Historical Research

My previous layout was set in a small fictional northern Idaho agricultural town in September 1939, and I did a lot of research, including frequent visits to towns in that locale, to get the right feel of the time and place. Much like watching an old movie, buildings, houses, vehicles and signs can all give visitors the idea of the era being depicted.

Now I'm starting a layout set in a fictional small-to-medium Texas seaport in April 1947, and I'm finding the research to be almost as much fun as actual layout construction. The Internet, of course, is an incredible resource, with its vintage photos, Port of Houston Magazine archives, etc. I also recently came across a new book, Rails Around Houston, with very useful information and photos.

For Father's Day I received an Amazon.com gift certificate and used it to buy two books: the Model Railroader Cyclopedia, 1947 edition, which is loaded with plans for locomotives, freight and passenger cars, and structures, and Model Railroads (1940) by Edwin Alexander, which also has a wealth of plans. Both books are in mint condition.

On our recent Iowa trip I found an April 1947 National Geographic in an antique store that contains a half-dozen full-page railroad ads; these will be framed and displayed just inside the train room entrance. Again, this will help create an impression of the era being modeled.

Certainly, it's not going to be too hard to move forward in time the eight years between 1939 and 1947. Signs and vehicles won't be much different, although I will have to "update" my theater marquee: the 1939 version features John Wayne in Stagecoach, and for 1947 it will advertise My Favorite Brunette, starring Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour, which was in fact released in April of that year!

Is all this worth it? Does it work? I think so. The reward came when an older gentleman, upon seeing photos of my Idaho layout, told me he felt as if he'd stepped back into his growing-up years of the late-1930's.