How to find "your era"

electric130

New Member
well, i've been trying to decide what "era" i want to model. if something like this has been posted, forgive me. i tried to search, but the forums won't let you search "era" because it's not at least 4 letters.

so any way, i know i want to model a logging area, probably around the late 1800's early 1900's.

regardless of what i want to model, what are some good resources to research an era of trains? by location? etc.

and don't say "Google". i've been on there for the last hour and i'm no better off than when i started.

thanks for the help.
 

conrailmike

Member
Have you tried searching places like Yahoo Groups? Maybe there's a group on there that models logging railroads. I do know of two sites with some info (even though I'm not into logging rr).

Logging

LoggingRailroads.com

I would do a search on amazon.com for books about logging railroads also.

Hope this helps!

Mike
 

Ralph

Remember...it's for fun!
It sounds like you have done some narrowing down of your era concept already since you're thinking late 1800's to early 1900's. If you haven't done a search under logging railroads of the 1890s or something like that give it a try. I wonder if you might have more success if you can decide on a general location or State? "Logging railroads of 19th century Colorado" for example?
Hope that helps!
Ralph
 

electric130

New Member
It sounds like you have done some narrowing down of your era concept already since you're thinking late 1800's to early 1900's. If you haven't done a search under logging railroads of the 1890s or something like that give it a try. I wonder if you might have more success if you can decide on a general location or State? "Logging railroads of 19th century Colorado" for example?
Hope that helps!
Ralph
Thank you to you and Mike for your replies that were actually helpful. i think the 2 links that Mike provided will help with some more specific info for further searching. yes, i did do many searches like the one you proposed. maybe neither one of are as experienced at internet searches as others here? :cry: the one link that Mike posted has a listing of logging railroads based on states. not all are listed, but there are references that they got the info from, so it's more to go on. i mean, i know that i want to model the logging lines from that era, but i still have yet to learn how california was different from SC and why i might want to model one over the other.
 

pgandw

Active Member
If you are interested in railroading and model railroading before 1910, I highly recommend becoming a member of the quite active Yahoo Early Rail group (see EarlyRail : The Early Rail modeling group.), as well as any Yahoo groups that cater specifically to logging and/or your region of interest. I have learned an incredible amount just lurking on the Early Rail and HOn3 groups. There are Yahoo groups for just about every niche of model railroading, but some are more active than others.

My other primary resource about Oregon and California logging are books I have bought at my LHS and museum shops. A book I picked up during a visit to Pt Reyes National Park fired my initial interest in modeling a dog hole lumber port, complete with a dog hole schooner.

hope this helps
Fred W
 

Russ Bellinis

Active Member
A group that I used to go to and enjoy a lot before I decided my era and prototype would be the Santa Fe in the 1950's was the Yahoo 4L group the "Loyal Legion of Logged on Loggers." By the way I "googled" Yahoo groups and then entered "logging + model railroad" into Yahoo's search engine and got a bunch of listings of groups interested in logging and model railroading.
 

Jim Krause

Active Member
Also try google ( or most other search engines) for Logging railroads; Shay Locomotives; Heisler Locomotives; Climax Locomotives; Railroad Logging; etc, etc.
 

electric130

New Member
i will look more at the yahoo groups. i never thought to look at them. i guess i should quantify my google post before. i did search, and yes, things did come up, but the links were just tidbits like, "Shays were used on logging railroads in the late 1800's." and that's all that was on that page. okay, waste of time, move on. i already knew that. i guess i was looking for the "heavy hitters" kind of sites like the 2 Mike posted.

regardless of what i want to model, what are some good resources to research an era of trains? by location? etc.
i appreciate everyone's help here, but i was also wanting this thread to be a collection of links (if people knew them) that people could reference for future projects. all eras and all themes. but again, thanks to all who have help with my logging quest.
 
N

nachoman

You may want to try the Narrow gauge and shortline gazette. Usually tons of inspiration there. The links posted above are good-especially the steam in the woods. If you have a good local library (especially a university library) there are often many books in there that will help you out.

Kevin
 
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