Saturday, August 20, 2011

Chosing the "Right" Era

I've always been a big fan of First Generation Diesels and fascinated by all those industrial gas mechanical critters and switchers. Plus, add to that a selection of steam-powered, oil-burning logging locomotives like Climax, Shay and the massive saddle tank Mallets, the list begins to fill. But I love those plantation tank engines from the glory days of the sugar cane and pineapple industry on the Hawaiian Island...Man, that's a pretty big range of eras and likes.

I'm also a fan of some WWII military vehicles, so mix that all together and what do you get? Obviously my new On30 layout will be set in the post-WWII era.Some brief research these days few days has uncovered that steam and Diesel worked side-by-side into the late 1950's even as late as 1960 on some logging and industrial railroads. In Hawaii a few of the remaining sugar mills and plantations operated railroads up into the late 1950's as well.

Since my "combo" plantation and logging layout concept is placed in "out-of-the-way" locales, time has stood still and the old steamers are still plugging side-by-side with the "newer" Diesels and gas mechanicals on the same narrow gauge rails along thanks to a good loco shop foreman and crew!

So...I'm zeroing-in on 1948 to possibly by birth year of 1955 as the era my railroad will "live" in. We'll see how things progress as all the elements begin to come together in the weeks and months ahead.

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