Era Discussion

[Rivet Miscounter]

Is there a relatively agreed upon breakout of eras for North American railroading?

For example, a quick search for "Transition Era" yields a few different answers.  The one that seems probably closest came from the MRH forum, "The Transition Era is roughly defined as the period from 1946 to 1960".

I recall in the early 90s right before I took a sabbatical from the hobby, "Modern" was 1980+, coinciding with deregulation.   I've seen some references to modern now that are something like 1990-Present, which seems way too long to me.  I think 2008 has to be a significant stop point, as the Great Recession significantly changed railroading equipment.

Beyond that, I don't have much to add, and definitely am not trying to reinvent the wheel. (possibly if you say 1990-present on modern would be the exception to that)   I'm really just trying to find out what the overall standard would be.  If it matters, I'm looking from a model railroad standpoint versus an industry one.   Even though 1980 and 2008 were significant industry dates too, one impact to both categories is a significant change in railroads and equipment. (in 2008, a lot of freight cars and locos got bashed in the head)

[Apologies...I did search, and I even feel like I've asked this question before but wasn't finding any hits.  And just searching for "era" is futile.]

[Scottl]

Those terms are a bit static IMO, even if they are widely used.  As someone who models 'current' (late 2010s), to me modern is not the 1990s and early 2000s- everything is completely different now.  Post-c.2008 things look and operate a lot more similarly with concrete ties, big, largely standard diesels, a predominance of intermodal and unit trains and (don't shoot the messenger) endemic graffiti.  Yes there are shortlines that defy those features, but the emergence of the mega Class I railroad is pretty evident in railroading now and has been for about 15 years.

[CR4100]

I divide the modern era into two parts. 2007 and later when conspicuity stripes are required is "contemporary." 1980 to 2006 is "modern."

[Maletrain]

For actual modeling, I don't think the terminology is especially useful.  There are specific changes that are more important to specific railroads.

For instance, the B&O renumbered all of its locomotives circa 1957.  Diesels went from short numbers to 4 digits, and steam locos (mostly) went to short numbers, although some survived with longer numbers until they were scrapped.

Not long after, the B&O went through a couple of "simplifying" paint schemes for its diesels, which is also very apparent on a model layout.

Less conspicuous things like yellow grabs, etc, still defined change dates.

And, of course, passenger trains were phased out to a large degree, and then Amtrak came in, with distinctive cars.  Plus, there is Conrail making its entry on a specific date, so earlier model periods would not want cars marked for Conrail in "foreign" consists.

So, I think that most people who are trying to model a particular prototype in a particular period have their own special period designators.

Otherwise, I think modelers just go by "the look" of something that they feel represents an era of interest to them, without being very picky about the boundaries on a calendar.

But, "Its your railroad," so a mixed train with a 4-4-0 steam loco pulling autoracks with a wooden drover's caboose is OK if that is what you like to run. (Ed might even be able to find a prototype for it.)

[randgust]

I'd like to see the early 70's referred to as 'Transition II'; so much was happening.  BN.  Amtrak.  End of PC.  Start of intermodal and unit trains.  In ATSF, first generation diesels last gasp, new second generation arriving.   Paint scheme changes. 

And in 1976, Conrail.   Both 1971 and 1976 were earthshaking years.

[Rivet Miscounter]

I'm ultimately looking for something like the following that Marklin puts out for European rail eras...    I would assume there is something like this for NA Rail, no?   I know there are plenty of places to find someone's version of a list like this, I'm just wondering if there is one that is recognized as the de-facto standard.

-------------------------------

Eras – The Changes in Railroad History

If you want to be exact about the subject, you will find an overview on this page of the historic eras and emblems for past and current European railroads. The division in eras follows NEM standards, but the newer eras are not precisely defined. Even in the prototype, there can be some overlap in the features of different eras.

Era 1/Era I
1835 to about 1925
In founder phase of railroading provincial and private railroads came into being with in some cases extensive route networks. Era I is marked by a variety of locomotives and cars, colors, and lettering.

Era 2/Era II
1925 to 1945
The great national state railroads were established in Europe. In Germany, the provincial and private railroads were merged in 1920 into the German State Railroad Company (DRG). The variety of locomotives and cars was condensed by standard designs.

