Empire Builder toy train

[Anonymous]

Over the past 6 months, my wife and I have traveled the Empire Builder from Chicago to Settle and back, and had a wonderful experience. We are now traveling by train when ever possible.

We would like to have a "small" model of either the current Empire Builder train or one of the earlier versions. Where can I purchase such a toy train?


f. walker

[siberianmo]

Hello,

I see you are new to the Forums. May I suggest that you check out the assorted and varying Forums (discussion places) that Kalmbach Pulbications has put together for us all [?] This particular Forum is for the discussion of Classic Trains The toy forum is immediately above this one - mainly for O and S gauge, but strictly limited. Then there's a Model Railroad Forum, mainly HO and N, further down the "list." I'm sure you'll get lots of attention with your question on either.

For starters - just do a web search (use your favorite search engine - Yahoo, Google, etc., perhaps in the advance mode) and undoubtedly you'll get lots of "hits."

Good hunting!

[Texas Zepher]

QUOTE: Originally posted by fwalker
..my wife and I have traveled the Empire Builder from Chicago to Settle ...We would like to have a "small" model of either the current Empire Builder train or one of the earlier versions. Where can I purchase such a toy train?

The current Amtrak version is pulled by GE P42 "Genesis" locomotives and the cars are called "Superliners".
The locomotive is made in N-scale by Kato, in HO-Scale by Athearn, and in O-gauge by MTH. The Superliner cars are made in N-scale by Kato (two 4 car sets) and ConCor, In HO-Scale they are made by Walthers and ConCor. I don't know about O-gauge. There are also expensive brass imports of these cars.

If you go back in time to earlier versions, the possibilities increase greatly depending on the time and how accurate you desire the models to be. A book could be written on the variations going backward through early Amtrak, to the Great Northern Big Sky Blue, the 1955 Orange and Green Empire Builder with a full dome, back to the original Builder.

These should be available from any local model railroading store or on-line at one of many fine dealers.
http://www.caboosehobbies.com/ <-- My highly recommended local hobby store
http://www.walthers.com/

You didn't specify if you wanted to run the train or just have it on display. If it is for running make certain the loop of track is larger than normal to handle the long cars.