[cpha] Re: 1950s transition modelling
- From: Gerald Henriksen <ghenriks@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: cpha@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 24 Feb 2021 12:15:41 -0500
On Tue, 23 Feb 2021 20:12:24 -0500, you wrote:
So, what do you think are the principal features of the decade?
Interesting question, and I suspect the answer will depend on why one
is interested in it.
From a model railroader perspective, it offers a lot of advantages
that define the decade:
- an abundance of railroads. Not only to choose from (more for those
modelling south of the border, though obviously there were some US
operations in Canada during that decade), but for variety of potential
rolling stock for trains.
- it was still, though not as in your face as previous periods, a time
where the rolling stock was viewed as advertising - compare to much of
the non-descript gray rolling stock of today.
- railways were still an integral part of the economy, both passenger
and freight. The jet age was just starting and thus still expensive,
and similarly the vast highway networks were still in their early
stages.
- related to the previous point, the railways weren't yet in decline
as they struggled between regulators opposed to change and the
realities of losses to road (though we in Canada avoided the worst of
this as we didn't have an equivalent to the overbuilt US NE).
- no graffiti
- the various changes post-depression and post-WW2 that meant there
was more ability (in terms of disposable income for the average
person, time to travel, and the flexibility of the in so many ways
dreaded car/road) for the people of that era to document it for us 80+
years later to enjoy.
Other related posts:
