# Complete newbie - need help finding train sets



## Thlorian (Jan 10, 2017)

Hello....looking for a train set that has the appearance of the 1950-60s. So far I do not see them listed like this in online catalogs so perhaps I am missing something here? Would I have to purchase a vintage set actually made back in the 1950s-60s? That does not make sense though. :dunno: looking for n scale please...

Also, could a steam locomotive be used in a 1950s era track layout?


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## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

Yes, I rode on a passenger train in regular service around 1952.


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## NAJ (Feb 19, 2016)

http://shop.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=265_370_371&products_id=4838


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## highvoltage (Apr 6, 2014)

Thlorian said:


> ...Also, could a steam locomotive be used in a 1950s era track layout?


Yes, found this online from:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dieselisation



> Steam engines lasted well into the late 1950s on major American railroads


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

You kind of have to know what you are looking for and/or do research for specifics. You generally won’t find train sets listed on line by dates that they operated. You can do a sort on eBay by date, but I don’t know if I would rely on it.

The SF GP40 and F sets you already have would be appropriate for the 50s and 60s.

For diesels, the following could be found in the 50s and 60s:
EMD GP40 (made 1965-1971), SD45 (made 1965-1971) or earlier GP, SDs, E9 or earlier, F9 or earlier 
GE U33B (made 1967-1970), U33C (made 1968-1975) or earlier
Alco, Baldwin, FM all ceased production before 1970 so any would be appropriate.

For steamers, pretty much any would be appropriate for your time period, but you would be less likely to see a 4-4-0 or 2-8-0 and more likely to see a 4-6-2 or 4-8-4.

You also need to know which railroad operated a particular engine during the time period. For example, a GP30 painted for Reading would be appropriate, but a GP30 painted for Reading and Northern would not.


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## Thlorian (Jan 10, 2017)

WOW! Super fast reply's and very informative - loving this site!!! Thank you!!


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

The 50s/60s diesel locomotive that many would
remember is the EMD F series. Many dieselized passenger
trains of that era had an FA FB FA consist at the
lead of the train. I would guess that most of us
on the Forum have at least one. I have two FAs.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw...&poi=&adpos=1t4&device=c&crdt=0&ul_noapp=true

Don


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

My advice is: your layout, your rules. If you want to run a steam locomotive, by all means do so. Why let something as simple as reality suck the fun out of the hobby.

My own layout models a branch line of the New York, New Haven and Hartford (New Haven or NH for short), the remains of which are now a tourist road near my home where I volunteer. For a variety of reasons, I am modeling summer, 1956. But here's the rub -- the last NH steamer was decommissioned in 1953, AND by that time the branch line ran only two slow freights a week, much less traffic than I wanted to simulate.

Enter Revisionist History: The hurricane of 1955 caused so much damage (in my alternate universe) to the Shore Line that major sections of it were closed, and large numbers of locomotives were out of service for repairs. The NH was forced to route traffic over the Valley Line, and reactivated some steam to help with the shortfall. The increased service brought back several industries which had switched to truck transport (plus one that used barges historically; but darn it, I wanted to model it). This gave me the setting, types of locos, volume of traffic, and number of industries I wanted, while still being a believable version of reality.

Not saying you have to be that detailed, but certainly if you get the rolling stock right within a decade or so, my personal opinion is that you should run what pleases you.


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## santafealltheway (Nov 27, 2012)

CTValleyRR said:


> My advice is: your layout, your rules. If you want to run a steam locomotive, by all means do so. Why let something as simple as reality suck the fun out of the hobby.


^ yup.


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## Thlorian (Jan 10, 2017)

CTValleyRR said:


> My advice is: your layout, your rules. If you want to run a steam locomotive, by all means do so. Why let something as simple as reality suck the fun out of the hobby.
> 
> My own layout models a branch line of the New York, New Haven and Hartford (New Haven or NH for short), the remains of which are now a tourist road near my home where I volunteer. For a variety of reasons, I am modeling summer, 1956. But here's the rub -- the last NH steamer was decommissioned in 1953, AND by that time the branch line ran only two slow freights a week, much less traffic than I wanted to simulate.
> 
> ...


Sounds great, thanks! Would love to have a steamer as the smoke would be cool!!! But I have a LONG way to go before that as I don't even know what some of the abbreviations/names are in some of the reply's above! But keep them coming please as I will be asking lots of questions and hopefully in a few months, return the favor by helping newbies who log in here!

I did visit my local Train Shop over lunch break today and picked up a catalog called Walters 2017 something-something. Was told this is a great item to go through to learn what's out there! So with the monster size of this catalog, I'll be going through it for a while!


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## fredbon (Mar 4, 2016)

Have you considered Kato products?

http://www.katousa.com/Zcart/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=65_143

Fred


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## Thlorian (Jan 10, 2017)

fredbon said:


> Have you considered Kato products?
> 
> http://www.katousa.com/Zcart/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=65_143
> 
> Fred


As a newbie, I never heard of them...thank you!


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

There don't seem to be many 'Train sets' being offered for sale now, maybe because of a decline in sales due to the fact that people no longer give them to children as they used to.

What I do see more and more now are 'Train packs' comprising of loco(s) and a run of appropriate coaching stock. I assume the manufacturers think these will be bought by people who already have controller/track.


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## Gramps (Feb 28, 2016)

Thlorian said:


> Sounds great, thanks! Would love to have a steamer as the smoke would be cool!!! But I have a LONG way to go before that as I don't even know what some of the abbreviations/names are in some of the reply's above! But keep them coming please as I will be asking lots of questions and hopefully in a few months, return the favor by helping newbies who log in here!
> 
> I did visit my local Train Shop over lunch break today and picked up a catalog called Walters 2017 something-something. Was told this is a great item to go through to learn what's out there! So with the monster size of this catalog, I'll be going through it for a while!


The Walther's catalog is a good place to start and you got good advice from CT.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Thlorian said:


> Sounds great, thanks! Would love to have a steamer as the smoke would be cool!!! But I have a LONG way to go before that as I don't even know what some of the abbreviations/names are in some of the reply's above! But keep them coming please as I will be asking lots of questions and hopefully in a few months, return the favor by helping newbies who log in here!
> 
> I did visit my local Train Shop over lunch break today and picked up a catalog called Walters 2017 something-something. Was told this is a great item to go through to learn what's out there! So with the monster size of this catalog, I'll be going through it for a while!


Walthers is the largest wholesaler / distributor of model railroading stuff in North America. They don't carry everything, but looking through the catalog will give you a good sense of what is available. I get one every year (and BTW, there is probably a page in there that lists a lot of the abbreviations). They used to do one for only HO scale and one for N&Z; this year they're all combined. I'd prefer having the HO stuff separate, but I'll still get one.


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