MAKING UP YOUR FAVORITE PASSENGER TRAIN ON YOUR MODEL RAILROAD

[Anonymous]

TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT. MY FAVORITE PASSENGER TRAIN WAS ACL'S CHAMPION. ALL MY LIFE I WAS GOING TO MODEL THE CHAMPION BUT PULLED BY A "GG1". MY FAVORITE TRAIN AND MY FAVORITE LOCO. BUT FOR MY HO SCALE RAILROAD TODAY. I WANT THE CARS TO SERVE THE PASSENGERS THE BEST. EASTERN RAILROAD IS DATED IN THE 1950's. I FALL IN LOVE WITH THE ATHEARN's F7's AND USE THEM AS MY MAIN LOCO. I GOT THE CARS THAT I WANTED AND ENDED UP MODELING THE ATFS's SUPER CHIEF. THE NAME OF THE TRAIN IS THE SILVER CHAMPION AFTER THE CHAMPION. OK NOW , WHATS YOUR STORY.

[AntonioFP45]

Silver Champion,

You and I definetly have something in common.

I'm going to be modeling the Seaboard Coast Line Champion. My 10 car version will be made up of the Walther's and Rivorossi streamlined cars. Motive power will be E7s and FP7s as these were the units used often during the late 60s before the Amtrak merger. The diesels were used between Florida and Washington D.C. From D.C to New York, the GG1s took over. When Amtrak took over in the 70s, E units and later SDP40fs hauled the Champion to D.C with either GG1s or E60CPs taking over to the big apple.

So it's possible to model the Champion in the: Florida East Coast, Atlantic Coast Line, Seaboard Coast Line, and Amtrak versions.

This was indeed a fine train that didn't get the publicity that the "Chiefs" and "Zephyrs" received.

[Anonymous]

a couple months ago i dished out about $300 bucks for my amtrak which is an EMD104 pulling a baggage car, a coach/baggage, a coach, a diner, a lounge, and a sleeper. I put a decoder in it and am currently looking for lights and sound. Along with the never-ending search for more superdetail parts[:P]

[ciortato]

For my Italian layout, the Pendolino ETR480, for my USA layout "The Capitol Limited" with two AMD103.

[Anonymous]

My one:

Sunset Limited:

3 x GE P42DC (superdetailed Athearn´s )
4 x MHC II
SUPERLINER II transition sleeper
7 x SUPERLINER II sleeper
SUPERLINER II sightseer lounge
SUPERLINER II diner
SUPERLINER II coach
SUPERLINER I coach / smoker
4 x SUPERLINER II coach
Gunderson express boxcar

All cars: Walthers. filmed in this consist near New Orleans.

[Paul3]

My favorite train is probably the original Yankee Clipper on the New Haven Railroad being hauled by a short-tendered I-4 class 4-6-2.

This consisted of only 6 cars, IIRC.
Two Parlors
One full Diner
Two Parlors
One Observation

All cars were named after famous Clipper ships of the mid-1800's like: Surprise, Red Jacket, Dreadnaught, Great Republic, Lightning, etc.

After that, there was the Merchants Limited and the later Yankee Clippers that had a dozen cars or more.

To model all of these, I use copies of the New Haven's own consist books and other historical documents.

Paul A. Cutler III
*****************
Weather Or No Go New Haven
*****************

[Anonymous]

I rather like the Pennsy's all coach Jeffersonian. It had either a streamlined K4 up front or the S1 Duplex. The cars were finished in the Lowey "Fleet of Modernism" paint scheme and it ran from New York to St. Louis. I was thinking of doing this one in N-scale.

A friend of mine told me about the Southerns Tennesean. During one part of the route, which part I'm not sure, it was pulled by an N&W J. That must've looked really neat.

Alvie.

[leighant]

My favorite is Santa Fe's Texas Chief which I am modeling in the 1950s and actually rode in the 1970s (Amtrak version)
F7 ABBA
60' streamline fluted-side full RPO- Rapido
2x 80' streamline fluted-side full baggage-express brass sides to be added over Concor body (materials on hand but not yet built) I want to model one baggage running between Houston and Galveston only, another baggage car for Houston to Chicago switched at Houston.
Streamline fluted-side Partition coach, required by Texas intrastate segregation law
2x Streamline fluted-side coach
Streamline fluted-side diner -brass sides over Concor model
Streamline fluted-side lounge-dormitory- bash from Atlas coach
Streamline fluted-side 4-4-2 "Regal" series sleeper- kitbash from old Concor (Rowa?) Pullman Standard 10-6 sleeper
Streamline fluted-side 10-3-2 "Blue" series sleeper- JnJ brass sides over core kit, on hand but not yet built
Streamline fluted-side 10-6 "Palm"/"Pine" sleeper- Concor Budd sleeper

But I want to model NOT ONLY the train, BUT ALSO the interweaving of passenger trains at Houston and connecting services. Just after the all-streamlined morning Texas Chief arrived from Galveston on its way to Chicago, the very different looking mail-express and accomodation formerly named the Ranger but now nameless pulled in on its way to Galveston. It had heavyweight coaches, one heavyweight sleeper, no food service, and a bunch of express-baggage, express reefers and express boxcars.

