# Mixing Old with New



## Anthem 2 (Feb 8, 2017)

Do many of you mix Steam era locos with modern diesels? I have a large selection and trying to decide which ones to run. Also do you try to match the era of the rolling stock with the loco pulling it? Still planning a layout and questions keep coming up.


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

I make a halfhearted attempt to keep things period correct. I run Madison passenger cars with steamers and smooth sided cars with diesels. Most of my engines are from the steam to diesel transition era, but my oldest steamer was scrapped long before my newest diesel (an SD-40) was made. I also try to keep my freight consists period correct, but it doesn’t always end up that way.


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## Tony35 (Mar 18, 2016)

If I like it, I run it


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## Anthem 2 (Feb 8, 2017)

Thanks, I will probably set up the steam era first. I have a bunch of the locos. Just have to source me some different rolling stock to go with it. Can run the new ones from time to time also by just pulling all the others.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Your layout, your rules.

Who the heck cares what any of the rest of us think? If that's what will give you enjoyment with your layout, then that's what you need to do. This is a hobby. It's supposed to keep YOU entertained. Entertaining others is secondary.

Mine is accurate... within the alternative history I have set for MY version of the New Haven, but that doesn't mean yours needs to be.


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## Anthem 2 (Feb 8, 2017)

You're right CT. And I am pretty independent and will do what I want in the end. I am just so new to this hobby that I really haven't set in my mind yet what I want to do. Just browsing and asking questions and seeing if something in particular strikes my fancy. My physical layout has kind of gone that way. Looked at lots of examples and saw one that looked close to how I would like to operate. With a few minor tweeks it would fit what i want to set up. I have some really nice looking steam locos, but also a cool Union Pacific diesel alongs with a Southern A/B and Atlantic Coast A/B , that are my favorites, so they may all end up passing each other on the tracks.


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## santafealltheway (Nov 27, 2012)

Anthem 2 said:


> Do many of you mix Steam era locos with modern diesels? I have a large selection and trying to decide which ones to run. Also do you try to match the era of the rolling stock with the loco pulling it? Still planning a layout and questions keep coming up.


I run what I want when I want How I want! 
But I look at my layout as a "rail museum" if you know what I mean. I want a bit of everything. I'm not trying to be realistic.

But even if you ARE trying to be realistic, that doesn't mean you cant have whatever equipment suits your fancy. Just maybe don't run them at the same time? the 'time period' of the layout can be changed pretty easily just by swapping out the Automobiles. other details arent as time specific.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Well, the only real risk with running whatever strikes your fancy is that if you later decide that you DO want to be accurate, you might end up with a bunch of stuff you don't want anymore. 

Although, as SFATW said, it's easy enough to re-dress your layout to reset the era to a different period.


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

CTValleyRR said:


> Your layout, your rules.
> 
> Who the heck cares what any of the rest of us think? If that's what will give you enjoyment with your layout, then that's what you need to do. This is a hobby. It's supposed to keep YOU entertained. Entertaining others is secondary.


Here is a guy who typified this attitude.

http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=24464

Unfortunately, I don't think he got very far with his layout.


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## time warp (Apr 28, 2016)

So, my DeWitt Clinton is OK to run with my Superliner? I don't want to push it TOO far!:laugh:


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

time warp said:


> So, my DeWitt Clinton is OK to run with my Superliner? I don't want to push it TOO far!:laugh:


If it works for you, why not?

Or maybe have your GE P42 pull a consist of old style wooden coaches?


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

MtRR75 said:


> Here is a guy who typified this attitude.
> 
> http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=24464
> 
> Unfortunately, I don't think he got very far with his layout.


"Your Layout, Your Rules" doesn't grant license to ignore physical restrictions, just that no one else's opinion should trump your desires.

So if you don't care how those 85' heavyweights look on your 18" curves (assuming they actually WILL corner) and pulled by a 4-4-0 American (assuming that it actually CAN pull them), then there is no reason why you shouldn't do it. If YOU care about how bad it looks, then you may have to revise your plans.

But "that's how REAL railroads do it" or "this is what happened historically" is not, by itself, sufficient reason, so long as the model railroader doesn't care.

