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Prototype/Freelance Passenger trains

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Prototype/Freelance Passenger trains
Posted by Mr. LMD on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 12:37 PM

Since most layouts I have seen (pictures, videos, in person) are mostly freight trains, I have wonder and research about old passenger trains such as the Super Chief, The Zep, 400, Daylight, and many more.

Here's my question(s) for my fellow modelers.

Prototype modelers: Which railroad passenger train(s) are you modeling and how many do you have?

Freelance modelers: How many passenger trains are you running on your layout and if they have a catchy name, could you list them?

 

Strictly talking about model railroading.

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The Central Chicago & Illinois Railroad

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Posted by UncBob on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 1:11 PM

Freelance

ME&O after going out of freight service in 1960--reestablished a a Fanfare line in 2010

 

 

460 pulling Overlands

440/440OT pulling Overlands and Overtons

Thomas pulling Kimballs and Overtons

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Posted by el-capitan on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 1:15 PM

I'm modelling an obscure portion of the Santa Fe in New Mexico. From the research I have done, It appears that they only ran mixed trains (Freight train with a combination baggage coach in place of a caboose) on this line originating in Rincon, NM going out to Hurley and returning the same day. However, they also ran a small passenger train (coach only) from Albuquerque through Rincon and terminating in El Paso, TX. This train was called the "El-Pasoan". Since my Eastern staging represents El-Paso, I'm taking some artistic liberty and running a passenger train from El-Paso to Silver-City and returning. I'll be running the mixed freights as well.

I have several of the cars from the 1937? Superchief but since I'm not modelling the transcon main, it just doesn't fit.

If you are looking for something specific, you can find alot of old passenger schedules on ebay that will provide information on names, consists etc.

 Check out the Deming Sub by clicking on the pics:

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Posted by Mr. LMD on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 1:16 PM

UncBob

Freelance

ME&O after going out of freight service in 1960--reestablished a a Fanfare line in 2010

 

 

460 pulling Overlands

440/440OT pulling Overlands and Overtons

Thomas pulling Kimballs and Overtons

 

No special names

 

Examples

 

http://bandb3536.com/consists/440ot.jpg

 

http://bandb3536.com/consists/440ff.jpg

 

 

Names or not, your trains look great. :)

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The Central Chicago & Illinois Railroad

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Posted by riogrande5761 on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 1:33 PM

I'm modeling the D&RGW between 1965 and 1990.  Thats a pretty wide time frame but a significant portion of the rolling stock applies across much of that time period.  If you model the "mainline thru the rockies", passenger trains break down essentially as:

up to 1970 there was the famous California Zephyr - which in HO can be modeled using Broadway Limited CZ cars.

between 1970 and 1883, the Rio Grande Zephyr traveled between Denver and Salt Lake City, basically the same route and equipement from the above pool - loco's are EMD F9ABB units in single stripe D&RGW paint.  You can used BLI CZ cars lettered for D&RGW and omit the baggage and sleepers - the combine is a Pullman Standard Baggage/Dorm/Chair car - modeled from brass car sides or brass Palace Car Company models (I have two versions at home - on is the post 1975 de-skirted car with the dorm windows blanked out, and the skirted version with dorm windows).

between 1983 and the mid-1990's there is the Amtrak California Zephyr you can model using EMD F40PH's - I prefer KATO versions in HO and the Walthers Trainline are really not bad.  Walthers makes the HO Superliner I cars which depending on time period (Amtrak Phase II, III or IV).  The phase II and III paint were used and mixed during the 1980 and early 1990's - then phase IV after that.

 

Prototype modelers: Which railroad passenger train(s) are you modeling and how many do you have?

To answer the question specifically:

I am modeling 3 passenger trains using the equipment listed which I own:

California Zephyr (real train existed Mar 1949 - Mar 1970):
-Model = 12 Budd passenger cars from BLI in HO plastic for the late 60's version: 1 bag, 1 48 seat chair car, 3 dome-coaches, 1 dome-lounge, 1 diner, 1 5-6 sleeper, 3 12-6 sleepers and 1 dome-observation (also have 3 spare dome cars).  The above is a mix of D&RGW, WP and CB&Q owned cars.

- Power for the above train is either an F3ABBA (1965) set from Athearn Genesis or a mix of F7 and F9 units from Athearn Genesis (1966-1970)

Rio Grande Zephyr (real train ran from 1971-1983)
- Model = 1 brass Pullman Standard Combine 3 BLI dome-coaches, 1 dome-lounge, 1 diner, 1 48 seat coach, 1 dome-observation.

- Power for the above is an ABB set of F9's from Athearn Genesis

Amtrack California Zephyr (version I run (1983-1990) made up of 9 Walthers Superliner I cars in a mix of phase II and phase III paint, one Train Station Products ex-El Capitan bi-level dorm-coach.  Several Material Handling Cars from Watlhers and Concor (depending on time period) and Athearn baggage in Amtrak phase III paint.

- Power for the Amtrak CZ is drawn from 6 F40PH's I have (3 Walthers and 3 KATO).