When the Texas Chief left the station for Chicago, it made a rolling meet on double track with the incoming Texan/California Special. That train had a still different appearance. It used streamlined cars for those that went through to and from California, but often had older heavyweights for cars that went only as far as San Angelo, Lubbock or Clovis.

The Texan/California Special terminated at Houston, but the accomodation "formerly named the Ranger waited at Houston so passengers coming from California could make an across-the-platform transfer to go on to Galveston.

That interweaving of schedules is what I want to model--someday. I have most of the trains, but it will take a lot more layout than I have. I will need a passenger terminal able to accomodate three 10 car trains, plus some trackage to switch head-end and sleeping cars on and off the train.... A long enough length of double track in the terminal district outside the station for a rolling meet... Staging space for at least 3 long passenger trains in addition to whatever freights I run... A minimum of three operators at once for the morning and early evening passenger "rush"... Well I can dream, can't I?

[Anonymous]

I'd love to have an accurate version of the Heartland Flyer or the ATSF Texas Chief.

[AltonFan]

I basically acquired two sets each of Kato's streamline passenger train and four-car addition kits, plus some Con-Cor streamline coaches and Pullmans. I intend to use these on my name trains. I also have a bunch of heavyweight equipment that I intend to use for secondary trains. Bachmann 60' heavyweight cars will be used for commuter service. I've also got some Bachmann Doodlebugs and an old Con-Cor RDC.

Power will include several Bachmann 4-8-4s, Rivarossi 4-6-2s, a Con-Cor PA-1 ABBA set, and a small troupe of Life-Like EMD passenger units.

All will be painted in a red, maroon, and yellow scheme reminiscent of the GM&O and the CGW. If I add any corrugated stainless steel equipment, they will have red letterboards with yellow lettering.

[twhite]

Favorite prototype passenger train? has to be SP's Coast or Shasta Daylight. hard to come by decent plastic reproductions, best is going brass, which I can't afford. I use a combination of Athearn and Con-cor cars behind a Balboa GS-4. My favorite 'might have been' train is one I run daily on my Yuba River Subdivision of the Denver and Rio Grande Western. Got two versions, both made up of Con-cor and Athearn cars, mixed heavyweight and streamline. It's called the PROSPECTOR DELUXE and theoretically runs from Chicago to Oakland via Denver, Salt lake, Reno and the aforementioned Yuba River canyon. Great fun. The streamliner runs with Proto PA's, the standard with one or both of my brass Rio Grande 1800 series 4-8-4's. The cars from both manufacturers are called their 'Rio Grande Ski Train' series. Pretty colorful stuff.

[Don Gibson]

SP's Coast Daylight.

Started early with PFM emgine and Tenshodo cars, then upgraded to Cocor 85' s, and added a Rivarossi Baggage for San Juaquin.

Acquired some of Wright's MHP cars and Brass for Articulated diner and coaches
Found a '39 brass diner and Tavern car for 'early' consist. Added a 3/4 length dome for 'late' version. Found two Soho Combines - rare.

Bought Max Gray and Balboa GS-4's - stripped paint, re-geared and re-motored), and custom painted both. One painted in prototype's Dupont paint, other in black/silver with skirts removed . Added a used MT-4, and an A-6 in FP Daylight scheme, so now I have two Coast Daylights, a San Juan, and an Atlantic pulling 4 cars (Sacramento ?) I also have a set of Athearn PA's PB's (who doesn't) with modified pilot to run when adding the Dome car -and lately a silver sided coach.

Considering I started with a $50 PFM engine and Tenshodo cars, this has been a lifetime project. I take it out of it's showcase once a year to run it at the CGMRC's annual show which I share with another member who runs his Athearn daylight cars with 'F' units!

The public doen't know the difference.

