Is there a convenient place to find out what dimensions and technologies trains were using during a certain time period? I'm (still) planning a layout based on the Eastern Seaboard (upstate NY, most likely, though it will be my imagination)early in WWII. I know that container stacks and the Thalys would strain credulity a bit. Where can I find out what sizes of boxcar were used, what kind of trucks, and which locomotives that would be in use for big roads and shortlines? Thank you.
I don't know of a website for such information, but from my memory of eastern NY and northern New England, you would see the following in the late 30's and early 40's...... - mostly 40 foot freight cars - a few 50 foot boxcars starting to show up - a few 50 mill gons and specialty cars - all boxcars would have roof walks and roof level brake wheels - 99% of freight cars would have Bettendorf trucks with friction bearings - still see many outside braced wooden box cars with truss rods - most tankcars were still 35 feet long, some shorter - every freight train had a caboose, at least 50% being wooden - local and through freights had a crew of at least 5 men - almost every small town had: * mail crane near station for the RPO cars * short dedicated sidings for feed stores, coal yards, lumber yards, team platform, etc. - local and branchline locos were 2-6-0, 4-6-0, 2-8-0, all at least 30 years old - mainline through freights ran big locos, 2-8-0, 2-8-4, 4-8-2, and 4-8-4 - passenger locos were 4-6-2, a few 4-6-4, B&M ran 2-6-0 on most branches - passenger cars were still heavy weights, many 60 feet or less - B&M still used open-vestibule wooden coaches on the NH Division in 1951 I'm sure other members can add alot more information......:teeth:
Old pictures tell a million tales. It's your most reliable resource. Even if it's not your ailroad of choice you can see what cars or carts people drive and what clothes they wore. Don't forget to look at architecture too. Your best resource... The public library.
Geeky's comment reminds me of two excellent books on the B&M by Robert Willoughby Jones: Boston and Maine - City and Shore; and Boston and Maine - Forest, River, and Mountain. They're a little pricey, but have good photos and text covering the period you're looking for. Of course Darren (Stourbridge Lion) has vast amounts of information on the D&H that I'm sure he would be happy to share.....:angel:
Late 1930's, early 1940's would see about 25 percent of the boxcar fleet actually still 36 foot cars, many with steel ends and doors. Some roads built 36 footers well into the 1920's.
Interlibrary loan is sending me three of those books as we speak. Thank you for telling me about them. I have a photo printer coming in the mail. It may be that I can scan some buildings in the photographs and print those walls as well. This not being a commercial endeavor, will I need to worry about copyright?
Since it's for your own pleasure and private use, I assume it would be no problem. On the other hand, if you were copying them for someone else's use, even for free, you would be violating the copyright. This would also apply if you were to post a copied picture here on TB.
If there are any pictures that are just irresistable, I'll write the copyright holder- I assume that I'll just be cherrypicking the buildings that interest me, though.
Stack cars, yes... but according to http://www.northeast.railfan.net/classic/NHdata.html the New Haven began using containers in 1938 (!)
You don't need to leave the house to go visit the library, try George Elwood's most excellent site at http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/ Thousands of period pictures, time-tables, rosters all cataloged by road name. It's the best RR history site on the web, IMHO.
The American Railroad Freight Car by John H. White, Jr. will take you from the earliest wooden non passenger cars right up to the beginning of steel. It is much more reference than will probably be needed, but it is really complete. It can be gotten soft covered, used for $20-$40 depending on condition from on line used book stores (not Amazon). White also did a book on locomotives. It is big in size and I find it a more appropriate coffee table thingy than The History of Art by Jannsen.