Era 3/Epoche III
1945 to 1970
The Fifties and Sixties were marked by reconstruction and economic growth. The new German Federal Railroad (DB) grew rapidly, and steam locomotives had to make way for more powerful and efficient diesel and electric locomotives. The German State Railroad (DR) in the GDR (East Germany) developed parallel to the DB.

Era 4/Era IV
1970 to 1990
The European wide standard computer-generated UIC lettering of all locomotives and cars marked the start of this era. This process extended over several years so that a mix of old and new lettering could be seen chiefly on the cars.

Era 5/Era V
1990 to 2006
New paint schemes signaled the "New Era" in modern railroading. At the same time, thought began to be given in almost all European countries to fundamental restructuring that have been realized in a concrete fashion at present. After the unification of the two Germanys, the German State Railroad (DR) (East Germany) and the German Federal Railroad (DB) were merged in steps into the German Railroad, Inc. (DB AG). Since 1994, there has been the new logo of the DB AG. A mix of different color and logo variations could also be observed in this era.

Era 6/Epoche VI
2006 to the Present
The liberalization of rail transport in Europe brings new challenges to the railroad's locomotives and cars that must adhere to European railroad standards for international use. In fact, there are no standard paint schemes or recognition lettering, but there is a new 12 digit numbering scheme (even for motive power) that even in the model clearly defines the locomotives and cars as belonging to the present of railroad technology.

[garethashenden]

No, I don't think a system like that would work easily with American railroads. That system works where there are nationalized railways, or where there are a few large players. So it would work for Germany or the UK, but not the US.
How would we define US eras? Here's my first pass at it, but its problematic in areas.

1830-1865: The birth of the railroads
1865-1890s: Westward expansion, robber barons
1890s-1917: Early Railroad regulation
1917-1921: USRA Control
1920-1945: Roaring twenties, great depression, War. Could be three separate eras, lots of technological innovations
1945-1960: Steam to diesel transition.
1960-1980: Industrial decline & Consolidation
1980-2000: Deregulation
2000+ Mega-mergers

[Rivet Miscounter]

No, I don't think a system like that would work easily with American railroads. That system works where there are nationalized railways, or where there are a few large players. So it would work for Germany or the UK, but not the US.
How would we define US eras? Here's my first pass at it, but its problematic in areas.

1830-1865: The birth of the railroads
1865-1890s: Westward expansion, robber barons
1890s-1917: Early Railroad regulation
1917-1921: USRA Control
1920-1945: Roaring twenties, great depression, War. Could be three separate eras, lots of technological innovations
1945-1960: Steam to diesel transition.
1960-1980: Industrial decline & Consolidation
1980-2000: Deregulation
2000+ Mega-mergers

Sorry, I think you misunderstood.   I didn't mean trying to apply any of that European data to US.  Just generally that there are a large handful of eras defined based on SOME interpretation of what defines an era in US Railroading.   

I assumed that somewhere a group had sort of already done this.  I mean....there DEFINITELY is a "Transition Era" defined in the US.  The dates may not have universal agreement, but the gist of what it represents is certainly well defined.  Historically the was a 1980's + definted as modern, but again that was 35 years ago when MR et al used that definition.

If I were to take a stab at it, here would be my best list:
Pre-1929 Early-Era (Era I)
1929-1946 WWII-Era (Era II)
1946-1960 Transition-Era (Era III)
1960-1974 Diesel-Era (Era IV)
1974-1993 Deregulation-Era (Era V)
1993-2008 Merger-Era (and/or A/C Technology-Era) (Era VI)
2008-Current Modern-Era (Era VII)
(and we might be amidst the next cutoff, either 2020 or sometime in the last/next couple of years, but of course wouldn't be recognized for another decade probably)

A lot of the above can be argued.   The names themselves are extreme generalizations.   For example, I get it that CSX and NS mergers happened in the mid-80s, but the 90's gave us UP swallowing up the remainder of its prey, BNSF, and the end of Conrail to sort of solidify CSX and NS.   Mid-70s is when a lot of the current freight car technology really took off, so that's my reasoning for that....ACF hoppers, etc.   1993 was when the MAC's hit and AC4400's soon thereafter.   2008 I've already mentioned.

