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[ftauss]

I've decided on an era for my HO layout - WWII. I figure coal loads to factories, military trains with flat cars of tanks, etc, troop trains, tank cars, and various other crs carrying freight for the war effort and homeland civilian usage. Mixes my military modeling interest with trains.

I quickly realized that half or more of the rolling stock I have is wrong (to new) and my engines may be questionable.

I'm looking for

1) A general reference on locos and rolling stock that would give general characteristics and dates of introduction. Meaning 40' boxcars are good, some 50' boxcara are good but PS-1s aren't ca 1947.

2) Some books on railroads during the war. I found "America's Fighting Railroads: A World War II Pictorial History (Paperback)" and a few others on Amazon. This one is mostly photos.

I'm thinking some kind of interchange area with coal drags going north to factories, tank cars from the west bound for east coast ports, tanks, etc from factories and/or military bases for the east coast ports, plus troop trains and miscelaneous freight. Maybe one main railroad, maybe two or three being routed through. I imagine the earliest EMD diesels (FT, F3) would have been present and I want to find the smallest reasonably realistic steam engines that would run on say 22" radius plus mainlines. And which company would have run what equipment.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Frank

[epeorus]

Kalmbach is coming out with a publication, under the Classic Trains series, called "Railroads and World War II".  That could probably get you started.  You can read about it at the Model Railroader website.  Your strings of flats with all of that military equipment will certainly be unique.  Don't forget the troop trains and all those converted boxcars.  As I recall, the Navy and the Army operated a lot of their own rolling stock and engines in and around depot facilities.

Jim

[SteamGene]

Use AAR, USRA, or wood box cars, gons, flats, hoppers.  The War Emergency hoppers began in '43 or '44.  Don't forget stock cars for the cavalry horses.  Yes, there was still mounted cavalry in the beginning of WWII.  The 2nd Cavalry got to North Africa - or most of it - before it was disbanded which was a grevious insult to the Buffalo Soldiers.   Troop trains were frequently mixed freight and passenger.  In addition, unit vehicles were shipped together, so you'd have several flats with artillery, several with tanks, several with vehicles, each type together.  Since you are a military modeler I assume you have some idea of the equipment of each type.  Remember, in WWII, all field artillery batteries had only four guns. 
You may be aware that one problem you will have is that vehicles were shipped stripped - canvas off, bows stored in the bed, windshields lowered and covered, etc. 
Don't forget the poor guard standing on the flatcar. 
Gene