Modeling Railroads of a pre-Depression Era
Modelers
A sample of those who are modeling an era before WWII
Findlay, OH. Image from the Ohio Railroad Station Database website
Dave - Models a portion of the Toledo & Ohio Central in northwestern Ohio, circa 1928.
Steam locomotives are dominant motive power |
Decent passenger traffic, although certainly not peak traffic |
Pre-Depression business conditions |
Falls Junction, OH, 1927 from the W&LE Collection in the Michael J. Schwartz Library of Cleveland State University
Dean - Is influenced by the Wheeling & Lake Erie, circa 1937, when their first Berkshire locos came on line.
Inspired by Father's recollections |
Greater diversity of freight car fleet; lettering differences, more cars less than 40-foot. |
Enjoys Art Deco architecture, the Swing Era music, and automobiles from this era. |
Recently products enable easier modeling of the late 1930s with some degree of accuracy and variety. |
No diesels! |
Kingston Point, NY, 1906 from the Library of Congress
Harold - Models part of the Ulster & Delaware, circa 1923.
Desired to model railroads at their peak, as the nation's pre-eminent industry at full ascendancy. |
Wanted to model a railroad that's making money! |
The Catskill Mountain region is one of his favorite places. The Ulster & Delaware RR ran through the Catskills. |
The U&D ceased to exist in 1932 when it was purchased by the NYC. |
The U&D's richest traffic diversity occurred between 1900 and 1925, and it was a real money-maker during that time. |
The appeal and fascination with early twentieth century railroad equipment. |
T&OC locomotive in Zanesville, OH, 1934. Image from the Fallen Flags website.
Mark - Models a portion of the Toledo & Ohio Central in northeastern Indiana, circa 1915.
T&OC locomotives lost their identity 1927 as they were relettered for the parent New York Central Lines |
Most T&OC freight cars were relettered by 1936 |
Mark wanted to retain the T&OC identity |
1915 era was chosen because his research material mostly dates from that period |
Older equipment and some newer steel freight cars adds variety to the look of the railroad |
Wanted to build and operate a model railroad that was not what "everyone" else is doing |