The engine's diaphragms were so the crew could go from one unit to other, like from an A unit back to a B unit (or trailing A unit). AFAIK they weren't designed to mate up with the diapgragms used in passenger cars, that allowed people to move from car to car. If the conductor had to talk to the engineer 'face to face', he'd have to wait until the train stopped somewhere, get out and walk along the tracks up to the engine. BTW the original 1940's streamlined Builder used full-width diaphragms.
Re horns, from what I can see all GN F's came with single chime BLAT airhorns but at some point at least some of the passenger F's were changed to three chimes. Not sure of the exact type.
The 500 series on the GN were E7's. Yours are F's. They're not the same. I wouldn't worry about it much. If the E was down, I'm sure GN would have stuck an AB on the front.
Also, I know the Seattle-Portland train ran, at least some of the time, AB's. Like the 370 pair.
Ed
WOW! Thanks for all the info! Much appreciated. So, the International had 4 cars? Also, I am noticing that these trains have locomotives with numbers not too close to 370, and Athearn sells a train set with GN 370 a and b, but the cars are earlier than these. Should I renumber the locos I have or did GN 370 pull these cars shown in above posts as well? Thanks again for all the help, everybody!
I'm beginning to realize that Windows 10 and sound decoders have a lot in common. There are so many things you have to change in order to get them to work the way you want.
BNSF UP and others modeler The seattle area is my loose reference point for my freelancing.
The seattle area is my loose reference point for my freelancing.
The International was a train from Seattle to Vancouver BC. It was a newly built (in 1950) streamline train:
Baggage-mail, 60 seat coach, 6 seat coach, 52 seat chair-cafe-parlor-observation
The above photo shows one more car.
There was also a train from Seattle to Portland (GN 459-460).
This page could be useful. It lists equipment in 1954:
There are also trains of other railroads listed for the Seattle-Portland run.
BNSF UP and others modelerAlso, where would be a good place to get them (brand and price wise) for ho scale?
American Limited has a good selection of diaphragms. Almost certain the F unit ones are not as tall as a passenger car type.
http://www.americanlimitedmodels.com/
Regards, Ed
BNSF UP and others modeler New question! Did the F7s and the empire builder passenger cars share the same kind of diaphram? Or did the passenger cars have any. Also, where would be a good place to get them (brand and price wise) for ho scale?
New question! Did the F7s and the empire builder passenger cars share the same kind of diaphram? Or did the passenger cars have any. Also, where would be a good place to get them (brand and price wise) for ho scale?
BNSF UP and others modeler Oh, thank you. The seattle area is my loose reference point for my freelancing. Do you know how many and what cars composed that train? And what dates it ran within?
Oh, thank you. The seattle area is my loose reference point for my freelancing. Do you know how many and what cars composed that train? And what dates it ran within?
BNSF UP and others modeler Ok. Did they at least run a passenger train with only one a and one b unit?
Ok. Did they at least run a passenger train with only one a and one b unit?
Decent?
Sure. You can run your train and enjoy yourself. I know I would!
The Builder never ran with that short a train, I am sure. If I'm wrong, I am looking forward to hearing about it, though.
Hahahaha! I had to change the title to accomodate all these goodies! Another question: What is the shortest prototypical Empire Builder train? Walters has a few on their website, but I only have 7 passenger cars. Anything decent I can do with my 7 con cor cars?
Re: the horns
I think the Athearn RTR model (GN 370C) has the A200 horns on the roof.
marksrailroad I model the late 1950s Empire Builder and none of this ever crossed my mind... Thanks for bringing it all up. I have a question also. What year did the full dome come on the scene ?.
I model the late 1950s Empire Builder and none of this ever crossed my mind... Thanks for bringing it all up. I have a question also. What year did the full dome come on the scene ?.
They were delivered 8-10/1955
The dome coaches were delivered 6-7/1955
Check out this thread for rescources:
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/13/t/269145.aspx
I'm trying to thrash out horns, too. My impression is that a Leslie A200 is a single chime "honk". Or is it "blat"? Seems to me the usual GN F's are some sort of 3-chime. Of course, it's important to figure out the "whens". "When" GN F's were delivered, I think they had the single chime horns--"blat". Later, the three-chime.
Bells???
I dunno yet. So far, I just pick a bell sound that "sounds" right. I'm totally open to education, though.
Ok! I have another question. I posted this a while ago, but do you know the prototypical horn and bell for GN F7 370? The posts on the other thread didn't lead to much. I have it set to an airbell and the leslie a200 on an econami decoder.
BNSF UP and others modeler ...someone else might call it OCD.
...someone else might call it OCD.
Not around HERE, Pal!!!
This is OUR turf.
No, no, no! I like that kind of stuff. That kind of realism is what I try to achieve. I call it picky, someone else might call it OCD. Anyway, thanks for the extra info. May have to come back to this thread with similar questions in the future.
Good question.
A vestibule is a small "room" where there are doors for getting on and off the train. In your photo, there is one, evidenced by the doors, on the right.
Sometimes there's one vestibule, sometimes two. And sometimes none, like on most baggage and mail cars. And diners. Etc.
Incidentally on the Empire Builder, when it had the domes, ALL cars, if they had one, ran with the vestibule to the rear, except for the observation car.
Continuing with the "directionality" of the cars, the big full-dome ran with the side with the fewer windows in the side to the left, the diner had the side with the most windows to the right. And the Ranch car ran with the most windows on the left.
All that might be TMI, so ignore what you don't care about.
Oh good. BTW, what is the vestible end? I am a novice in some railroad terminology.
The seats on the prototype face the short end.
And away from the vestibule end.
I just got a con cor Emire Builder dome car that looks like this picture, courtesy of google.
I proceeded to install passengers in the dome, but I may have accidentally put all the seats facing backwards. Should they be facing the slightly longer or slightly shorter side? I think the longer side is on the right in the picture above.