Modeling Railroads of a pre-Depression Era

 
 

Washington DC, 1917 from the Library of Congress

 

  
 

  • Decades preceeding Depression offer a different perspective than post-WWII era railroads

  • 1900 - 1930 are full of changes as companies succeeded, upgraded, or failed

  • Locomotives grew in size and power

  • Freight car fleet embraces steel for structural components

  • Passenger trains are an important rail traffic component

  • Less than Car Load freight is a much larger portion of the traffic

Pittsburgh, PA, 1915 from the Library of Congress

 

  • Four Distinct Sets of Characteristics to consider - these often overlapped

Railroad Infrastructure and Improvements

Industry and Commerce

Community Related

Social Fabric

 

Toledo, OH, 1910 from the Library of Congress

 

  • Important Markers along the Timeline

AAR/ARA/MCB Rulings

Economic booms and busts

Labor disputes in rail, mining and major industries

Highway construction encourages trucking competition

 

Railroads are more of a vital community link as you look further back in time.

Chagrin Falls, OH, 1915 from the W&LE Collection in the Michael J. Schwartz Library of Cleveland State University

 

  
 

Our focus is on the rail industry and some related elements.

Alexandria, VA, 1925 from the Library of Congress