[Anonymous]

I would like to have a model of the Choctow Rocket, the Texas Special and maybey the Heartland Flyer

[Anonymous]

My favorite has been is ATSF 47-48 the oil Flyer
F7AB
baggage car
lightweight chair car
HWYT Chair diner
PSMC 10-3-2 sleeper
Ch

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by psngrtrn

My favorite has been is ATSF 47-48 the oil Flyer
F7AB
baggage car
lightweight chair car
HWYT Chair diner
PSMC 10-3-2 sleeper
Ch

[8D][8D]SWEET!!!![8D][8D]

[CP5415]

My favourite passenger train is CPR's Canadian.
If I had the room, I would model this train but since I don't, I'll make due with a shorter version.
I am however working on a version of D&H's train between Montreal & NY State.
My Proto D&H PA's are in (WOOHOO) & Walthers had announced that they are coming out with D&H coaches. Throw in my D&H dome car & I have myself an international passenger train.
I'm in the process of detailing my Athearn F7's so my CPR passenger train should be ready soon.

Gordon

[BRAKIE]

Sadly all the passenger trains I recall seeing was the sad remains of a once great train.Some a lone E8 with a baggage car and 2 coaches.So for me to model say the C&O Sportsman of the 60s I would need 2 E8s,2-3 baggage cars(for mail),one dinette(more like a snack car) and 3-4 coaches..[:(]
Was I to model this train I would use P2K E8As and not sure of the C&O cars..Perhaps Athearn,Rossi or the IHC cars?

[AntonioFP45]

Don Gibson,

I teach my class with DuPont Automotive paint products. Do you happen to have the numbers of the paints that you used for your locomotive?

My students paint the rolling stock for the Largo Central Railroad, a live steamers club. We've refinished several locomotives and freight cars for them, including an SP Caboose. The most difficult challenge is "guesstimating" color formulas. We actually look at Athearn or MDC models and paint match those to do the large scale stuff.

Go to www.lcrailroad.com go to the pictures page and click on it. Click on September 2003 and you will see a red and black Seaboard Airline S12 that my students refinished with DuPont products.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

TO ANTONIO FP45; THATS GREAT MY GG1 CHAMPION WILL ME YOU AT UNION STATION IN WASHINGTON D.C. SO THAT YOUR E7 CAN TAKE THE CHAMPION TO FLA. HAVE A GOOD TRIP

[AntonioFP45]

SILVER CHAMPION

That's a 10-4 on that!

Cheers with a Multi Unit lashup of E7s in run 8!!

[Don Gibson]

QUOTE: Originally posted by AntonioFP45

Don Gibson,

I teach my class with DuPont Automotive paint products. Do you happen to have the numbers of the paints that you used for your locomotive?

Yes (and No)

My 'Daylight' paints came from Richard Wright's MHP. When I contacted him later for refills, he said he "no longer had any room in his garage for 55 gallon drums".

Santa Fe colors I have some reference #'s - color chips + automotive paints in Dupont Lucite. I'm not sure how they tranlate to today's Dupont products.

Next time I go to the Brooklyn (SP Portland) Round house I can inquire about the current Daylight paint they buy for SP#4449 (the last remaining Daylight engine)which is currently painted in red white & blue 'Freedom Train' colors.

[AntonioFP45]

Thanks, Don!

[jabrown1971]

Ok-time to weigh in:
Track 1 Amtrak's Eagle in the 80's Two F40's, baggage car, 10-6 Crew sleeper, plus the ex-ATSF Dorm-Coach, three Superliner coaches, coach baggage, diner, lounge and two sleepers. Impressive-throw in the occasional 6 axle ATSF hi-level diner and you have one heck of a train. Also-every now and again-a second section made up of Superliner coaches with a snack bar on one coach between Chicago and St. Louis.
Track 2-Amtraks Hoosier State/ Kentucky Cardinal depending on the time you model-Anything goes here due to the fact that it serves the Beech Grove Shops. Rode Once last year-2 P40's, elephant style, two Sightseer Lounges, Coach and a diner. Return trip no superliners-One P40, one regular coach (Horizon) a baggage car and a food service car (Horizon). Who says Amtrak is boring.
Track 3 and coming soon in N Scale Wabash Bluebird-gotta love it, favorite train in the world.

[Anonymous]

ANTONIO FP45; is there any info on live steam that i can get. I wi***hat i had the space and money to do it. that you
[e-mail]

[twhite]

Don Gibson: Your Daylights made me salivate all over the keyboard. FYI, yes, the 4-car daylight was pulled by an Atlantic from Sacramento to just south of Stockton (the name of the junction escapes me right now--senility is SUCH fun--) where it connected with the San Joaquin. Rode it between Sacramento and LA several times during the 'fifties, but by then the train was being pulled by Black Widow F's. Like the 4-8-2's assigned to the San Joaquins, the Atlantics were semi-painted (cab and tender) in Daylight colors, but the rest of the loco was the usual black and graphite. But you know that.

