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Post by markm on Aug 10, 2016 20:38:55 GMT -5
A couple of comments of Matt with his decoder question made me think about how closely people model eras in Z or any other scale. Using the SP F3 example: the units as modelled by AZL would have run from only from 1947 to 1949, at which time the B units were renumbered with an 8000-series number or a 500-series number (for T&NO...hint, hint hint). And then, from my research, would have generally been run as an A-B-B-A consist.
If I were to acquire the an SP F3 (I'm more interested in WP) set the second thing I would do (after testing them out) would be to add road numbers to run it as an A-B consist.
Do people model and run their models to this level of detail and do people "touch-up" their rolling stock to match the era they're modelling??
Mark
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Post by dazed on Aug 10, 2016 22:33:32 GMT -5
As a new semi-convert from N, my take is that less people do this in Z. Partly from observation, and partly given that with less variety of product in Z it is just a price you pay at this point...having to fudge here and there with regards to era, or--which is almost universally the case--run whatever without regards to era. This can be by choice or by indifference.
Personally, I am trying to achieve that matchup of rolling stock and era. So far so good, but there are still compromises even now. I'm shooting for BNSF/UP/DGNO/TRE in the 2006-2007 timeframe...which is maybe among the easier eras to model in Z, but it still presents many challenges. I have been touching up here and there...nothing specifically like your A-B-B-A example, but stuff like backdating a BNSF boxcar from "swoosh" to the older circle logo...swoosh was around in 2006, but still in far fewer numbers at that point so representatively I need fewer swoosh boxcars. I guess the closest example I have is some MTL Husky's that I'm configuring as drawbarred sets...so going from MTL's "A" to A-B-C. *Technically A-C-B if anyone is keeping score. lol
I suspect I will likely renumber some locos eventually, but I still have plenty of projects on my list before that happens. I will say that part of the allure of moving to Z was that it did remove some of the "pressure" of trying to model a specific era. Yet, my old habits from N seem to die hard I guess. At some level, that is part of the fun for me.
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Post by Curn on Aug 10, 2016 22:40:18 GMT -5
As good as we have it in Z, I wouldnt want to pick that tight of an year range ('47-'49) just because of how limiting it would be, and expensive. I'd need to pick up lots of AZL brass.
For me I only have two eras that I try to enforce. Rolling stock with roof walks (pre '78) and those without (post '78) with some grey area in the 70s.
I have been somewhat surprised at how popular the SD70ACEs have been since their release. It just goes to show how popular the modern era is in Z scale. As far as I can recall, they are the first AZL injection locomotive to sell out within weeks of their release. I don't model modern roads, but I thought about picking one up just because they are good looking. Then I started thinking, how often do you see a lone SD70ACE pulling a train? Would I need to buy two of them to be prototypical?
Matt
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Post by dazed on Aug 11, 2016 12:54:02 GMT -5
For ACes running solo, it can happen. Two instances come to mind for at least BNSF and UP would be as power for a business train, or in a "1+2" DPU setup. Not super common but happens. I would bet an MRL unit got into the business train action at some point too.
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Post by shamoo737 on Aug 11, 2016 17:52:23 GMT -5
I don't know Matt, I see it in HO all the time.
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Post by dave on Aug 11, 2016 19:45:43 GMT -5
I chose the transition era for most of my Z scale because I model Burlington Route and have a GP7 and a Mikado. Of course, I have been picking up a few pieces of AZL BNSF rolling stock in anticipation of the Heritage II ES44 that is coming. I think with the limited selection of locos and rolling stock in Z scale makes it very difficult to model narrow time periods (there are exceptions to this statement, but not many). Don't get me wrong about Z; i am anxiously await each month's MTL and AZL releases. HO and N scales makes it much easier to choose specific time periods.
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Post by Kez on Aug 11, 2016 20:19:45 GMT -5
I'm lacking in the patience, knowledge, and ability to be a specific period modeler, so I chose to become a collector/modeler. If it wasn't for getting involved with the DC Z-Bend group, I'd likely still be a collector only. Doing the shows is what keeps me interested.
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Post by shamoo737 on Aug 11, 2016 21:23:23 GMT -5
I try to get at least one loco or car in CSX scheme, and I collect mostly modern stuff. I also have Mikado and E8's to pull my excursion trains.
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Post by tjdreams on Aug 11, 2016 22:32:13 GMT -5
One era is tough when I like so many different locomotives from Steam to the modern ACe's. However with the C&O and Chessie System being my favorite Roads I try to build my modules with seins that would be seen on one of those or on one of their neighboring roads. If I had to Choose just one Era it would be the mid 60's through the mid 70's when you could still see Locomotives in their original B&O C&O WM Chessie NYC PRR ACL NS paint along with the occasional Steam excursion.
