bnsf76 wrote:I am trying to plan a consist for my HO layout. I model scenes in the Houston and Atlanta areas from about 1980 to current. I will use F40PHs and Walther's superliners. Please help me with consist information, preferably on a route that ran between or through these two cities in the 80s or 90s. Thanks in advance, bnsf76.
A quick look at the Amtrak timetable will answer the part of your question about what trains show up in those cities. Atlanta only sees the Crescent, which does NOT use Superliners due to the fact that it originates/terminates in NYC Pennsylvania Station and has to go through the Hudson tunnels. you'll need Amfleet Coaches and Viewliner Sleepers, as well as a Heritage Baggage and Diner. I rode it last year and if you want a complete consist, it was 2 P42DC's (or in your era 2 F40's), a Heriatage Baggage car, 2 Viewliner Sleepers, a Heritage Diner, an Amfleet Lounge car, and 4 Amfleet Coaches.
Houston sees the Sunset Limited, which does use Superliner equipment.
In HO, you could set up a "fantasy liner". It is YOUR RR!.
From Atlanta to NO, Amtrak ran the Crescent, that did not use Superliners. From NO to Houston, the Sunset Limited, that does use Superliners. Another train to model may be the City of New Orleans, that uses Superliners from Chicago to NO. For a time. Amtrak may have run a Gulf train E from NO to Jacksonville. I forget when NO may have had a world's fair.
Behind the F40's you could run 1 Heritage Baggage car. Most likely, it will use a Superliner Baggage Coach for local passengers, 1 regular superliner Coach. For dining service, you will use a diner that will also serve as the lounge. At the tail end, you may have a Superliner Sleeper. With a 5 car train, & flat terrain, you may have only 1 F40. A sixth car (2nd sleeper) requires the 2nd F40. Then you can decide to use the sightseer lounge next to the Diner.
Into the 90's, you may consider adding an MHC & a P40/P42 or a GE P32 to replace the F40's.
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