Commuter railroading

[Supermicha]

I also model, or better collect, commuter and passenger models. my collection consists mostly of amtrak and njt models. i have several custom painted njt models, like the white 4323 (E8), a normal E8 (#4326), an ALP-44, a PCC Trolley and a flexible bus. i hope to have some day one of every engine used by njt, the biggest problem will be the ALP-46, i think i can use a Roco class 101 german electric.

I finished soon an Amtrak downeaster cabbaggage, it was really fun to build it.

Micha

[Anonymous]

I think they have to share the mainline with freights (and everything else). I have another question - this one about CNW/Metra equipment. Did Metra F40PHs ever run with CNW liveried bilevel stock? I can't find anything suitable (and affordable) in CNW livery to power my train, but my LHS has Metra F40PHs for around £40 - about half the price of the other option (Proto 2000 E8 for around £80 or so). Any advice would be much appreciated, as the train is currently powered by an Erie-Built in CNW livery (looks good, but Erie-Builts had no head-end power!)

[lupo]

another question about US commuter railroads:
does these railroads share their tracks with freight-trains or do they use their own network ?

[Anonymous]

not only do i like commuter rail, i LOVE them[:X]. infact, i ride one every day to and from school (the Shore Line East - a three car push-me/pull me). living outside new york, there is a great rail transit system and i am familiar with Metro-North and a bit of NEC Amtrak. unfortunately my layout wont realy allow a commuter line, but i do have through passenger trains. are you going electric (3-rail vs panto), diesel, or diesel railcar? [8D]

[AntonioFP45]

Rambo1

Go to www.asmodels.com

They have resin kits of Commuter passenger cars and locomotives. I believe that they make the locomotive that you are looking for.

Peace! [:)][8D]

[Anonymous]

I've never been accused of being 100% sane, or very smart. Yup! Over the past four years I've actually built a freelanced DCC computer-controlled HO-commuter layout in my basement. Most of the time I feel like a strange little hermit who enjoys writing odd things on cave walls. It was only after I was way too far into the project to turn back that I realized you don't actually BUILD a commuter layout; you simply TALK about building a commuter layout. Silly me. But I'm having fun with it just the same.

John Wolfskill
The Metro-Valley Lines
http://www.trainweb.org/metrovalleyline/index.html

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by DocDan



Dougal -

Where are you getting your GP40FH-2s? Do you have asource or are you kitbashing also?

I'm doing mine from the RMC article as well!

[CNW-400]

On the Chicago Metra commuter lines there are actual stations just for the employees by yards etc., it's not for the general publics use. The employee lets the conductor know he wants to get off there, otherwise the train goes right by. Employees wanting to get on from the employee only stations need to flag down the train, although it's possible they radio the train ahead of time.

Mark

[AltonFan]

QUOTE: do you know if they had some kind of platform or station at their workshops for these special worker trains?

I've seen photographs of small platforms in or near rail yards. I vaguely recall seeing a photo of a small platform bearing the sign "Shops" that was located near a railroad shop complex.

So there probably is a prototype for a platform for railroad employees located in or near railroad facilities.

[CNW-400]

I've always enjoyed watching & modeling commuter trains, only I could only do it in N before because that was the only scale offering the push-pull bi-levels run here in the Chicago area. I'm not a good kitbasher, and I'm no good at scratchbuilding.

I remember back in the mid-80's Bachmann/Spectum came out with a F40PH painted for the RTA (predecessor to Metra) and later Life-Like brought out their F40PH in Metra colors. These Locomotives were only used with pushpull bi-levels, but neither offered the cars to go with them. What was the point there? Years later Three Brothers came out with the bi-levels in kits, but by then you couldn't get the locos!

Mark

[joecool1212]

I have 1 station for passenger, Amtrak and NJ transit run to it. It is the Heartville station so named for the town of Heartville witch my wife is mayor. She loves hearts. (and i'm not kidding). At least it keeps here intrested. This town puts alot of restrictions on railroad expansion though so my layout doesent take up the whole room like I would have wanted it to.

