The How to Design a 1950’s North American themed Trainz layout thread

[Isegrinns]

TOFC wasnt sooo rare back then. Got the impression that roads which specialized on fast freight had more of them anyway.
(NKP comes to mind, but on the N&WHS website, I´ve found photo of a X39 flatcar amidst a train hauled by a Y6!)

The statement about the open racks is correct, they are more 60´s. There were also special rack-equipped 40ft boxcars for automobiles.

 

[Blutorse4792]

My current project is set between 1952 and 1962, so this thread piqued my interest.

Some things I've noticed, at least from a midwestern perspective...

- Don't forget yellow stop signs (As Dricketts has pointed out) or black-striped crossing gates (Maybe even throw in a wig-wag). There were also more unprotected crossings than there are now.

- Abandoned (or active) traction lines are a nice touch, as are suburban subdivisions/highways under construction.

- If modeling the midwest, be sure to include lots of open farmland and forest. Working on my current project, I was surprised to see how much of my area wasn't built up until the mid-to-late 1960s.

- Small airfields - Commercial airliners didn't show up until 1958 or so. Highways existed, but they weren't as big or complex.

- Cities should be much more industrial. Rural areas should have shacks and outhouses.

- Also be sure to include automobiles from the 1930s and 1940s.

- If you're modeling the post-dieselization era, there were still some abandoned coaling and watering stations around. Also, include a few abandoned wyes (steam engines needed them to turn around).

 

[wva-usa]

This 1954 video gets a bit corny at times, but it does provide insight into the size and type of railroad cars used, and the variety of goods shipped, during the 1950s. And there are a good many other 1950s railroad videos at YouTube worth watching! For example, this N&W produced video below provides a visual record of the types/sizes of RR cars used, and goods transported, but also provides glimpses of steam locomotives still in use during the era...

 

[Pencil42]

I also did a number of yellow stop signs a while back: KUID2:124060:60037:1; KUID2:124060:60038:1; KUID2:124060:60039:1; KUID2:124060:60040:1; KUID2:124060:60041:1; and KUID2:124060:60042:1 (and a couple of white ones, which I suspect would be all but gone by that time..)

Also a 48-star flag (reskin of one of Zato's flags): KUID:124060:60033

 

[wklang]

Bob,

Thanks for the information about the Indiana Western route and it's conversion to TS12.

The 50's are my period of interest.

I downloaded your Indiana Western route into TS12 and everything but the track showed-up.

Can you point me to where I can find the track you used.

Thanks,

Wes

 

[Dinorius_Redundicus]

There are plenty of building and structures on the DLS that look "50ish". Structure and vehicle content developers on the DLS that I tend to use, besides some of my own stuff (msgsapper) are:

hobbyman350
Dinorius_Redundicus
dmdrake
bendorsey
euphod
davesnow

Just do a search on the DSL using the user names above for the "Building/Structures" category.

Note: While these kind and creative folks are not the only ones I necessarily use for everything, they are developers from my own personal "preferred short list" of building/structure content developers for my various layouts and I get the bulk of my needed structures content from them for whatever era I am working.

Bob

Still working on that 1935 Dodge Airflow tanker for you. As you said, these were used during the 1950's.
Progress so far shown below...and apologies for the slowness. These things have complex curvy bits and not so easy to make.

~ Deane

 

[H222]

That looks awesome deane!

Jamie

 

[MSGSapper]

Bob,Thanks for the information about the Indiana Western route and it's conversion to TS12.The 50's are my period of interest.I downloaded your Indiana Western route into TS12 and everything but the track showed-up.Can you point me to where I can find the track you used.Thanks,Wes

The track is on the DLS and has been downloaded over 52,000 times so far but here is the link:

Track Wood SG with light brown ballast-TRS2010:

http://www.auran.com/TRS2004/DLS_viewasset.php?AssetID=205948

 

[MSGSapper]

Bob

Still working on that 1935 Dodge Airflow tanker for you. As you said, these were used during the 1950's. Progress so far shown below...and apologies for the slowness. These things have complex curvy bits and not so easy to make.~ Deane

I understand. Afterall you can't rush art! It takes whatever time it takes. Wonderful screenshot and a first class job!!

 

[Trackman53]

"Track Wood SG with light brown ballast-TRS2010:" isn't this European track? US track has spikes and fish plates. This track is screwed down.