[garethashenden]

These two lists show how hard it is. Its highly dependent on the interests of the person making the list. I have little interest in modern railroads, and my list reflects that. There definitely is a Transition Era, but when is it? Internal combustion has been in use on railroads since the '20s. There were numerous diesel passenger and switching locomotives in use in the '30s. Most steam was gone by the mid '50s, but the N&W was still building steam engines in 1953. So unless one were to do a railroad by railroad list of eras, one universally agreed upon list is impossible.

For contrast, these are the widely accepted UK eras. Aside from the break between 1 & 2, they are fairly hard lines. The difference between 4&5 and 5&6 being the fuzziest.
ERA 1 (Pioneering) 1804-1869
ERA 2 (Pre-Grouping) 1870-1922
ERA 3 (Grouping) 1923-1947
ERA 4 (Early British Railways) 1948-1956
ERA 5 (Late British Railways) 1957-1968
ERA 6 (British Rail Pre-TOPS) 1957-1971
ERA 7 (British Rail TOPS) 1971-1986
ERA 8 (BR Sectorisation) 1982-1997
ERA 9 (Privatisation) 1996-2008
ERA 10 (Network Franchising) 2006-2017
ERA 11 (Present Day) 2014 onwards

[TinyTurner]

I have long thought of everything that is of right now as 'contemporary' and anything before that as 'historical'.
 

[BobRunty]

I'd like to see the early 70's referred to as 'Transition II'; so much was happening.  BN.  Amtrak.  End of PC.  Start of intermodal and unit trains.  In ATSF, first generation diesels last gasp, new second generation arriving.   Paint scheme changes. 

And in 1976, Conrail.   Both 1971 and 1976 were earthshaking years.

I wholeheartedly agree, rand.
I’ve always thought of the seventies as a major transition era. I started railfanning in 1974 and at that time there were still a few wood freight cars out there, albeit rare. A caboose on almost every train, the 40’ boxcar still ruled, many in fallen flags paint, first gen motive power everywhere, F’s, E’s, Alcos, FM’s, etc. A lot of the steam era support structure still around, depots in almost every town, roundhouses, turntables still in use, towers at most rail crossings, timetable and train order still in use. It’s like it all quickly disappeared shortly after deregulation in the early 80’s.
Yes, 1976 WAS the year. Bicentennial paint that really kicked off the commemorative paint schemes we still enjoy today.
And Conrail. My friends cousin took us out to his favorite Chicago hotspots the week after the merger, and oh my, the mixed power we saw. I recall our excitement speculating over what the new corporate image might look like as applied to a locomotive. It wasn’t till about mid-summer that I recall seeing the first unit in Conrail blue. But this was well before internet days and news traveled slowly, usually having to wait till the next issue of enthusiasts mags to get it.
In a lot of ways, the 70’s were kind of a blasé decade, but as far as railfanning was concerned, it was incredible. I’m happy I got to experience operations the way they used to be.

[DirtyD79]

I still go by 1980 to present as modern. That said I just think maybe saying you model a particular range of years is best as it leaves no doubt about the time period you're modeling. 

[learmoia]

Here is my take on it..
Era 1: Tom Thumb up to (but Not including the 4-4-0)
Era 2: 4-4-0 to late 1890s (Transcontinental Railroad - Open Ended Vestibule passenger cars.)
Era 3: Late 1890s-1925 (Wood Cars and Steam advance)
Era 4: 1925-1945 (Superpower Steam)
Era 5: 1946-1960 Gen 1 Diesel
Era 6: 1960-1975 U/C Boat GP7-35
Era 7: 1975-1990 GP/SD 40+ Diesel/Modern Freight Cars
Era 8: 1990-Early 2000s Pre-Ditch Lights
Era 9: Early 2000s-2020 Graffiti Ditch Lights and Safety Stripes.
Era 10: 2020 - Anti-Graffiti lettering.

[sirenwerks]

Too Early - Steam
Just Right - F3 to pre-SD50
Origami - Everything else