Norfolk & Western J class passenger consist

Do a search on the Model Railroader website, they did an article on N&W passenger train consists about 6 months to a year ago, but not sure exactly when it was.

The typical consist for the Powhatan Arrow was 3 coachs, a diner and a round end observation.   The overnight Cavalier got more complicated having heavy head end, coach and pullman traffic, a mix of hvy wt and lt wt in the 50s transitioning to all lt wt as time went on.  It always struck me as an anomaly to routinely run a 5 car train behind a 6000 HP steam engine but it certainly makes things easier for budget strapped MRRs

MEC568 wrote:

I'm looking for some help in setting up a correct passenger consist for a N&W J class loco I got from Broadway Ltd.   I'm not really a N&W fan so I need help with what would be the correct number and type cars.    My objective is close, no need for exact detail, but not interested in way off. Did they ever pull heavyweight equipment?   Those cars are readily available from both Bachmann Spectrum and Walthers.   For lightweight cars Walthers has 52 seat P-S coach on sale, but to me, it doesn't look like anything in the N&W Color Guide to Freight and Passenger Equipment.   Walthers is also coming out with a P-S 64 seat coach this summer, this appears close to me, but I would appriciate other opinions.   Rapido Trains has had lightweight coaches in the past and is taking orders for more for, as they say "Christmas delivery."   With a price difference of almost double between the Walthers coaches ($34.98) and the Rapido Trains coaches ($59.95) this is a definate case of if we are only buying close in both cases why pay more.   Does one run better than the other?   Rapido Trains is also releasing a cafe-bar-lounge car painted for N&W.   But I cannot find any referances to cafe-bar-lounge cars on the N&W.   Can anyone confirm if these are cars N&W ran? Thanks for any help and info that anyone can give. Chris

They were used on secondary trains and heavyweights were used on those trains, but the two names trains are the easy ones to model since they were normally five cars or less.  The pictures below is typical.   I could not find a good picture of the J's with heavy weights on line.

I purchased some of the Rapido cars for my N&W train, but the tuscan color is not correct on their cars and I decided not to use them.   The Rapido Tuscan color is much too light and does not match the Tuscan on the J.   

 http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nw/nw-s607.jpg

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nw/nw-s6xxark.jpg

 

Cazephyr

Thanks for the info.

I am not really impressed with the Rapido coachs, a friend has a bunch and the sides seem flimsy. Guess I'll pull heavyweights for now and see what comes from Walthers.

Chris

Jim,

Thanks for your info. Sounds like we have to wait for someone to come out with some quality equipment.

Chris 

Modeling N&W passenger trains of the 1950s and ‘60s
Model Railroader, October 2004 page 50

Stix,

Thanks, I thought you were refering to the Pike size trains article from about a year ago. This looks to be excatly what I need.

Chris 

 

The article about modeling N&W passenger trains in the 1950's & '60's wasn't too bad, if I remember correctly. I remember him having a smooth-side baggage car though which wouldn't have ever been an N&W car during the J's period. I think some came later from the NKP or Wabash when they were merged in 1964.

There are very few actual N&W cars on the market and most are brass. Quite a few plastic cars come close enough unless you're a 100% rivet counter.

Yes, the J's pulled heavyweight equipment. They also pulled the Southern Ry Tennessean which was a corrugated stainless train set. It often had heavyweight N&W and Sou cars too. I was watching some of my N&W videos last night and remember seeing heavyweight Pullman cars lettered NYC, Pullman and Seaboard and many LW Pullmans/sleepers from the Pennsy too. There were also HW baggage, RPO and coaches from ACL (in pullman green and also purple/silver), RF&P, PRR, Sou, D&H and KCS.

Email me off line and I can give you better info. You will get a blocked notice but I can pick up the email anyway. 

Roger