PRR S2 Turbine service?

[tjl0824]

I have an O-gauge model of Pennsylvania's S2 Turbine, and I'm wondering what to use behind it to make it prototypical. What was it used for in it's short-life?

[Dragoman]

The Wikipedia article on the PRR S2 has a reference to a website, which has a photo of the S2 on the Broadway Limited in 1945.

[JimValle]

The S2 was intended to expedite heavy modern passenger trains between Chicago and Crestline, Ohio at speeds at or over 100 mph.  Pennsy mamagement hoped it would draw the most prestigious name trains on that route like the Broadway Limited.  After the diesels came it could be found hauling mail and express trains for a short time before its retirement.  Consequently a string of streamlined equipment would be appropriate or a heavyweight coach train with a lot of headend cars.

[daveklepper]

During the period that the S-2 hauled premium trains, the coaches were usually the 44-passenger small widewindowed Juniatta-built deluxe long distance coaches that rusted out early and were scrapped long before the PC merger.   Wonderful riding coaches while they lasted, with huge rest rooms at each end.   Also unique to the PRR were the Creek series duplex room cars with staggered windows on one side for single sidways rooms on raised and normal levels.   But even during this era, heavyweight headend cars and express box and reefer cars could be found on the head end of anything but the Broadway Limited itself.  In the later era, after diesels began coming, the coaches would be the unmodernizedd P-70's, usually no more than two at the end of 15 or so head end cars.  

[wjstix]

The Spring 2012 issue of "Classic Trains" has a cover story on the Pennsy turbines. You can get it direct from Kalmbach, but you should also still be able to find it at the local hobby shop.