Thanks Dave, good information. I'll check it out!
Also, Guys, thanks for your thoughts on the IHC cars, I'll look elsewhere
IDRickI want to put together an excursion train based on a late 60's CNW passenger train. Right now I have a P1K F3A for motive power.
By the late 1960s the C&NW heavyweight passenger cars represented by the IHC models were in worktrain and MOW service, painted drab red. The 60' cars were by that time retired and I believe all scrapped. A C&NW excursion train would likely have used commuter bilevel cars made idle during the weekend due to the less intense commuter train schedule in Chicago. That would in turn have required an F7, FP7 or E unit, or one of the few Geeps, equipped for head end power (rather than steam heat). They'd also be readily available on weekends. CNW F3s were gone by the 1960s but they got an influx of new ones when they acquired the Chicago Great Western. Curiously the C&NW probably had more first generation diesels in 1973 than they had in 1967! (I have not done actual counting to verify this.) You could use your F3 as a stand in for a commuter F7 I suppose depending on how it was painted. The old freight scheme Fs were gone after 1964-65 or so. When the CGW Fs were painted it was in yellow and green.
I suppose some CNW excursions would have used either regular single level streamlined coaches or the special bi levels used for more long distance trains such as the Flambeau 400.
If you can track down a copy of Jim Scribbins' book The 400 Story it has much good info about CNW passenger trains quite apart from The 400 itself.
Dave Nelson
Out of the box they would need metal wheels and Kadee couplers. I've used the McHenry couplers on them and they're not great. Need to use the Kadee conversion couplers. Probably use 33" wheels. If you use 36" wheels you have to be careful not to break the part that replicates a brake.
I have a fleet of Rivarossi Heavyweights, and one IHC Heavyweight.
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The IHC Heavyweight Coach is identical to the Rivarossi models.
They all run well. They are all lighted with metal wheels.
The wheels are a weird size, and no replacement I have tried will fit in the trucks easily. I just live with that.
They run around 22 inch curves fine, but look strange doing it.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
I want to put together an excursion train based on a late 60's CNW passenger train. Right now I have a P1K F3A for motive power. I see several IHC passenger cars in CNW colors on ebay. Are they good runners or should I look elsewhere? My minimum radius is 24 inches . I do like the Rivarossi 60 ft passenger cars but have not found them in CNW colors. Best price can be found on Santa Fe 60 fter at $20 each.