius standards for visible trackage. I find intermodel and unit train mainline operations to be largely uninteresting due to lack of switching operations.

[Maletrain]

Like:
Post WWII Streamline passenger trains
Industrial switch moves
Yard switching
Unit Long Coal Trains (and "stone" (limestone), and ore in regular hoppers)
add long reefer blocks
add express trains using baggage and express cars with a rider coach on the end
add local passenger trains that have steam locomotives
add cabooses


Don't Like:
High speed piggy back trains (TOFC in the 70's or Containers later)
Unit Grain Trains
Interurban (electric or doodlebugs)
MOW moves
Ore Trains
Commuter Trains that use RDCs
add FREDs

Don't like or dislike:
Narrow Gauge

[Bill H]

Like:
Post WWII Streamline passenger trains
Industrial switch moves
Yard switching
Unit Long Coal Trains (and "stone" (limestone), and ore in regular hoppers)
add long reefer blocks
add express trains using baggage and express cars with a rider coach on the end
add local passenger trains that have steam locomotives
add cabooses


Don't Like:
High speed piggy back trains (TOFC in the 70's or Containers later)
Unit Grain Trains
Interurban (electric or doodlebugs)
MOW moves
Ore Trains
Commuter Trains that use RDCs
add FREDs

Don't like or dislike:
Narrow Gauge

Completely agree...

[Dave V]

Steam-powered passenger trains...  No matter the era, that just screams "railroadin'" to me.

[randgust]

Wow, well there's some difference of opinion.

It's hard to say what I don't like, but here's some comments:

I like 'em long and longer, and with lots of power, that's the N scale advantage.   Nothing sillier looking than a Class-1 single locomotive with a short unit train consist of a few mixed coal cars or 10 double-stack platforms.
I still can't get used to not having cabooses it's like ending sentences without a
I like almost anything where it's obvious there's been some real research effort involved to get there by the modeler, be it historic passenger consists, a 50+ car modern unit train done up right, a circus train, or a period-accurate steam freight.  Teach me something with your work I didn't know before.   I know 'modelers license' and 'its my railroad', but I do appreciate work to an historic level.
I'm not a big fan of 'special run' cars, foobie MT schemes, billboard beer cars, state cars, and other 'collectable but fantasy' stuff.   It better exist in real life for me to really respect it.

I'm a huge fan of passenger trains where cars have been painted and detailed to match a real consist (you know who you are!!!) to where I don't even question if what I'm looking at is an accurate recreation.

I absolutely love N steam when taken to the accuracy and detail levels it's been show here, switching, passenger, anything.   It's so difficult that it's the N scale equivalent of an Ironman competition.

And whatever it is, I like to see it as it really was, either clean, or weathered to abuse levels. 

[Rossford Yard]

Wow, well there's some difference of opinion.

It's hard to say what I don't like, but here's some comments:

I like 'em long and longer, and with lots of power, that's the N scale advantage.   Nothing sillier looking than a Class-1 single locomotive with a short unit train consist of a few mixed coal cars or 10 double-stack platforms.
I still can't get used to not having cabooses it's like ending sentences without a
I like almost anything where it's obvious there's been some real research effort involved to get there by the modeler, be it historic passenger consists, a 50+ car modern unit train done up right, a circus train, or a period-accurate steam freight.  Teach me something with your work I didn't know before.   I know 'modelers license' and 'its my railroad', but I do appreciate work to an historic level.
I'm not a big fan of 'special run' cars, foobie MT schemes, billboard beer cars, state cars, and other 'collectable but fantasy' stuff.   It better exist in real life for me to really respect it.

I'm a huge fan of passenger trains where cars have been painted and detailed to match a real consist (you know who you are!!!)

I absolutely love N steam when taken to the accuracy and detail levels it's been show here, switching, passenger, anything.   

And whatever it is, I like to see it as it really was, either clean, or weathered to abuse levels.

Based on your post, I added "Trains with Cabooses" to the original post.  I modeled 1980's for a while, yes, pre BNSF and mega UP for variety, but mostly to keep cabeese!  Should have realized that one right from the start.

[C855B]

High speed piggy back trains (TOFC in the 70's or Containers later) Yes, but 1970s TOFC only. Containers and especially well cars are a humongous bore.
Unit Coal Trains Modern, no. Pre-Powder River operations I can go for.
Unit Grain Trains No.
Industrial switch moves No. Excruciating.
Yard switching A little.
Post WWII Streamline passenger trains Yes.
Interurban No.
MOW moves No. The bane of my railfanning existence! Rail grinding trains are cool, however.
Narrow Gauge Neutral. Classic steam NG, not so much, but industrial NG appeals to me.
Ore Trains Yes.
Commuter Trains No.
Civil War No.

And...

Mixed Manifest Absolutely. This is the bulk of transition- and decline-era mainline railroading. Tuscan boxcars rule!
Amtrak No. Depressing reminder of what used to be.
Cabooses. Mandatory. FREDs are like a sentence without a period

[CRL]

And whatever it is, I like to see it as it really was, either clean, or weathered to abuse levels.

Absolutely!!! Although even new/clean equipment needs enough haze to knock off the shine and highlight shadows for depth.

[Wlal13again]

Unit coal/coke train. Love the mile of black diamonds

[peteski]

I like *ALL* N scale trains and most Z scale trains.  For others I go to the Crew Lounge or the Prototype sections. 

[TLOC]

I will go with my favorite as the Rock Island commuter trains running through Oak Forest, Illinois in the 60’s to 76. Lots of variety in Locomotive color and commuter car styles. I spend many combined hours at crossing gates either going to school or work.

Second would be the Santa Fe Super Chief, not ever seeing it in person but from the Lionel Xmas ads. When I got my 1st O27-ABBA set I was thrilled. For quite a few years my grandmother purchased 2 passenger cars each Xmas to complete the train.

Tom

[learmoia]

Autorack trains..

~Ian