 

[LWVRR]

Bob

Still working on that 1935 Dodge Airflow tanker for you. As you said, these were used during the 1950's.
Progress so far shown below...and apologies for the slowness. These things have complex curvy bits and not so easy to make.

~ Deane

Keep those vehicles coming Deane! I tried but failed.

Anyhow, this thread as caught my interest too. If it hasn't been mentioned before, a lot of Dave Snow's content will work well in a 1950's setting.

The new Laurel Line layout is set in 1950 so everything that will be made for the layout will be for the 1950's or older. What I struggle with is the vehicles...theres not many 40ish vehicles out there. I also need 1950ish looking people too.

 

[MSGSapper]

"Track Wood SG with light brown ballast-TRS2010:" isn't this European track? US track has spikes and fish plates. This track is screwed down.

Yep, conceded. It works well, looks great, and I use it on ALL my layouts and that is not going to change. I try for "close" not perfect.....

 

[hminky]

Yep, conceded. It works well, looks great, and I use it on ALL my layouts and that is not going to change. I try for "close" not perfect.....

It isn't "close" and doesn't look "great" for North American track.

Yeah, I know it can be changed but why use something so obviously "wrong". "Wrong" is the word here.

Distracts greatly and not like there isn't anything available that isn't better.

Harold

 

[arkon]

It is NOT wrong. It is the creator's vision and is what he prefers. If you don't like what MSGSapper creates then don't download it. Create a route yourself and use what ever track or items you want. I, for one, think he has captured the 50s' atmosphere perfectly.
Art

 

[hminky]

It is NOT wrong. It is the creator's vision and is what he prefers.

It would be like doing a UK route with Jointed Rail Track. If you are trying to recreate the '50 US railroading it is wrong. There is no "creativity" involved.

I beta tested the CMTM version of his "Cattaraugus" route and after touring about for a couple actual days on the railroad that track is wrong for a '50's railroad.

Harold

 

[Isegrinns]

Yes, vehicles are still a shortage. Besides Deanes awesome trucks, there are not of other appropriate vehicles.

 

[MSGSapper]

Yes, vehicles are still a shortage. Besides Deanes awesome trucks, there are not of other appropriate vehicles.

One of the biggest problems I had was stocking the 1950s Indiana Western layout with both parked and moving cars/vehicles appropriate to the era. There are a good number of available vehicles but you really have to run them down on the DLS and find out what is built in to your TRS2012, and what looks good, and what works. Not all work or look good. Some require rotation and other things to make them work on roads.

To some degree I was able to fix this by creating a new era whch pulled together 40 of the best (IMHO) vehicles appropriate to the 1950s and put them on the roads (see my earlier post on this elsewhere in this thread). This should make it easy for you to incorporate 1950's moving road vehicles into your layout without all the research effort and work I had to do.

Parked cars are still a problem as there were no available splines of any kind that would do this. As of today I have corrected that, although not with a spline approach. I have just uploaded to the DLS 8 static scenery items (TRS2012) that provide a vareity of either 7 or 3 parked 1950s cars taken from those I used for the region. Between these new scenery items and my new region you should be able to do a credible job with stocking decent looking 1950's vehicles on your 1950s layout. FYI I also produced eight modern vehicle versions as well using this approach for layouts based in a later era.

BTW I encourage folks to "re-skin" these new scenery objects and put more vehicle variety out there. Just do your homework and ensure that the vehicle you select really does work in Trainz. See the license section of the "SAP Parked Cars" content item for my re-skinning terms, such as they are. I could have made a lot more of these but got tired after doing the 16th one. These new items should be available for download in about 48 hours or so. I think you will find re-skinning VERY easy because of the technique I use with these items (hint: it uses the "effect" container).

 

[MSGSapper]

Here is a screen shots of my eight new parked 1950s cars static scenery content items. There are four seven car items and four three car items.

 

[bl4882]

Exactly what I dreamed of owning as a teenager! Never got the cars or the gals that followed. :'(

Bernie

 

[mjolnir]

I see two sets of scenery items needed with respect to these parked cars. First, a similar set of items with the cars placed hood to trunk, as contrasted with side by side. In many urban areas in the 1950's, parallel parking was the norm. Second, a set of items with the cars side by side, but on an angle as was sometimes seen in smaller, rural communities, and in front of establishments in "strip" shopping centers.

ns