NYC Southwestern Limited

[Rabbersnabber]

Can anyone tell me of an accurate consist of the post WW II to mid-1950's New York Central Southwestern Limited ?  I am also interested in what the exterior finish of the cars were, Painted in what scheme or stainless?  I want to model this this train since it serviced my birthplace of Indianapolis and my current home of Anderson, Indiana.on the NYC Bee Line.  I also worked on this line for a long time.

[daveklepper]

I recall it as a two-tone grey with white stripes and lettering solid consist, with lightning stiped E-units up front, possibly one or two heavyweight green head end cars, one possibly a railway express express refrigorator, a baggage car, coaches, diner, lounge, and sleepers.   I don't remember ever seeing an obs on this train.  Occasionally a blue and grey MP sleeper would be at the rear, a through sleeper to Texas.  I do not recall stainless equipment regularly used in the train during the period you stated, but such equipment did appear later.

[FlyingCrow]

Dave's usually spot on with traction stuff, but here... eh...a little astray.    NYC did not operate any passing cars through St. Louis to Texas after the late 40's,   The PRR took up the slack on this , mostly with the Penn Texas. 

But, why should I continue.   It's ALL right here...everything you want to know:

http://trra-hts.railfan.net/issue6162.html

NOW, the TRRA Historical Society is sold out of these but I do see them pop up on Ebay from time to time and at book re-sellers.   If you still cannot find one after a bit of a search, bump this topic and I will answer as many questions as I can.   

Good luck!!

 

[daveklepper]

Was not the train streamlined with the two-tone grey equipmennt before the through MP car was dropped?   I think it was dropped about 1949 or 1950, but the light-weight cars were introduced in much earlier.   If I am wrong, correct me.

And when the through car did run, it was as often another NYC sleeper as it was an MP sleeper.

I also saw the train in its WWII heavyweight days, or mixed lightweight-heavyweight, but I don't remember the details, and I am not certain there was any consistancy in any case.  I think one day a Niagra could replace the T-motor at Harmon, and the next day a Mowhawk or Hudson.

Having checked the cover of the reference, apparently the train was all-Pullman and streamlined with an obs in 1938, if it truly was "just like the Century."  But not having read the reference, and relying only on memory, while the Century was maintained 'PURE' during WWII, hgeavyweighty equipment most certainly did show up on the Southwester, and it did run at least times without the obs.  After WWII the raio of heavies to lightweights moved to more the lightweights, but I don't remember the train recovering its obs.

 

Those who have the entire reference can correct me where requipred.

[Deggesty]

The February, 1950, isuue of the Guide  gives the following consist of the  westbound Southwestern Limited:

NY-SL: 5 DB Buffet Ob Lounge, 6DB Buffet lounge car, 2 10 Rmte 6 DB sleepers, 1 14 Section sleeper ( heavyweight), diner, and coaches

Boston-SL: 1 10-6 and 1 14 Section sleepers and coaches

Phoebus, Va.-SL: 1 10 Section, DR, C sleeper (from C&O at Cincinnati and added in Indianapolis)

also, Cincinnati-SL: coaches

(of course, no headend cars are listed)

The equipment was a mixture of lightweight and heavyweight cars.

I hope this helps.

[daveklepper]

As I remember, the obs-lounge was not a rear car but toward the middle and not really an obs.  But I cannot report as having seen every train, and an obs may have been used during this period.   But obviously, it was not a reproduction of the Century at the time!

Some time after 1955, I think, the train was still listed separately but actually combined with the Ohio State Limited and I am uncertain where the separation took place.

I do recall the Boston cars being added and dropped at Buffalo, not Albany, at least at one time.   I did ride the through St. Louis -Boston sleeper at least once, and recall it as a 6 and 10 lightweight.