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Posted by Mr. LMD on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 1:39 PM

el-capitan

I'm modelling an obscure portion of the Santa Fe in New Mexico. From the research I have done, It appears that they only ran mixed trains (Freight train with a combination baggage coach in place of a caboose) on this line originating in Rincon, NM going out to Hurley and returning the same day. However, they also ran a small passenger train (coach only) from Albuquerque through Rincon and terminating in El Paso, TX. This train was called the "El-Pasoan". Since my Eastern staging represents El-Paso, I'm taking some artistic liberty and running a passenger train from El-Paso to Silver-City and returning. I'll be running the mixed freights as well.

I have several of the cars from the 1937? Superchief but since I'm not modelling the transcon main, it just doesn't fit.

If you are looking for something specific, you can find alot of old passenger schedules on ebay that will provide information on names, consists etc.

Everyone learns something everyday and I never knew that about the SF and I read some good information about them. I saw some schedules on Ebay and I'm currently bidding on Overton cars to make my own passenger fleet.

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The Central Chicago & Illinois Railroad

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Posted by tstage on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 1:41 PM

Mr. LMD

Here's my question(s) for my fellow modelers.

Prototype modelers: Which railroad passenger train(s) are you modeling and how many do you have?

I model a NYC freight and servicing terminal on my modest 4 x 8 layout.  However, I do have - so far - a few heavyweight passenger cars to be pulled behind my NYC Hudson.  (Two Branchline couches and a sleeper)  I also have a BLI Dreyfuss Hudson ('40 paint scheme) that I am hoping that MTH will still be releasing the passenger cars for at sometime, although I'm not going to hold me breath.

Currently I can't run either Hudson on my layout as the curves are not large enough to handle the 60-70' cars.  The longest rolling stock I run on my freight layout are 50-footers.

Tom

https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling

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Posted by twhite on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 1:41 PM

My 'proto-lance' Rio Grande Yuba River Sub has a combination of Rio Grande and Espee running on it during the WWII and post-war years (up to about 1954).  So I have several Espee passenger trains ("Daylight", "Gold Coast", "City of San Francisco") that make appearances, plus several Rio Grande passengers ("Prospector", "Exposition Flyer") and one 'never was' streamliner called the "Scenic Limited."  (well, the "Scenic Limited" certainly existed, but never in an 8-car streamlined version) . 

The Espee trains have been relatively easy to put together with cars from MTH, Walthers and Branchline.  The Rio Grande trains are another story entirely--I've had to 'make do' with cars from Walthers, since I can't afford the exact cars and consists of the "Prospector" and "Exposition Flyer", which are largely available only in imported brass (Division Point, etc.). 

Completing my passenger roster is an un-named Rio Grande mail train, and a little 4-car local known as the "Yuba River Express", which is famous for flag-stopping at every good fishing hole along the river itself, LOL!

Tom

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Posted by Mr. LMD on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 1:42 PM

riogrande5761

I'm modeling the D&RGW between 1965 and 1990.  Thats a pretty wide time frame but a significant portion of the rolling stock applies across much of that time period.  If you model the "mainline thru the rockies", passenger trains break down essentially as:

up to 1970 there was the famous California Zephyr - which in HO can be modeled using Broadway Limited CZ cars.

between 1970 and 1883, the Rio Grande Zephyr traveled between Denver and Salt Lake City, basically the same route and equipement from the above pool - loco's are EMD F9ABB units in single stripe D&RGW paint.  You can used BLI CZ cars lettered for D&RGW and omit the baggage and sleepers - the combine is a Pullman Standard Baggage/Dorm/Chair car - modeled from brass car sides or brass Palace Car Company models (I have two versions at home - on is the post 1975 de-skirted car with the dorm windows blanked out, and the skirted version with dorm windows).

between 1983 and the mid-1990's there is the Amtrak California Zephyr you can model using EMD F40PH's - I prefer KATO versions in HO and the Walthers Trainline are really not bad.  Walthers makes the HO Superliner I cars which depending on time period (Amtrak Phase II, III or IV).  The phase II and III paint were used and mixed during the 1980 and early 1990's - then phase IV after that.

If you have to choose one or the other, which passenger train is your favorite?

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Posted by Motley on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 1:44 PM

I have recently been fascinated by the named passenger trains. They are so good looking. That I want all of them.

So my excuse for 50s passenger named trains on my modern 1989-Present D&RGW layout is excursion/museum restoration trains.

I have the following trains

Colorado Ski Train
UP 844 Steam Excursion train
NYC 20th Century Ltd
SP Daylight
Broadway Ltd
Super Chief
El Capitan

Michael


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Posted by Mr. LMD on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 1:46 PM

tstage

 

 Mr. LMD:

 

Here's my question(s) for my fellow modelers.

Prototype modelers: Which railroad passenger train(s) are you modeling and how many do you have?

 

 

I model a NYC freight and servicing terminal on my modest 4 x 8 layout.  However, I do have - so far - a few heavyweight passenger cars to be pulled behind my NYC Hudson.  (Two Branchline couches and a sleeper)  I also have a BLI Dreyfuss Hudson ('40 paint scheme) that I am hoping that MTH will still be releasing the passenger cars for at sometime, although I'm not going to hold me breath.