Or you can do what I do, and fudge history a bit, so that obscure branch lines have main line traffic levels, diesels with paint schemes not actually implemented until 3 years after steam disappeared CAN operate with steam locos, industries that never (historically) shipped by rail now do, and so on.

Believable, but not necessarily accurate, is my motto. There is a guy who is attempting to recreate the Valley Railroad from Old Saybrook to Middletown as it actually looked in the early 1950's (IIRC), but that's not me. Mine will look right as far as scenery and structures go, but it won't be an accurate model. And the equipment and traffic is all wrong, but it meets my needs.


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## J.C. (Dec 24, 2016)

like others have said its your layout so what you like , I run last generation steam with first generation diesels place my layout in late 50's early 60's.


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

You can also switch eras by simply removing one set of trains and putting out trains from a different era.

The two biggest clues to an era (other than the trains) are vehicles and structures. Vehicles can be removed or swapped out (newer cars for older cars or for horses and buggies). Structures can be carefully chosen and designed to be appropriate to a wide time range. Avoid businesses that date the layout (like MacDonalds).


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## Mark VerMurlen (Aug 15, 2015)

Like CTValleyRR, I like the "Believable, but not necessarily accurate" depiction for what I put on my layout. The reason I like this personally is that it means I need to spend some time to do some research about what cars and locos and RR companies were around at the time and location that I'm approximately modeling. I learned some really interesting history in the process that I find rewarding in itself. It can also be a nice filter so that I can rule out a bunch of stuff as "not right for my layout". There's so much variety available that it can be overwhelming at times and having some guidelines for what's not appropriate is helpful to reduce the scope. On the other hand, it can also be frustrating if you can't find something that's needed on your layout but in short supply. An example is that I needed some cabooses for my Great Northern freight trains. These are hard to find I found out. I had to buy an undecorated caboose and apply GN decals to make one. In the process I learned that the slogans on the side of the GN cabooses were tied to the caboose number. I've since found a couple of more GN cabooses looking far and wide at train shows and such, which be part of the fun.

Mark


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## rrgrassi (May 3, 2012)

Lets not forget the steam excursion trains that still run today...


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## daschnoz (Dec 12, 2016)

I like a different approach :
Make your layout modern day. Anything you run was available in the past (before today), so everything you run IS period correct.

Whether or not a line would would still be using a 4-4-0 old west style steam locomotive to pull a freight consist across town is a different story, but your RR, your rules. At least you're not running a GG1 through Rock Ridge.


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## rkenney (Aug 10, 2013)

One of the things seldom considered when people do 'authentic' layouts is short lines. Short lines carried the bulk of the mail and the milk and the groceries to just about every city in this country before trucks took over.

Not to mention building supplies lumber, quarried stone and more. 

You could by a house from the sears catalog and every last nail was shipped in a couple of boxcars. All you had to do was assemble it.

Imagine the countryside around every city in the country. Farm produce, dairy, eggs, beef... It all had to get to market somehow. Cities and their industries were growing. With families shopping for produce virtually every day, because there was no refrigeration, Short lines had to haul the goods to market every day.

Find a book about a now defunct short line and it will give you a whole new perspective on railroading.


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## Anthem 2 (Feb 8, 2017)

That's kind of what I have decided Daschnoz. I am setting up turntable with a roundhouse that is going to be a train museum for the town. Steam units parked in and around there and modern running passengers, freight, etc. will have an old "Tour" set up at museum that gives rides.


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## ebtnut (Mar 9, 2017)

If you don't want to stretch the bounds of credibility too far, consider steam operations in a quasi-museum format. There is still steam freight service on the Strasburg RR, where they haul 100-ton grain hoppers and 80-foot flats of building materials on a routine basis. Look in Youtube. The B&O Railroad museum has operated the reproduction 4-2-0 "Lafayette" in the recent past, which is essentially contemporary with the DeWitt Clinton. There has been a recent spate of main line steam excursions on NS lines and the UP. Going back a bit, the Crab Orchard and Egyptian RR operated regular freight steam service from the '70's to the mid-'80's. They developed a decent piggy-back service, hauled by a former Canadian 2-8-0.


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