[cnw4001]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tmurray

QUOTE: Originally posted by DocDan

CNW4001 -

I just checked Atlas and I didn't see the GP40FH-2s. Are you sure the one you have is the MK rebuild of GP40? My understanding (and I may be mistaken) was that only MN and NJT had these units. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong place. Either way, thanks for the heads up.

The Atlas units are GP-40M's and they're distributed by Canadian Model Trains. The FH-2 will be done by Imperial Hobby Productions, but he's a very small operation so it takes a while from concept to production (i.e. it's been about 4 years since the last run of SPV2000's). But then, how many of us are really in a huge rush? I know I still have to finish my F40PH-2C and that's going to take a while. I'm a huge fan of the T (MBTA). Commuter rail modeling is a good thing!

Here's the link for the geep:
http://www.modeltrains.com/WEB%20-%20CMT/Atlas/Atlas%20-%20HO-scale/atlas-ho-go%20transit.htm

-Tom

Tom,

Thanks for the research. I looked at the link and indeed the one shown as 728 has road number 726 and is the one I have. The other one listed as 721 has road number 720.

I got mine off the shelf from a hobby shop in Columbus, Ohio and I would suspect the Canadian shop would be just as good a source and probably better because the Columbus shop might no longer have their other one. Getting anything Canadian here in the states is a challenge. As I said in an earlier post my CNW bi-level commuter train was purchased in Toronto, how's that for irony?

Dale

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by DocDan

CNW4001 -

I just checked Atlas and I didn't see the GP40FH-2s. Are you sure the one you have is the MK rebuild of GP40? My understanding (and I may be mistaken) was that only MN and NJT had these units. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong place. Either way, thanks for the heads up.

The Atlas units are GP-40M's and they're distributed by Canadian Model Trains. The FH-2 will be done by Imperial Hobby Productions, but he's a very small operation so it takes a while from concept to production (i.e. it's been about 4 years since the last run of SPV2000's). But then, how many of us are really in a huge rush? I know I still have to finish my F40PH-2C and that's going to take a while. I'm a huge fan of the T (MBTA). Commuter rail modeling is a good thing!

Here's the link for the geep:
http://www.modeltrains.com/WEB%20-%20CMT/Atlas/Atlas%20-%20HO-scale/atlas-ho-go%20transit.htm

-Tom

[DocDan]

CNW4001 -

I just checked Atlas and I didn't see the GP40FH-2s. Are you sure the one you have is the MK rebuild of GP40? My understanding (and I may be mistaken) was that only MN and NJT had these units. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong place. Either way, thanks for the heads up.

[cnw4001]

QUOTE: Originally posted by DocDan

I too am planning to model a commuter railroad and would like to use NJ Transit deisels. I have an F40PH already in service but now I want to get my hands on at least one GP40FH-2. in transit colors. I am ready to kitbash one based on an article from RMC two years ago.

Dougal -

Where are you getting your GP40FH-2s? Do you have asource or are you kitbashing also?

The one I have in GO livery is an Atlas, they had two road numbers in GO, don't know about any others as I was specifically searching for GO Transit.

[DocDan]

I too am planning to model a commuter railroad and would like to use NJ Transit deisels. I have an F40PH already in service but now I want to get my hands on at least one GP40FH-2. in transit colors. I am ready to kitbash one based on an article from RMC two years ago.

Dougal -

Where are you getting your GP40FH-2s? Do you have asource or are you kitbashing also?

[cnw4001]

Hi,

Although my two posts are slightly different, the second was due to the "learning curve" as I thought the first "disappeared" when In fact it hadn't.

Sorry for using extra bits 'n bytes.


Dale

[cnw4001]

QUOTE: Originally posted by rambo1

I live in Toronto Canada where GO Transit runs. I have a set of Bombardier GO transit cars and cab car and a Tri Rail coach. GO Transit locos are F59PH which are not made by anyone. I hope someone will soon. I leave my work area all the time to watch them passby the plant where I work .rambo1....

