Easy Sharpening Up of your Passenger Car Interiors.

[dcfixer]

I like it a lot! Nice scenes, too.  Looks like about $5000-$6000 worth of trains there.  I wish!  Are those Overland, Coach Yard or what?  I dream of some day being able to take my finished heritage train to nice, big layout (like the ones I see in this forum) for a major run and photo session.

Thanks for posting this, Charlie.

DC 

[Charlie]

Here's a photo you'll might like. Especially DCfixer.

Charlie

http://www.trainorders.com/images2/view.php?259306

It says I have to become a member, and that costs.  Is there some other way to see it?

DC 

DC, I forget somtimes that with TO, you must be a member to view englarged photos. Try this link.

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?3,1617907

Charlie

[dcfixer]

Here's a photo you'll might like. Especially DCfixer.

Charlie

http://www.trainorders.com/images2/view.php?259306

It says I have to become a member, and that costs.  Is there some other way to see it?

DC 

[Charlie]

Here's a photo you'll might like. Especially DCfixer.

Charlie

http://www.trainorders.com/images2/view.php?259306

[dcfixer]

DCFixer, 

That is jaw-dropping work! I've seen many others, but honestly this is the most impressive passenger car interior I've ever seen.  I've downloaded your photos.

I also saved the photos on the "hippie pickups" on your thread. I hope to try this method for my varnish. 

Thanks so much for sharing!    

 

Thank you, Sir.

 I have been having some issues with lighting for taking photos.  Matching the interior LED light and exterior flood lighting has been a frustration in exposure and white balance.  More on this later.

Thanks again, Antonio.

DC

[dcfixer]

And just as I'm about to post pics of my first scratchbuilt interior, DC comes on and posts pics of some absolutely gorgeous interiors.  Now I'm too scared to post photos!

 

Nice work as always, DC! 

Thanks, Robert. If you have pics, you better post them.  There's different levels of acceptable, quality detail.  It's all good, and I like to see it all.  What really impresses me is all the "jaw dropping" layouts and scenic work that I see on this forum.  I can not imagine the time and work involved in that.

I just hope my work gives birth to new ideas and inspires others to do better than me.  I want to explore and peek around interiors of different roads and eras - right here in this forum.

Post away.

DC

[Arjay1969]

And just as I'm about to post pics of my first scratchbuilt interior, DC comes on and posts pics of some absolutely gorgeous interiors.  Now I'm too scared to post photos!

 

Nice work as always, DC! 

[AntonioFP45]

DCFixer, 

That is jaw-dropping work! I've seen many others, but honestly this is the most impressive passenger car interior I've ever seen.  I've downloaded your photos.

I also saved the photos on the "hippie pickups" on your thread. I hope to try this method for my varnish. 

Thanks so much for sharing!    

[dcfixer]

Here is some interior photos of my Rivarossi ACF 44 seat coach.  I tried to model it in the early 50s. The furnishing kits are Red Cap Line (seats & restrooms) and Plano (blinds).

 

The next photo shows the shadows cast by the overhead luggage racks.

 

More new interior photos of this car can be seen at http://uphonation.com/

DC

 

[AntonioFP45]

Thanks for the info on the NH/B&M connections, guys!  

The link below leads to a shot of the rear section of a Rio Grande Vista-Dome Observation Lounge as it appears in 1970, used on the California Zephyr.  I wonder if this is the same car that came to Tampa in the early 80s on a tour that I was actually able to board and take photos. 

http://www.jerryapp.com/pix3/ja-r740.jpg  The photo was taken by Jerry Appleman.

 

[G Paine]

Quick question:  Did Boston & Maine have passenger cars connect and run through to the New Haven Railroad?

Yes, in fact I have seen a photo of a summer camp train (i.e., taking kids from southern New England to summer camps in Maine), that has a NH lightweight coach with some kids getting off "somewhere in Maine".

There were a number of pass through agreements with eastern railroads up to the end of passenger service. There was one that ran a Pullman car from Washington DC up to Bar Harbor, ME (actually ended up in Trenton, as the rails did not go over to the island). Another would go from New York City and end up in St John, New Brunswick. Baggage cars and mail from NYC were common and on the schedule. There were lots of other destinations all over Maine and New Hampshire to serve the summer trade in the days when famlies would spend the whole summer at a resort; dad would commute from work on the weekends. A good reference is "Passenger Trains of Northern New England in the Streamline Era"

[wt259]

Charlie,

I have the Kato business car, the WKW diner, coach and dormitory-lounge, all in ATSF for my mini business car fleet.  This is just what I needed to finish them.  Thanks for the info. 