[andrechapelon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by twhite

Don Gibson: Your Daylights made me salivate all over the keyboard. FYI, yes, the 4-car daylight was pulled by an Atlantic from Sacramento to just south of Stockton (the name of the junction escapes me right now--senility is SUCH fun--) where it connected with the San Joaquin. Rode it between Sacramento and LA several times during the 'fifties, but by then the train was being pulled by Black Widow F's. Like the 4-8-2's assigned to the San Joaquins, the Atlantics were semi-painted (cab and tender) in Daylight colors, but the rest of the loco was the usual black and graphite. But you know that.

The San Joaquin Daylight and Sacramento Daylight swapped cars at Lathrop, CA. From the looks of the consist in this 1948 picture, it's going to be running heavy. http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Oracle/1631/lathrop1.html.

I believe the Sacramento Daylight laid over in Tracy, a few miles from Lathrop.

Sure wi***he SP had saved an A-6. The A-3 in Travel Town is nice, but an A-6, NOW that was a 4-4-2. There's even a picture of one being used as a helper on a freight train in Beebe & Clegg's The Central Pacific And The Southern Pacific. Try THAT with a Pennsy E-6. [:D]

Andre

[twhite]

Andre: Thanks for the picture, Al Phelps was a GREAT railroad photagrapher, and a good friend of my father's, they belonged to the same Masonic Lodge. Al took quite a few photos of our local hometown railroad, the Nevada County Narrow Gauge. You're right, it was Lathrop Junction, right out of Tracy, where the Daylights exchanged cars. Thanks for reminding me, like I said, Senility is such fun. If memory serves me right, the A-6's had 80" driving wheels and would scream like a banshee starting its train from Sacramento. But once they got going, the scenery would just FLY by. I'm with you, wi***hey had saved one.

[Anonymous]

1. Union Pacific's City of Los Angeles[^]: This train makes sence on my layout since my layout is from Omaha to LA. The equiptment: Either an AB set of E6s or FEF-3 #844. For the passenger cars I'll use the 2 new sets from Rivarossi.

2. Santa Fe's Chief[:)]: Probably 3751 or an AB set of F3s pulling some Walthers or Athearn ATSF cars.

3. SPs Daylight Limited[8D]: 4449 pulling Spectrum Heavyweights.

All the passenger trains on my layout would be shortened versions, my layout is only 5x8![:p]

[Mark300]

Just for a 'Hoot.' [:)]

The Western Maryland's Mixed Elkin's to Durbin W.Va run.

Up to WW2 it was consisted of
A light K1 Pacific,
1 combine (for the mail and baggage),
1 or 2 coaches

After WW2 until the early 50's;
An H7 or H8 2-8-0,
1 combine (for the mail, baggage and folks),
1 box car,
optional loads of coal, a gondola or flat car for lumber, autos or whatever,
A caboose (NE type w/fireball heralds).

And who says there's nothing sociable about freight? [8D]

Nothin' fancy. [^] It covered 47 mountainous miles in about 2-1/2 hours.

Mark

[andrechapelon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by twhite

Andre: Thanks for the picture, Al Phelps was a GREAT railroad photagrapher, and a good friend of my father's, they belonged to the same Masonic Lodge. Al took quite a few photos of our local hometown railroad, the Nevada County Narrow Gauge. You're right, it was Lathrop Junction, right out of Tracy, where the Daylights exchanged cars. Thanks for reminding me, like I said, Senility is such fun. If memory serves me right, the A-6's had 80" driving wheels and would scream like a banshee starting its train from Sacramento. But once they got going, the scenery would just FLY by. I'm with you, wi***hey had saved one.

Apparently the A-6's were also used on trains 53/54 before the San Joaquin Daylight and its Sacramento connection got streamlined equipment: http://www.yesteryeardepot.com/SP3001.JPG That is one pretty locomotive. Here's a picture of sister engine #3003 http://www.yesteryeardepot.com/SP3003.JPG clearing showing the Worthington BL feedwater heater all the A-6's were equipped with.

And their bigger sisters, the P-4 4-6-2's looked like nothing so much as an A-6 "all growed up" [url}http://www.yesteryeardepot.com/SP2402.JPG[/url].

Andre