Why do I like the 1950s/'60s so much?

[RobertInOntario]

Rob, I'm another one who is going to blow your theory apart or perhaps you can explain how a guy who was born in the early '50's, 1952 to be precise, in England, migrated in '53 to South Africa, where he grew up and still resides, who has never seen an American train in real life, has an addiction for modern day American railroading !!!

Sure I have a love for steam locos, as they ran here until the 1980's. My favorite steam locos are SP's GS4 Daylight 4-8-4, the 4-8-8-2 Cabforwards, the N & W Y6b 2-8-8-2 and South African Railways Class 25 4-8-4, Class GMAM 4-8-2 + 2-8-4 Garratt and Class 19D 4-8-2 with a long van der Bilt tender. Yet I have no desire to model any era before the mid 1980's. My favorite railroad is the BNSF, though I do have a liking for the SP in pre-UP days. I also have an interest in the BNSF's predecessor roads, BN, ATSF, GN and CB & Q.

As to British modeling, not an inkling of interest, this despite the fact that my father was a British modeler, who had an extensive O gauge layout before the war.

Cheers, Simon

Hi Simon,

Interesting! Well, I can partly relate. I think my interest in British trains is a little similar to your interest in U.S. trains. While I have seen British steam trains on several trips to England, I certainly did not grow up with them. In other words, it was an "acquired interest" not a childhood memory, etc.

Quite a few British model railway enthusiasts who live in Canada are now in their 60s and 70s. They are British model railway enthusiasts because they actually DID grow up watching British steam when they lived England. Their interest in largely nostalgic, rooted in memories.

I think we have both acquired a taste for respective "foreign" railways -- "fond memories of things never experienced" so quote someone else!

Thanks,
Rob