Another post mentions's a Kaslo product which George's Trains on Mt. Pleasant should have information on. I run a Walther's F40PH in GO livery with one rake of six cars and an Atlas GP40-2(TC) in GO livery with my other six GO cars. I realze this is not the current power but it meets my needs. I also have a set of CNW Gallery cars pulled by an F7, all HO. Ironically I got the CNW Gallery cars at George's. They are wooden, not the Walter's ones. How about that, have to come up from the states to Toronto to get US cars!

Dale

[cnw4001]

QUOTE: Originally posted by rambo1

I live in Toronto Canada where GO Transit runs. I have a set of Bombardier GO transit cars and cab car and a Tri Rail coach. GO Transit locos are F59PH which are not made by anyone. I hope someone will soon. I leave my work area all the time to watch them passby the plant where I work .rambo1....

I have a Walthers F40PH in GO livery and an Atlas GP40-2 also in GO livery. I realize they are not the current GO power but they meet my needs. One is assigned to a rake of six cars and the other is assigned to my other rake of six cars. Guess I'm running Milton or other "non-Lakeshort" trains, or do they run less than 10 car rakes on the Lakeshore line? I understand someone in Canada is making a resin shell of the F59PH in GO livery but it seemed a lot of money for just a shell. Check with George's Trains on Mt. Pleasant, I think I saw the kit listed on their site.

Dale

[lupo]

Thanks david !
so I could use the doodlebug . . .
do you know if they had some kind of platform or station at their workshops for these special worker trains?

[BR60103]

lupo: some railroads ran special trains to their workshops or sheds when these were located far enough away from the residential part of town and away from the local station. Sometimes an extra stop for the local train; sometimes a special small train.

[AltonFan]

When i finally get my layout up and running, I am planning to run commuter trains based on C&NW operations in the pre-bi-level era. The trains would be two-three 60' coaches, with a combine (used to deliver newspapers), pulled by a 4-6-2, but ideally by a 4-6-0 or a 4-4-2. Maybe I'll include some early bi-levels.

[Anonymous]

I have a small commuter setup with the seattle sounder bombardier cars and an F59PHI. I've always thought it was a good looking train [:)]

Warren

[Anonymous]

i have a slight addiction to commuter trains.....[:D]

right now i have:
2 Metrolink trains (one with a F59PHI and 4 cars, one with a F59PHI and 3 cars
1 Dallas TRE train (F59PHI and 4 cars, still waiting on the F59PHI)
1 Chicago Metra train (F40PH and 4 cars)
1 New Jersey Transit train (ALP-44 and 5 cars, havent bought the cars yet)

and the good ol Amtrak Acela. i have to keep stopping myself from getting a GO train. they look pretty nice.

walthers did make a GO F40PH. there is one on eBay right now.

[jslean]

Kaslo is making a GO F59. It will be marketed exclusively by Geore's Trains which is located in Toronto.

John Slean

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by rambo1

I live in Toronto Canada where GO Transit runs. I have a set of Bombardier GO transit cars and cab car and a Tri Rail coach. GO Transit locos are F59PH which are not made by anyone. I hope someone will soon. I leave my work area all the time to watch them passby the plant where I work .rambo1....

Don't Athearn do a F59PH in GO Transit? I know they do a F7 A+A set in their RTR line. Walthers also offer the F40PH in Go Transit (I think).

[rambo1]

I live in Toronto Canada where GO Transit runs. I have a set of Bombardier GO transit cars and cab car and a Tri Rail coach. GO Transit locos are F59PH which are not made by anyone. I hope someone will soon. I leave my work area all the time to watch them passby the plant where I work .rambo1....

[michaelstevens]

Lupo,

Here in the NE (despite the availability of commuter rail, transit and buses) the vast majority of the manual workforce goes to work by pick-up truck or SUV.
30 years ago it was cars.
Office/professional workers were and are more likely to use public transport.
Doodlebugs were more common in the rural areas of the mid west etc.
An RDC would fit in better with your Amtrak stuff.

Enjoy !! -- Mike in Philly.

[Anonymous]

I used to live a couple of miles from New Jersey Transits Raratin Valley Line so every once and a while when we wanted to go railfanning and were tired of CR power we went to the High Bridge station and watched a couple of NJT train go in and out of the station. I've also ridden on Septa and Amtraks NEC.