Which passenger train would you most like to model?

[Anonymous]

1968 Empire Builder is for me.

[Anonymous]

I intend to model Santa Fe's "Chief", "Grand Canyon Limited", "Fast Mail", "El Capitan", and the "Super Chief" in N scale. I have enough of the cars to do a shortened but credible (9 car) version of the first 3 trains, and I am accumilating the cars for the other 2. While I am satisfied with my rebuilt and/or refinished heavyweight cars, most of my lightweight cars will need to be stripped and repainted using the techniques described in the July 2003 MR article on stainless steel finishes. If I can make this work for me, it will solve a problem that has been bothering me for several decades as a modeler. The image of the gleeming streamliner, Santa Fe or otherwise, has always attracted my attention as a passenger, railfan and modeler. The train I favor but missed was the "Chief" after it was streamlined but still pulled by steam (circa 1938-46). That was a "have your cake and eat it too" kind of train. Early in 1954 the "Chief" lost its all Pullman status and received coaches. To me this was a step forward in providing for the varied needs of the traveling public rather than a loss of elitist prestige. One area that the Santa Fe misunderstood was the appeal of dome cars. For that I look to the "California Zephyr" of neighbors CB&Q, D&RGW, and WP. I missed that one too, but I rode and photographed th "Rio Grande Zephyr" in 1978 and again in '82.

[Anonymous]

I would like to model passenger trains form the turn of the 20th century when trains where the fastest mode of travel.

[CBQ_Guy]

Well I'm modeling the late 1960's but have considered bumping the era up to just after the creation of Amtrash. I think it's kinda funky cool to see all the various railroad's passenger fleet colors running together. IMO, it's all been downhill for the American Rail Corp. since!