Wayne 

[csmith9474]

Somewhere I posted the interior colors for the hi level cars. I will re-post that info when I get home and find the paperwork on this. I seem to remember most all the colors, but want to make sure they are right before posting.

 

I eagerly await that post...can you guess which cars I'm working on now?  

I lost some of my info, so some of this is from memory, but is accurate.

Chair Cars: The walls above the windows were beige, and below the windows was light blue. The window strip (panels between the windows) was walnut panelling (sp?). The flooring was a mottled brown carpet. The seats had a turquoise cloth.

Diner: The wall colors are the same as the chair cars. The seats and seat backs were burnt orange, with white table cloths. The end panels on the closets, refridgerators, and buffet (waiter stations) were turquoise with stanless steel cabinets and surfaces. The carpet was a mottled green style.

Lounge: Maroon seats upstairs, and beige seating downstairs. The walls and misc. panels were light blue/turquoise.

If anybody has any corrections or additions, please post. I have not seen a color photo of the as built interiors, so the light blue and turquoise colors will be open for interpretation. The turqouise mixture I used for my hi level seats are based on color pics of dome seats from the 500 series P/S built "Pleasure Domes". Below are some pics of interiors I painted for my hi level cars....

 

[Charlie]

I forgot to mention. On the Cascade and Valley series sleepers, the walls were a light pale green with dark green carpeting. I have many memories of riding in a Valley sleeper on trains 23 and 24 as a kid in the late 60's.

Charlie.

[Arjay1969]

Somewhere I posted the interior colors for the hi level cars. I will re-post that info when I get home and find the paperwork on this. I seem to remember most all the colors, but want to make sure they are right before posting.

 

I eagerly await that post...can you guess which cars I'm working on now?  

[csmith9474]

Regarding G Paine's post, can anyone post similar info for other railroad's passenger equipment.  I've searched q station and other sites, but can't find info on Santa Fe business car interiors.  I've got 4 WKW Chief cars that I'd like to turn into business cars, but I'm stumped on interior colors. 

wt259, which cars do you have? Typically, the ceilings were painted Turquoise, the walls a light buff/tan and green carpeting. The fabric on the coach seats were a blue/green mixture with the sides light blue. The seat pedestals were stainless steel. In the sleepers, the sofa's in the bedrooms, compartments and drawingrooms were Pullman Red while the sofa's in the roomettes were Pullman Green. The chairs for the compartments and drawingrooms were the same color as the sofas. The sofa's in the mens lounges were leather as were the seats in the womens lounges. In some chair cars, the sofas and chairs in the lounges were the same color as the coach seats. I don't have any recollections of the interior colors for the lounge and dining cars. I couldn't even tell you the colors for the Hi-levels. The full domes, the coach seats were blue/green and light blue. The sofa's were light tan/buff and the booth seats were rust colored. I post photos of my ATSF 44 seat chair car once completed for my business train.

Charlie

Somewhere I posted the interior colors for the hi level cars. I will re-post that info when I get home and find the paperwork on this. I seem to remember most all the colors, but want to make sure they are right before posting.

[Charlie]

Regarding G Paine's post, can anyone post similar info for other railroad's passenger equipment.  I've searched q station and other sites, but can't find info on Santa Fe business car interiors.  I've got 4 WKW Chief cars that I'd like to turn into business cars, but I'm stumped on interior colors. 

wt259, which cars do you have? Typically, the ceilings were painted Turquoise, the walls a light buff/tan and green carpeting. The fabric on the coach seats were a blue/green mixture with the sides light blue. The seat pedestals were stainless steel. In the sleepers, the sofa's in the bedrooms, compartments and drawingrooms were Pullman Red while the sofa's in the roomettes were Pullman Green. The chairs for the compartments and drawingrooms were the same color as the sofas. The sofa's in the mens lounges were leather as were the seats in the womens lounges. In some chair cars, the sofas and chairs in the lounges were the same color as the coach seats. I don't have any recollections of the interior colors for the lounge and dining cars. I couldn't even tell you the colors for the Hi-levels. The full domes, the coach seats were blue/green and light blue. The sofa's were light tan/buff and the booth seats were rust colored. I post photos of my ATSF 44 seat chair car once completed for my business train.

Charlie

[wt259]

Regarding G Paine's post, can anyone post similar info for other railroad's passenger equipment.  I've searched q station and other sites, but can't find info on Santa Fe business car interiors.  I've got 4 WKW Chief cars that I'd like to turn into business cars, but I'm stumped on interior colors. 

