Eras I to VI: what do they mean?

Benjamin | TrackDrawer.com · published 31 October 2026

An era (in German: Epoche) is a defined period of railway history, numbered from I to VI. The number on the box tells you which period a locomotive or wagon belongs to, with the matching livery, markings and technology. Put together stock from the same era and your layout looks right, even to visitors who could not tell you why.

Why eras exist

A real railway changes all the time. Companies merge, get a new name, repaint their trains and introduce new numbering. Steam gives way to diesel and electric, wooden wagons to steel ones, semaphore signals to colour light signals. A locomotive running in 1960 looked different from the same class in 1985.

Modellers want the whole scene to be believable. A high-speed train next to a nineteenth-century steam engine is fine on a play layout, but if you want to recreate a piece of reality (the prototype), you need a framework. That framework is the era system. The European model railway standards (NEM) define it, so that manufacturers, clubs and collectors speak the same language.

The six eras at a glance

The boundaries below are rough dates. The NEM system differs from country to country in the details: each country has its own break points, because its railways changed name, livery or numbering at different moments. On top of that, most eras are split into sub-periods with a letter (for example IIIa and IIIb). Treat the table as a guide, not as an exact boundary.

A few reference points help to get a feel for it. In the Netherlands the last NS steam train in regular service ran in 1958, in Belgium steam ended at SNCB in 1966, and in West Germany at DB only in 1977. A layout with main-line steam is therefore typically era III in the Netherlands, while a German layout with steam can sit well inside era IV. That is exactly why the system differs per country.

What an era means for your rolling stock

You see the era most clearly in the rolling stock. Three things shape the picture.

• Livery. Every railway company had its house colours per period. The same locomotive class can exist in three eras in three different liveries. Manufacturers therefore often release the same model in several versions.
• Markings. Numbers, logos, keeper and technical data on the bodyside change with the era. A wagon with a twelve-digit number and a keeper code belongs to a later era than one with a short number and the name of a regional company.
• Technology. A locomotive only exists from the year it was built and disappears when it is withdrawn. A modern multiple unit in era III is wrong, a steam engine in era VI only works as a heritage train.

With wagons the margin is often wider. Many freight wagons ran for decades and only got new markings at overhaul. That is why freight wagon boxes often show two eras, or a label such as "IIIb-IVa".

Buildings, signals and surroundings

The era does not stop at the rails. If you want the scene to work, look at what stands next to the track as well.

• Station and buildings. A classic station building with a wooden canopy fits almost any era, because such buildings stood for a long time. A modern glass station or a retail park with car park only fits from era IV or V onwards.
• Signals. Semaphores dominate the early eras, colour light signals gradually become the norm. In many countries both existed side by side for a long time, which leaves you free to choose.
• Road traffic and level crossing. Cars, lorries and the type of level crossing give away the date faster than you might think. A crossing with half barriers and flashing lights looks different from a gated crossing with a keeper.
• Overhead wires. Whether there is catenary depends on country, line and period. A branch line in era III can easily do without.

Weathering is part of it too. Stock that has been in service for years looks used. A lightly weathered wagon in a matching era looks more convincing than a factory-fresh one.

Why the number is on the box

Manufacturers print the era on the packaging and in the catalogue for three reasons. First, it lets you quickly find stock that goes together, without researching the history of every class yourself. Second, the number separates models that are technically identical but differ in livery and markings. Third, it helps collectors and clubs agree on rules: on a club layout with the rule "era III" everyone knows what to bring.

Still, treat the number as a guideline. A manufacturer sometimes chooses a wide range, and the sub-period (the letter) often says more than the numeral alone. When in doubt, look for the year of the depicted condition, which some catalogues state.

How strict should you be?

There are roughly three ways to deal with eras, and none of them is wrong.

1. Strictly one era. You pick a country and a sub-period and stick to it: stock, buildings, signals and cars. This gives the most convincing scene, but takes the most knowledge and narrows your choice.
2. One era with some slack. You pick one era as the base and allow overlap with the previous or next one. That is realistic, because on the real railway old and new stock also ran together for years.
3. Mixing on purpose. You run whatever you like. Many modellers change trains per evening: a steam train today, a modern intercity tomorrow. The layout itself stays neutral, with buildings that fit many eras.

A handy middle way: keep the layout neutral and swap the trains. A small station with a simple building, semaphores or colour lights as you prefer and few modern cars works with stock from eras III to V. If you want to be stricter later, you only replace the details.

The era has little effect on the track plan itself. Track, curve radii and turnouts are the same in every era. The era can steer your choices, though: a station from era I or II often had short platforms and small turntables, a modern station longer platforms for longer multiple units. Read how to make a track plan in seven steps to see how you settle such choices up front.

Frequently asked questions

Can I run trains from different eras on the same layout?

Yes. It is your layout. A fixed era makes the scene more convincing, but many modellers swap their trains per running session and keep the layout neutral.

Is an era number the same in every country?

The number and the broad lines are, the exact boundaries are not. The NEM system differs per country in the details, because the railways there changed at different moments. So check the sub-period for the country of your stock.

What about old trains without an era on the box?

Look at livery, markings and type. Older packaging often states no era, but the model itself usually gives it away. If you have inherited an old box of track and trains, read giving your old box of track a second life.

Planning your layout around an era

Whether you work strictly or mix on purpose, a good track plan makes every choice easier. The Railfolio shows plans by other modellers for inspiration. Then enter your own track and let the Auto-designer lay out a plan that fits your baseboard, with a station that suits your era.