Street Sign Era Guide
One of the easiest ways to make your model railroad or diorama look more realistic is by using street signs that match the time period you're modeling.
Over the years, road signs have changed dramatically. Fonts, colors, shapes, reflectivity, and even the wording have evolved to meet new safety standards. A modern street sign on a 1940s layout—or a 1950s warning sign on a present-day scene—can stand out just as much as a modern automobile on a steam-era railroad.
To help you choose the right signs, ScaleSigns organizes many of our products by Era
Era II (1880–1920)
Early painted wood and metal signs
Minimal standardization
Simple town and railroad signage
Era III – 1920–1945)
Early standardized highway signs
Porcelain enamel and painted steel signs
Classic railroad crossing signs and roadside markers
Era IV (1945–1972)
Reflective signs become common
Yellow warning signs replace many older white versions
The beginning of the Interstate Highway System
Popular era for first-generation diesel railroads
Era V (1972–1990)
Modern MUTCD standards become widespread
Updated fonts and symbols
New speed limit and warning sign designs
Larger, more reflective highway signs
Era VI (1990–2006)
Today's street and highway signs
High-intensity reflective materials
Modern fonts, symbols, and regulatory signs
Current road names, parking signs, and traffic control devices
Era VII (2006–present)
Today's street and highway signs
High-intensity reflective materials
Modern fonts, symbols, and regulatory signs
Current road names, parking signs, and traffic control devices
Why It Matters
Small details make a big difference. Matching your street signs to the correct era helps create a scene that feels authentic and believable. Visitors may not immediately notice why your layout looks so realistic—but they'll appreciate the attention to detail.
At ScaleSigns, we design our signs to match the styles used during specific time periods whenever possible. Each product is labeled with its recommended era, making it easy to find the perfect signs for your layout.
Understanding Railroad Era's
One of the best ways to create a realistic model railroad is by choosing an era. An era represents a specific period in railroad history and determines the types of locomotives, rolling stock, signs, vehicles, buildings, and scenery that would have been seen during that time.
At ScaleSigns, many of our products are designed with specific eras in mind to help you build a layout that looks authentic.
Common Railroad Eras
Era I (1830–1880)
Early steam locomotives, wooden passenger cars, small freight cars, and the beginnings of American railroading.
Era II (1880–1920) – The Steam Expansion
Railroads grew rapidly with larger steam engines, Victorian architecture, horse-drawn wagons transitioning to automobiles, and early industrial development.
Era III (1920–1945) – The Golden Age of Steam
Heavy steam locomotives dominated the rails. This era includes the Great Depression and World War II, with classic depots, billboards, and vintage automobiles.
Era IV (1945–1972) – Steam to Diesel Transition
One of the most popular modeling eras. Steam locomotives gradually gave way to first-generation diesel locomotives. You'll see classic cars, early highways, neon signs, and a mix of old and new railroad equipment.
Era V (1972–1990) – The Modern Railroad Begins & Modern Signs
Second-generation diesel locomotives, colorful railroad paint schemes, larger freight cars, and changing industries became common.
Era VI (1990–2006) – Contemporary Railroading
Today's railroads feature high-horsepower diesel locomotives, intermodal trains, modern crossing signals, LED signage, contemporary vehicles, and current safety standards.
Era VII (2006–present) – Expansion of Railroading items
Today's railroads feature high-horsepower with less diesel locomotives, longer intermodal trains, Distributed Power Unit (DPU) located mid-train & rear, modern crossing signals with electric bells, LED signage, contemporary vehicles.