03-06-2010, 03:08 PM
Stein, just because there were longer cars available in 1957 doesn't mean that you must run them. Any 40 footers built after ww2 would still be in service in 1957. You could also run a few 40 foot high cubes, mix in a few 50 footers (a 50 isn't all that much bigger than a 40). Mill gons would typically be 60 feet long in that era, but other wise 40 foot and 50 foot cars would not be out of place, and you really don't need to deal with longer cars if you don't want to. I think a train made up of 40 & 50 foot cars looks longer than a train of similar length but made up of half as many cars 85 feet long, to say nothing of how many cars will fit on a given siding if they are short instead of longer.
Regarding steam, it depends entirely on the railroad. I model the Santa Fe, steam was gone by 1950 except for a summer rush due to a bumper crop of California fruit in 1952 or 1953 that required them to pull steam out of "moth balls". The N&W and Southern railroads ran steam until 1960, I think. The U.P. ran the Big Boys in helper service on Sherman Hill until 1959, I think. I think the Pennsy and NYC both ran steam well into the 1950's before completely dieselizing. I'm not sure if Minneapolis was served by the Milwaukee Road, C B & Q,, or maybe the Soo; and I'm not sure how long steam lasted on those roads.
Regarding steam, it depends entirely on the railroad. I model the Santa Fe, steam was gone by 1950 except for a summer rush due to a bumper crop of California fruit in 1952 or 1953 that required them to pull steam out of "moth balls". The N&W and Southern railroads ran steam until 1960, I think. The U.P. ran the Big Boys in helper service on Sherman Hill until 1959, I think. I think the Pennsy and NYC both ran steam well into the 1950's before completely dieselizing. I'm not sure if Minneapolis was served by the Milwaukee Road, C B & Q,, or maybe the Soo; and I'm not sure how long steam lasted on those roads.