[BigRusty]

The 1941 NHRR Consist book shows 5 parlors and 13 sleepers in joint B&M and NH service.

Train No. 124 - State of Maine Express NY-Portland shows 1 B&M Combine.

The 1951 book shows 4 sleepers with B&M ownership, East Dover, Gounod, Sacoma abd Shore Lark.

Train 124 State of Maine Express shows 1 B&M Combine and 1 B&M Coach. On Saturday there is also a B&M RPO. It probably ran Portland to NYC and returned.

I don't have any later books, but I am looking for 1 1956 book.

[AntonioFP45]

Outstanding G Paine

Quick question:  Did Boston & Maine have passenger cars connect and run through to the New Haven Railroad?

[G Paine]

In 1946 Boston & Maine purchased 16 P-S lightweight coaches, 4 combines and 4 diners. Half were assigned to B&M and half to Maine Central, which was owned by B&M at the time. As delivered all the cars were stainless steel with a maroon stripe on the windows. After MEC split off from B&M in 1955, they started repainting the window stripes on their cars green, but some remained maroon until the end of passenger service. Accupaint Maroon and Green are good colors for the stripes; for decals use Microscale Decal Set 87-863, Assorted New England Passenger Cars, B&M, MEC, BAR (1945-70)

For interior colors:

Coaches has 3 color schemes (I do not know which car had which color):

Blue - 4 Cars
Ceiling Light Blue
Walls "Darker" blue
Seats Red
Floor Blue under seats, brown elsewhere

Green - 6 Cars
Ceiling Light Green
Walls "Darker" green
Seats Red
Floor Green under seats, brown elsewhere

Yellow -6 Cars
Ceiling Pale yellow
Walls "Darker" yellow
Seats Blue
Floor Blue under seats, brown elsewhere

Smoking Rooms all Cars
Ceiling Light Blue
Walls "Darker" blue
Seats Red
Floor Blue under seats, brown elsewhere

Combines
Main Seating Area
Ceiling Light Blue
Walls "Darker" blue
Seats Red
Floor Blue under seats, brown elsewhere
Smoking Room
Ceiling Light Blue
Walls Pale yellow
Seats Red
Floor Blue under seats, brown elsewhere
 

Diners
Main Dining Area
Ceiling Pale yellow
Walls "Darker" yellow with wood panel Formica above windows
Seats Red
Floor Dark Blue
Bar - Lounge Area
Ceiling Light Blue
Walls Pale yellow
Seats Alternating Red and Blue
Floor Dark Blue
Kitchen
Equipment Stainless Steel
Pantry Service Counter Aluminum roll-up screen with wood-grain Formica paneling on corridor side

A good reference is Passenger Trains of Northern New England in the Streamline Era, Kevin J Holland, TLC Publishing, 2004

[AntonioFP45]

Antonio--

What a GREAT post--and what a helpful discussion you've started! 

Just a note--Smitty was right when he said that the Prieser seated figures can be used without any major modifications.  I just recently finished putting together a 1950 "Royal Gorge" using both standard and streamlined equipment from Walthers, IHC and Con-Cor (and scratching an interior for the Con-Cor dome car) and the Prieser figures fit perfectly--even in the Walther's diner, which is a bear to populate because of tight clearances.  The Priesers are 'pricey' (comes out to about $1 per figure in their 36-figure package) but they are also available unpainted for quite a bit less.  I was able to populate the train with about 1-1/2 packages and use the leftovers for my Con-Cor Pioneer Zephyr, so it worked out pretty well all around.  They're VERY indivudual looking passengers--not just the standard stuff--each one seems to have a distinct 'personality', and it makes watching the train go by really interesting. 

Great post.  Thanks for offering it. 

Tom

Thanks very much Tom. I greatly enjoy modeling passenger equipment.  I've seen Preiser figures on ebay go for some decent prices. I'll start keeping an eye out for them. 

[Arjay1969]

 Sorry it took so long to reply.  I fully understand how excited one can get in this hobby.

I have a Walthers Pullman 6-6-4 in UP colors.  I think it's the same floorplan.  Your car may be an ex UP car. I think there's a couple of floor plans.  Try vols 13 & 14 of the Pullman Standard Library by Randall & Anderson, and possibly in vol 7, The Passenger Car Library by Randall.  They're all great references anyway, and worth having in your library.  Your specific car may be in one of the other volumes of the set.  I presently just have those three, so that's all I can talk about.  Did you try the Prototyper's forum?  I've received some good leads from some of them.

