Santa Fe courier nurses for the El Capitan

Looks good! How do you like the El Capitan set so far?

Nice cars overall.  Still awaiting a few to complete a trainset.

The interior layout of the coach is a little puzzling though.  There are some reversed seats, which is somewhat prototypical and reportedly was done for families.  Although I've never seen a prototype photo of this practice.  There are also a few tables, which I have yet to find any prototype photos or info on.

Also the window tinting is a little light.  Probably to see inside better (like the plated Superliners).

They do require fairly large radius curves to operate on.  But if you have some tight curves like we do, a conversion to Train Station Products trucks with truck mounted couplers solves that.  But you loose out on the nice Walthers powered trucks.

But the detailing overall is very accurate.  So I'd definitely recommend them. 

I'm looking forward to the rest of the cars so I can start painting the interiors and numbering the cars.

The reversed seats are not an equipment variation, but an operating situation.

I didn't shoot a photo, but I rode the Amtrak Texas Eagle into San Antonio in a high level car similar to the Santa Fe El-Caps.  The cars were interchanged at San Antonio after several hours layover to go it on the Sunset.  They went out in opposite direction, so as we were creeping into the terminal, the conductor turned the seats.  Set of two leg-rest reclining seats rotates from a pedestal between the two.

Not much more than flipping rollover seats on a commuter car.

I've never ridden in the El Capitan but have made many trips on the San Francisco Chief during the mid 1950's traveling between Oakland and Newton, Kansas. I do remember seeing some seats reversed and seeing tables between some of the seats.  Although I can't find any photographs to document this, so maybe I have a faulty memory chip---

Wayne 

The reversible seats on the Hi-Levels are well known.  In fact the last car that carried the drumhead were all reversed to face forward.

What irks me on these is that only a few are reversed.  Making four seat sections.  Very similar to the present day Amtrak Surfliner equipment (group seats).

If you look in my photo posted above, the second window from the left has one of the four seater configurations.

I'm just not sure if this was done a lot, if ever.  I seem to recall reading somewhere this was done for families.  But my dad's family (traveled on it in 1957) did not have the seats reversed so they could face each other.  And doesn't remember any other seats being reversed (not facing forward).  And he definitely does not remember any tables in the coaches.

The four seat configurations and coach tables might be more prevalent in later days after the second order of Hi-Levels.  It's after this second order when trains like the San Francisco Chief and Texas Chief regularly were scheduled with Hi-Levels.  So maybe the coach tables were an addition in this new order based on customer traveling notes on the first batch of cars.  But Walthers specifically modeled the 1956-58 El Cap with these models.

I may never find an answer on the interior though since I have every book ever written on the Hi-Levels and can't find any info on group seating or tables in the coaches.

To be honest though if my only big complaint is with the interiors, then you know the cars themselves are overall outstanding models.  It has to be a good model if I can only find little things to nit pick about.

Here's a bonus photo for you Hi-Level fans:

That's one of the wall plaques that were on the coach ends.  Below is a photo of the prototype (the one on the left) on the stair end of a Step Up coach:

Matt,

I just looked at your layout photos and was very impressed: the Army Base was a nice touch and something one doesn't see that often on layouts.  

Wayne 

Thanks Wayne. 

Going for a 1950s era desert military base.  Loosely modeled after Camp Irwin near Barstow California.  This video was a big inspiration:

The Big Picture, Camp Irwin

Matt,

Thanks for the link, that was a great video.  As an Army Veteran I really enjoyed seeing this clip, brought back a lot of memories, and if I'm not mistaken there was a 55 Chevy being driven at the Army Base ! 

Wayne 

Check this out...

Also, good call on replacing the trucks. The trucks that come on the cars are not correct for these cars. The TSP trucks are the correct trucks. Just be sure you install the Timken bearing caps on them.

Great scene, and they are all wearing "Minnie Mouse" shoes.

Awesome photo of the Courier Nurse uniform.  Now I know the right color   And yep I need to go darker blue.