And like Bryan if I hadn't joined the DC-Z-Bend- track group I would probably still only be collecting instead of building modules doing shows and running trains.
David
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Post by markm on Aug 12, 2016 9:46:39 GMT -5
Comments here seem to bring up a couple more questions. How does one define the "modern" era? I've never given much thought to collecting but how does one decide what to collect? In displaying your collection, how would you group rolling stock into trains? Using David's example it seems that modeling (or collecting) the C&O and the Chessie System is actually modeling two different eras.
Matt: I can give you three instances I've seen. MRL one short (5-6 car) freight and a train of 3 mismatched streamlined passenger coaches. The UP C&NW heritage unit was being used as a road switch in Fremont CA. Used to watch it from my office window.
Mark
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Post by BAZman on Aug 12, 2016 15:33:00 GMT -5
I have virtually no time to even put a drop in decoder in a loco, let alone weather my rolling stock, which is far more important to me than what I'm running at shows. My modules often were made up to as good as I could get, just so I could have one more for the shows, the only time I can run.
For me, its more of a passing interest so running the locos or rolling stock that I like. So maybe the steam with some old passengers, stock of reefers. Or, some GP's (or now F3) with mixed freight or SD7x's with Autoracks, hoppers or such unit trains. Or, recent passengers.
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Post by dazed on Aug 12, 2016 16:52:19 GMT -5
Comments here seem to bring up a couple more questions. How does one define the "modern" era? I've never given much thought to collecting but how does one decide what to collect? In displaying your collection, how would you group rolling stock into trains? Using David's example it seems that modeling (or collecting) the C&O and the Chessie System is actually modeling two different eras. Good question. I'm not really sure what is considered to be modern anymore. I would probably just toss around the idea that modern is "past 20 years". That of course completely ignores what I considered modern when I was in HO in the 80/early 90's and I don't know what that era would now be called? I don't consider myself a collector. I don't buy anything without the mindset of it becoming part of recreating a particular scene/train/rail line/rolling stock/etc during a particular timeframe. Now, I do end up with a *collection* of rolling stock at that point, but I don't have any intention that I am collecting to display on a wall shelf or that it will appreciate in value. Deciding what to collect for me is easy, as I tend to love the railroads I'm most familiar with and that are local to me from my younger days to now. The AZL Trinity Railway Express equipment provided the catalyst for me to get into Z, and I build around that as BNSF and UP and DGNO and Amtrak all run on the same lines. Ultimately if I stay in Z long term, my next layout will be the same era but a slightly different locale and without TRE, DGNO, or Amtrak. I only model a single, fairly specific era as a mechanism to keep my hobby budget in check. I love almost ALL trains and appreciate the variety that every model railroader has in their possession. But I recognize that I cannot afford to "fly all of those colors" so to speak.
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Post by mgatdog on Aug 13, 2016 8:38:01 GMT -5
Well I'm a big fan of B&O ,C&O,WM and Chessie like David .I have collected enough over the past 15 +years . Plus what AZL has been releasing in the past couple years to start a layout. It will be a blend of the three R&R's switching over to Chessie System. So it will fall into two era's I guess. Bob
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Post by markm on Aug 13, 2016 9:23:20 GMT -5
Yeah, "modern" era is tough to pin down. For me it's the rise of Amtrak and the demise of the caboose, but I guess for most modelers I'm talking ancient history. My modeling era, to paraphrase my 7th grade English teacher: "model what I know." So my prime interest is N. California from the late 1950s forward. That would be WP, SP,ATSF with UP entering in the "modern" era. That's actually quite a bit, but I only model what I know: trains I've ridden, rolling stock I've seen, places I've been. My current project, the Altamont & Western RR, models the SP and WP lines on the original route into the SF Bay area. Although SP abandoned the route and pulled up track a long time ago, much of the rural area along the line has changed little making it suitable for my modeling era. Getting back to my original question, I'm a bit surprised that there aren't more "era" modelers and collectors comments. Considering the number of people who have asked AZL for some very specific paint schemes, I would have expected more era interest. And AZL by my current count the WP had 15 paint schemes. You've done one and MTL has done 3. I want them all! Mark
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Post by catt on Aug 13, 2016 13:32:53 GMT -5
My era and my only era is modern day as in if it is 8/13/16 in the real world it is 8/13/16 in my model worlds.
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