 Have fun.

DC 

The biggest problem is that the Passenger Car Library books aren't available in my local library...I've checked.  In fact, the local library doesn't have much in the way of railroad books at all.

 As for the car, I don't know if the UP cars are the same.  This one is a Pullman plan 4099 car, assigned to pool duty.

I forgot completely about the prototype forum.    Thanks for the suggestion!

[dcfixer]

Antonio,

 This is a fantastic thread!  Thanks for starting and maintaining it.

 

I'm modeling the San Francisco Chief, circa 1969.  I managed to track down the consists on the SFRHMS Website, but the one thing I can't seem to find anywhere (even at the library) are floorplans for some of the sleepers, specifically the Valley Series (6-6-4) and Blue Series (10-3-2).  I have these cars, but both are built from kits.  The Valley sleeper is from American Model Builders sides and an Eastern Car Works core kit (the TSP ones weren't available at the time), and the Blue sleeper is from Union Station Products.  I'd love to have interiors in these, but I want to get them reasonably close to the prototype.  Does anyone know where I can find the floorplans for these?  I'd be very appreciative.

 

One of my next projects will be a decent interior for the Bachmann full dome car (well, it's either that or Brass at this point, and I can't justify the price of brass right now).  I've found good photos of both levels, and have bought the seats.  Some of the details on the lower level will have to be scratchbuilt out of styrene, but that shouldn't be too difficult.  I'll post pictures when I get it started.

 

And finally, I'm goint to go home tonight and start stripping down my Walthers cars and painting the interiors.  You guys have inspired me!  

 Sorry it took so long to reply.  I fully understand how excited one can get in this hobby.

I have a Walthers Pullman 6-6-4 in UP colors.  I think it's the same floorplan.  Your car may be an ex UP car. I think there's a couple of floor plans.  Try vols 13 & 14 of the Pullman Standard Library by Randall & Anderson, and possibly in vol 7, The Passenger Car Library by Randall.  They're all great references anyway, and worth having in your library.  Your specific car may be in one of the other volumes of the set.  I presently just have those three, so that's all I can talk about.  Did you try the Prototyper's forum?  I've received some good leads from some of them.

 Have fun.

DC 

[AntonioFP45]

Again, thanks for the kind words gentleman.

BigRusty, that's a great idea transferring information on to an MS Word Document. 

Flashwave, it was so much easier to move info under the old forum format. This one is much more restrictive.

JPWC, when you can please post photos of your work! Yes, Plano does make some very useful detailing/scratchbuilding materials.

[BigRusty]

There is so much valuable information here, I have been doing a copy and paste job of selected material to a MS Word Document. In fact, I have been doing this for other invaluable threads on this and other forums for years as well. I now have a loose leaf binder as a reference source whenever I need it.

[Flashwave]

You know, as this thing grows, might I request a move of info to the front post(s) just to collect it all?

Keep up the great work!

[jpwc50]

I have painted my passenger car interiors for years & it really does make a difference. I have even gone so far as to paint white headrest covers on the seats and they do stand out through the windows. As far as window shades, I have used masking tape on the inside of the clear plastic at varying heights and they also make the cars look populated. In my diners, lounges and observation cars I am now using aluminum venetian blind sets produced by Plano Model Products. Check these out at www.planeomodelproducts.com they are a little pricey at $8.50 but they look great! And for those  chrome handrails in the corridor windows, I just cut a length of silver heavy duty sewing thread and tape it to the back of the window glass...a very cheap, easy & effective way to gussy up those car interiors.  regards, John

 

[dcfixer]

I'm actually taking my Walthers cars apart, down to the individual pieces, popping out the window glass, repainting the inside of the outside pieces, putting my own window glazing in and installing shades and other wall/window dressings.  My Walthers cars are loosely glued, and it's not too bad getting them apart.

http://uphonation.com/

 

The Walthers cars are poorly constructed in some regards (although they are still great cars). Some of the parts are just taped together.

I'm glad they are.  Makes it a lot easier to take apart.  I agree, they are great cars. I love the electrical pick up and distribution system.  My Walthers cars don't blink when going over the switches, and it's easy to put in lighting.

[csmith9474]

I'm actually taking my Walthers cars apart, down to the individual pieces, popping out the window glass, repainting the inside of the outside pieces, putting my own window glazing in and installing shades and other wall/window dressings.  My Walthers cars are loosely glued, and it's not too bad getting them apart.

http://uphonation.com

 

The Walthers cars are poorly constructed in some regards (although they are still great cars). Some of the parts are just taped together.