Yes on the Timken covers.  But also don't forget the decelostats on one side of each truck as well.

For those interested, here are the Walthers Hi-Level cars along with the trucks I'm using for each (note I'm reusing the Walthers wheels in the Train Station Products trucks):

932-9750 Baggage/Dorm

• 732-427 (Commonwealth Type 41-N)

932-9760 Step Up Coach

• 732-414 (Outside Swing Hanger 41-CUDO)

932-9770 Coach

• 732-414 (Outside Swing Hanger 41-CUDO)

932-9780 Lounge

• 732-414 (Outside Swing Hanger 41-CUDO)

932-9790 Diner

• 732-426 (Modern 6 Wheel ATSF Style)

932-9761 Step Up (with drumhead)

• 732-414 (Outside Swing Hanger 41-CUDO)

Parts

• 732-432 (Wheel Recorders/Decelostats)
• 8 Decelostats per package.  Each car needs 4, diner needs 6.  So order accordingly.
• 732-416 (Timken Covers)
• The Hi-Level truck sets (732-414) and (732-426) come with Timken covers so only order these for the dorm or if you want to upgrade your Walthers trucks.

I painted them a darker blue now.  Turns out PollyScale CSX blue is a pretty close match...well as good a match to the paint I had on hand.

I also gave a late 1960s era Courier Nurse a try.  Very tough to paint with the blue stripe and headband.  I had to use a really small brush:

SWChief,

Excellent work with the nurses!

Matt, have you put any thought into retrofitting the TSP/Intermountain interiors into the Walthers cars? Likie yourself, I have detailed the TSP interiors, and actually like them better than the Walthers interiors and would like to save myself the work of detailing the Walthers interiors. I haven't looked at what might be involved with this and was wondering if possibly you have.

Also, what is involved with using the TSP trucks. I thought about doing this with my Walthers Super Chief cars, but the Walthers trucks have a depressed bolster, where the TSP trucks have a straight bolster. It would seem that this may require some modification to the underbody of the Walthers cars, or maybe I am just looking at this wrong.

TSP Interiors

I don't think using the TSP (actually Palace Car Co) interiors would work well with the Walthers cars.  Walthers has both a top and bottom interior.  The TSP cars can't have both because of the way the bottom frame is flat and does not go down for the lower interior.  Also TSP does not have an interior for the lounge.

I do like the Walthers interior so I can live with the few reversed seats.  I removed the coach tables.  I have yet to get the lounge and diner (which I expect to pickup this Friday).  So I'm not sure what Walthers version of these interiors look like.

TSP Trucks

I didn't want to damage the Walthers Hi-Levels to use TSP trucks.  What I did was modify the trucks to fit.  This required drilling out the center hole in the TSP truck until it would fit over the Walthers bolster. 

Of course I didn't have the right drill bit size to ensure the hole was just big enough to fit over the bolster.  So I picked up a 13/64" drill bit at my local ACE hardware.  I hand drilled the TSP trucks, gradually working up drill bit sizes so I wouldn't crack the thin TSP truck.

I also got some washers to keep the trucks secured.  I can't remember the washer size, but it seems I wrote on the bag 7/32" so that must be it.  I used the original Walthers truck screw.

Tinted Windows

I'm going to try adding more tint to the windows of my Hi-Levels.  I have some Railway Classics window tinting which is basically just a sheet of plastic with appropriate tinting color.  I plan to put this behind the windows of my Hi-Levels.  However I'm not sure if it will flex enough for the rounded lounge windows.  So when I get the lounge car I'll experiment with the tinting.

The Palace Car Company interiors is what I used for the TSP hi levels. I was talking more of removing the seats of the upper level and just replacing that.

I am curious what interior parts that Palace Car Company used for their hi level lounge. I haven't had a chance to take a close look at one of the Palace Car Company's hi level lounges.

I am really curious to see what the different colors are in the Walthers hi level lounge and diner. From what I can tell from their product description, the table tops at the very least will be a different color. Probably won't matter since I will be detailing the interiors myself anyhow. I seem to recall that someone made etched metal replicas of the "Indian artwork" for Santa Fe passenger cars at one time. I am not sure if what was made is appropriate for the hi level cars, but that is just something else to try to find.

