Freelance 2015-1

[faraway]

I have still no intention to change the layout but may be engines and rolling stock of an earlier area fit the buildings better.

[Catt]

Reinhard,

I would hazard a guess that just about anything from the transition era up and including today's locos and freight cars would work on your layout with probably nothing more that a vehicle change to go with them.

[faraway]

Reinhard,

I would hazard a guess that just about anything from the transition era up and including today's locos and freight cars would work on your layout with probably nothing more that a vehicle change to go with them.

I think there is a time when it becomes unlikely that the residual business done in those old buildings is still rail served. e.g. did BN run the last switch job in the West Bottoms KC MO, on it's last day with a SW1500. BNSF did never switch it again.

[BR60103]

Reinhard,

I would hazard a guess that just about anything from the transition era up and including today's locos and freight cars would work on your layout with probably nothing more that a vehicle change to go with them.

I think there is a time when it becomes unlikely that the residual business done in those old buildings is still rail served. e.g. did BN run the last switch job in the West Bottoms KC MO, on it's last day with a SW1500. BNSF did never switch it again.

The Toronto Model Railway Club had a location in an old industrial area.
They were telling me that railway business there had fallen off, but during a truck drivers' strike, one of the businesses asked the railway to provide a few cars down the track. The railway quoted an enormous fee to put the track back in service after decades of no use.

If you move the era too far back, you may have to unblock some of those windows.

[faraway]

.... If you move the era too far back, you may have to unblock some of those windows.

Right, that is the other delimiter. Many of the windows are either closed by me (could be easy opened) or by design from Downtown Models. It is not likely to model an warehouse district in the 1950s with so many closed businesses. That is the reason why I use 1970s and 1980s as a very general timeline for my freelance layout. That might be stretched with much good will into the late 1960s and early 1990s.

[Brakie]

Reinhard,A lot of industries started blocking off windows in the 50's for various reasons including safety reasons.I prefer modeling the IPD boxcar era (77-80) and mid 80s.

BTW..Your concrete canyon layouts has caused me some sleepless nights..I have never model urban industries and the idea of doing such has been floating around for several months.

[Painkiller]

I guess to able to mix eras is very important on a layout as at times it is nice to use it as an time machine. I love modern diesels and cars but when you couple up just a flex you realize that they are space eating monsters. Also the fact like the fifties, the railroads were busier than today. I had a plan previously to have buildings placed on modules that were interchangable, one block or buildings that was let's say from the fifties and one more modern with all the modifications done with time. Vehicles and such would be changed too but that is a hobby within the hobby to collect them and when necessary fix them up to get closer to real thing. I still have that in mind as I have loads of engines and cars from various eras! I guess old times suit your current layout theme quite well and it will as usual follow these threads of yours. It was THE reason why I became a member here!

Right now I am studing how a common truck and other commercial vehicles looked during the fifties. I still like the idea of a city branch or secondary main through a big city. One idea is to Place it in New York and using all those terminals in Brooklyn as a template to make my own operation, the other is in L.A with a secondary main with only zebra striped engines with limited number cars on transfers and switching as I allways have been a fan of Bob Smaus's layouts. I know that he models SP but then again I do have a healthy roster of SP engines perfect for the eighties. As more modern, I love the GMD 1.s and they would fill the bill or going to same stuff using just diesels on a Swedish layout. Time will tell.... By the way I got myself a 0n30 ten Wheeler which looks and run awesome... But threads here like yours are allways an inspiration! So keep it up!

[faraway]

I have an old affection for the ALCO switchers and prefer Atlas drives. The new Atlas S2 was an easy choice for me. CR did not use the EL S2 for a long time but long enough to get this two shots.

[Brakie]

Reinhard,That top photo with the Alco sitting out/picking up that car is simply breath taking and speaks of back ally railroading of a bygone era..

[faraway]

Larry, thank you for the kind words but that is also the problem. I like the Downtown Deo buildings to much to tear them down. I need a really compelling vision of a new layout theme to do that.

[torikoos]

IMHO,Reinhard, at this point in time, just enjoy it, and (slowly) add more small details to bring the scenes further to life.
Looking lovely, and also I love the Alco switcher shot!
Koos

[bdw9535]

Reinhard,That top photo with the Alco sitting out/picking up that car is simply breath taking and speaks of back ally railroading of a bygone era..

Reinhard,

I agree with Larry. If you decide on making a change have you ever looked into the Fells Point area of Baltimore, MD? There was a lot of street running and Conrail had a presence in the late 70's to early 90's and your Downtown Deco buildings would fit right in.

Bruce

[lajry]

Reinhard
Is that EL crew "out to beans" or both on the ground throwing switches> >}

[faraway]

Reinhard
Is that EL crew "out to beans" or both on the ground throwing switches> >}

Both cower in the cab hiding their brand new Conrail shirts

[Mike Kieran]

Reinhard,

The New York Cross Harbor/ New York New Jersey Railroads are still running through old decayed buildings. In fact, they now have GP-38s running down 1st Avenue.