Does anyone know if there were ever any models produced of Caltrain's bi-level gallery style commute cars built by Nippon Sharyo? As of 2002 these cars have gradually been phased out of the express trains and are now used on local trains. As of now, the closest match I could find to the Nippon Sharyo cars are the now discontinued Walthers Southern Pacific commute cars, but these have smooth sides and as I recall the Nippon Sharyo cars have corrugated sides.
As a native and lifelong resident of the peninsula I'd appreciate any info that the forum can offer.
Nippon Sharyo had its double deck commuter cars for Chicago finished off here in Milwaukee at the Super Steel plant (I was touring the plant at the same time as a Japanese delegation from Nippon Sharyo was visiting and it was obvious the Super Steel folks wanted to make their guests very happy with the craftsmanship -- the floor and factory were immaculate and there was lots of bowing!). And due to the nice coinidence, we were able to score some really neat enamled steel pins showing the cars, intended as gifts for important visitors. But no pics were allowed inside the plant, and we were asked not to touch surfaces. The car shells were delivered on TTX flats under blue plastic shrouds, with a bolster on the car deck holding the car. The trucks were on the end of the flat car as I recall and I think I have a picture showing a car with a QTTX reporting mark.
When you railfan the Chicago Metra lines you can readily make out the Nippon Sharyo cars. The fluting is different in size and contour to the older cars which might be Budd; the window size is also distinctive. And the "shine" on the stainless steel also looks different in hue and luster.
This website has a good photo if you scroll down a bit:
http://sbcglobalpwp.att.net/w/i/willvdv/rosmetpe.html
Maybe you can decide how close the Chicago care are to the ones you want to model. You notice the differences between makes of bi level particularly when the train is at rest. When it goes whizzing by the cars more or less blend in together.
While it would not be anywhere near exact perhaps an acceptable stand in would be to try to locate the Three Brothers kit of a fluted side commuter bi-level which was intended to model the Chicago commuter cars run by the Burlington Route and Milwaukee Road and which lasted on Metra into today
It really comes down to how approximate a resemblance you are willing to live with; again if your cars would mostly be seen in motion perhaps nobody would really focus on the differences particularly if you do not have two contrasting types of cars together. Three Brothers stopped producting those kits (and the smooth side C&NW bi levels) maybe a decade or so ago but you still see them at swap meets, at least here in the midwest you do. (and often in partially built condition which tells you something about the kit!) The all metal shell is one piece, U shaped, with separate cast ends.
Dave Nelson