Supposedly these chairs were from a hi level diner:

I honestly can't say that I have seen the interiors of the hi level diners. Does this look correct?

Those are not how the original Hi-Level diner seats looked. 

While the bottom is kind of similar with the X bracing, the legs seem too thick and don't have the same taper, the upholstery is too large and the color is wrong.  Maybe Amtrak era replacements?

Here's what the diner seats looked like:

The upholstery was a coral color.  Very close to the coral/red color on the seat photo you posted.  Pollyscale Zinc Chromate Primer works well.

More reference photos, Hi-Level interiors (sorry I don't yet have scans of the lower levels):

Diner

Lounge

Coach (with Step Up stairs)

Even More Reference Photos

While not actual photos, these drawings are very close to the actual colors.

Diner

Lounge

Coach

This one shows the darker blue (and hopefully more accurate) uniform I painted last night.

Sort of looks like this advertisement

I have the floor plans, and based the interior colors off technical specs and the same adverts as what you posted above (thanks for posting tha that by the way) is how I detailed the interiors of the TSP cars that I have. That is why I want to try to retrofit the upper levels of the TSP hi level cars that I did into the Walthers cars since they are already done. The only thing that doesn't match up to what I was aware of is the artist rendition of the chair car. I was under the impression that the seats were covered in a turquoise colored fabric (or a color close to that). Does that match the info you may have?

Fortunately I only have 6 total hi level car interiors to detail, so that is not a big deal. That is just 2 transition cars, 2 chair cars, and a lounge and diner. The lounge should be fun. Of the Super Chief section of the train that I am modeling the 500 series "Pleasure Dome" was the most difficult.

I am really looking forward to getting all the Walthers hi levels so I can finally have a complete consist with the Super Chief cars that I have. The finish doesn't match perfectly with the Super cars, but I have way too much work involved wit those cars to replace them with anything else. I always hated running that train with the hi level lounge missing. I am planning on retiring the TSP cars completely. I just don't like the way they look with the Walthers cars.

csmith9474

The only thing that doesn't match up to what I was aware of is the artist rendition of the chair car. I was under the impression that the seats were covered in a turquoise colored fabric (or a color close to that). Does that match the info you may have?

Yep, the info I have on the chairs is turquoise.  "chairs are upholstered in a turquoise fabric". 

Although I've never really been sure on how much the color differed from that artistic rendition.  More info on the interior colors mentions a "light turquoise" for the lower wall panels. 

So if the walls are qualified "light", maybe the chairs were a more "green turquoise" like the artist's rendition. 

Everything else in the rendition seems to match; mottled brown/coral carpet, light turquoise plastic panels from the floor to lower window edge, and frosted walnut formica between the windows with a print screened in the center of each.

I plan to paint the chairs with an acrylic craft paint called "Reef Blue", by Apple Barrel.  Not sure how it will look though.  Picked it up along with some other paints when Michaels had a paint sale.

My old TSP coach seats were painted with PollyScale GN Glacier Green.  But I was never happy with that color.

This is what I went with for the seats for my TSP cars:

I personally think that it is too dark and not green enough, but it doesn't look awful through the windows/glazing on the cars.

In a weak moment a year or so back, I responded to an e-mail or blow-in card ad for a Kalmbach Classic Trains book called "Working on the Railroad."  I really enjoyed every story, since they were about the people of the steam and transition eras, more than the trains.

One of them was about the women who served as hostesses aboard some of the more upscale passenger trains.  Other than a couple of cattle-car rides in the Northeast Corridor 40 years ago, I've never travelled long distance by train, so the history was all new to me.

I'm not sure if this story was originally in a Kalmbach magazine, or if it's been put online anywhere, but if you have a chance to read this article (or the whole book) it's an interesting diversion from, say, ballasting track.

Where did you find this picture?  Which museum is it from?