Prototype information for the modeler

I've been attempting to find one or more photos of the pendulum cars (there were only three, one each on the Santa Fe, CB&Q and GN), including photos of the trucks. Searching the Internet has not proven fruitful! Regards- Richard W.

The only pics I've seen have been in the CB&Q Color Guide and some of the 4 volume series.   Burlington Bulletin 8 fewatured teh car.  I did find this one

http://www.railroadforums.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/53141

 

Ricky Keil

 

Hi Richard,

The Santa Fe Ry. Historical & Modeling Society magazine, the Warbonnet, had an article about the Santa Fe's pendulum chair car, including photos, in its Volume 5, No. 4, 4th Quarter, 1999 issue. The back issue can be ordered from the society's Web site at atsfrr.net.

So long,

Andy
 

Of the three cars the GN received extensive rebuilding. The windows were squared off is the main visible difference. When delivered all three were painted silver but the GN received so called Empire Builder colors following WW II. All three had different seating capacities and the AT&SF and GN cars spent there operational careers on the west coast. Lat time I saw CB&Q Silver Pendulum the only one of the three named it was assigned to a Doodlebug operating out of St. Joseph, Mo. The GN car operated most often between Seattle and Portland and Seattle and Vancouver BC. The Santa Fe car was most often operated in San Diegan assignments.I am at my office at the present time or could get more info for you.

Al - in - Stockton

Here is my pendulum car. It is an old American Beauty Lines car, and is not a very accurate model. Trucks are not like the prototype.

The GN car is picture in my copy of the GN Color Guide book after GN's car shop had modfied it. GN changed each of the split oval windows to a pair of square windows.

The photo of the CB&Q car posted earlier shows the trucks fairly well, and I see it has no skirts. Some of my copies of books show the Burlington car being used as a trailer behind a silver painted gas electirc car.

There is a photo of the Santa Fe car in the referance book entitled "From Zephyr to Amtrak", and it had skirts.

If you're planning a model, I'll note that the sides of the pendulum cars had a slight curve--they weren't flat.

I'm looking at a photo of the Santa Fe car "just after delivery", and it appears to possibly have a silvery roof, but the sides are painted in three colors. Since it's a Santa Fe photo, it probably shows up in the "Warbonnet" article. The photo also shows up in a two page spread (p. 138-139) on the pendulum cars in the book "The Streamline Era" by Robert C. Reed. There is also an end view of a loose truck in the article.

There's a color picture of GN's pendulum car (GN 999) in its modified form on page 20 of "GN Color Guide...." by David H. Hickox.

I'll note that GN 999 in its original form was one of the coaches assigned to the Portland section of the Empire Builder in the "early days"--say around 1950 or so.

The cars (including the modified GN one) were produced in (unpainted) brass.

Ed

Here are some books and publications that have Santa Fe pendulum coach pictures and diagrams:

1941  lightweight pendulum suspension car  blt by Pacific RR Eqpt Co., 85'length according to 1943 Pass Eqpt Reg; 56 seat.

• pix in solid aluminum paint scheme  Santa Fe Modeler MarApr81 p.3 
• Santa Fe Paint & Letter p.15 
• exterior pixQuarter Century of Santa Fe Consists p.169 
• floor plan Quarter Century of Santa Fe Consistsp.163 
• interior pix, trucks Train Shed Cyclopedia #21 p.620 
• pix, Santa Fe Diesels & Cars p.37 
• ext pix "Zephyr to Amtrak p.12 
• pix Car Names,Numbers & Consists,cover 
• pendulum coach pix, cross-section, history  Warbonnet 4Q99 p.15-17 
• coach 1100 in multicolor scheme, and in silver-aluminum scheme    p.5 Warbonnet 1Q 2000
• in shadowline 1100 Warbonnet 2Q04 p.18 

Hello- Thanks to all who replied to my request for information on the Pendulum cars. And I enjoyed seeing the photo of the American Beauty HO model. I have just obtained a kit for this model from EBay and will be building it before too long (I'm currently working on a string of Blue Line Empire Builder kits). Anyway- fascinating cars. Too bad none survived. Does anyone have information on how the "pendulum" was constructed? Apparently these cars did not function that well! Regards- Richard White

Also, contrary to Rivarossi and IHC, Santa Fe's pendulum car was the ONLY BLUE car that ATSF ever owned!!

Dick

Texas Chief

The CB&Q car 6000 SILVER PENDULUM was delivered in January 1942 and had a 60 seat interior. Delivered painted silver and remained silver its entire career. Most often assigned to trains in the Kansas City.St. Joseph- Omaha - Lincoln service. Later assigned to service with a doodlebug operating out of St Joseph to Iowa.

The Santa Fe car 56 seat coach 1100 was delivered in November 1941 originally delivered in two tone Blue with silver roof, only car so painted to match the Santa Fe Blue Goose streamlined Hudson . 1945 car repainted silver.The car was assigned to San Diegan service for the most part. I read somewhere that it served briefly in Golden Gate service but cannot find that information now when I needed it.

The GN car 999 seated 68 and was delivered in January 1942.Delivered painted silver and assigned to Puget Sounders between Seattle and Vancouver. IN 1947 car was repainted Empire Builder colors and assigned to the SP&S for Empire Builder Spokane-Portland service. By 1949 car was once again operating between Seattle and Vancouver. When the Internationals were placed in service June 18, 1950 the 999 became an extra car for these trains but also found assignment to the GN Seattle -Portland pool train, it also on rare occasions found service in the Cascadians between Seattle and Spokane.

The sad part is all three were scrapped. At least one ahould have gone to a museum.

Al - in - Stockton

 

As a coach fan,I'd love a model of this one.

Is the American Beauty model difficult to come by-I've never heard of the company before.

Steve