Currently I can't run either Hudson on my layout as the curves are not large enough to handle the 60-70' cars.  The longest rolling stock I run on my freight layout are 50-footers.

Tom

Please keep us updated when you are able to run your hudson

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Posted by UncBob on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 1:47 PM

MR LMD

 

Thanks for the compliment

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Posted by riogrande5761 on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 1:51 PM

Mr. LMD

If you have to choose one or the other, which passenger train is your favorite?

As most people probably would choose, nothing looks better than a "complete" private passenger train era train.  So the full California Zephyr consist with a 4 or 5 F unit power set looks very handsome.  And by todays costs, the train was relatively modest cost if you could pick up the engines and passenger cars at a decent discount as I was able to.  Unfortunately speculators are monopolizing the market for BLI passenger cars for the past year or two.

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Posted by Mr. LMD on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 1:52 PM

Motley

I have recently been fascinated by the named passenger trains. They are so good looking. That I want all of them.

So my excuse for 50s passenger named trains on my modern 1989-Present D&RGW layout is excursion/museum restoration trains.

I have the following trains

Colorado Ski Train
UP 844 Steam Excursion train
NYC 20th Century Ltd
SP Daylight
Broadway Ltd
Super Chief
El Capitan

Do you have the extra tender with your 844 to replicate the water tender?

Mr. LMD, Owner, founder

The Central Chicago & Illinois Railroad

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Posted by Mr. LMD on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 1:55 PM

UncBob

MR LMD

 

Thanks for the compliment

You are welcome :)

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The Central Chicago & Illinois Railroad

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Posted by Mr. LMD on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 1:57 PM

twhite

My 'proto-lance' Rio Grande Yuba River Sub has a combination of Rio Grande and Espee running on it during the WWII and post-war years (up to about 1954).  So I have several Espee passenger trains ("Daylight", "Gold Coast", "City of San Francisco") that make appearances, plus several Rio Grande passengers ("Prospector", "Exposition Flyer") and one 'never was' streamliner called the "Scenic Limited."  (well, the "Scenic Limited" certainly existed, but never in an 8-car streamlined version) . 

The Espee trains have been relatively easy to put together with cars from MTH, Walthers and Branchline.  The Rio Grande trains are another story entirely--I've had to 'make do' with cars from Walthers, since I can't afford the exact cars and consists of the "Prospector" and "Exposition Flyer", which are largely available only in imported brass (Division Point, etc.). 

Completing my passenger roster is an un-named Rio Grande mail train, and a little 4-car local known as the "Yuba River Express", which is famous for flag-stopping at every good fishing hole along the river itself, LOL!

Tom

I bet the daylight was the easiest since you can find them anywhere like the U.P.

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Posted by Mr. LMD on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 2:00 PM

riogrande5761

 

 Mr. LMD:

 

If you have to choose one or the other, which passenger train is your favorite?

 

 

As most people probably would choose, nothing looks better than a "complete" private passenger train era train.  So the full California Zephyr consist with a 4 or 5 F unit power set looks very handsome.  And by todays costs, the train was relatively modest cost if you could pick up the engines and passenger cars at a decent discount as I was able to.  Unfortunately speculators are monopolizing the market for BLI passenger cars for the past year or two.

I believe the market has been flooded with Union Pacific everywhere just as well.

Mr. LMD, Owner, founder

The Central Chicago & Illinois Railroad

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Posted by riogrande5761 on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 2:07 PM

twhite

My 'proto-lance' Rio Grande Yuba River Sub has a combination of Rio Grande and Espee running on it during the WWII and post-war years (up to about 1954).  So I have several Espee passenger trains ("Daylight", "Gold Coast", "City of San Francisco") that make appearances, plus several Rio Grande passengers ("Prospector", "Exposition Flyer") and one 'never was' streamliner called the "Scenic Limited."  (well, the "Scenic Limited" certainly existed, but never in an 8-car streamlined version) . 

The Rio Grande trains are another story entirely--I've had to 'make do' with cars from Walthers, since I can't afford the exact cars and consists of the "Prospector" and "Exposition Flyer", which are largely available only in imported brass (Division Point, etc.). 

Completing my passenger roster is an un-named Rio Grande mail train, and a little 4-car local known as the "Yuba River Express", which is famous for flag-stopping at every good fishing hole along the river itself, LOL!

Tom

There is the major disadvantage of modeling your time period, to do it well you need brass brass and more brass.  An old round robin club acquaintence of mine from my graduate school days is modeling the D&RGW in 1953 but once told me he was in the top 3% earning bracket in the United States - In other words a good deal of money to spend on brass and brass he has - quite a few correct D&RGW steam engines, a brass CZ, etc. but last I saw from pictures I haven't seen any of the other name trains so far that you would need to pop $500 each for Div Pt Prospector Passenger cars.

For me, I could model a prototypical but non-typicalYampa Valley Mail passenger train using cars from the following:

PCC P-S Combine (from the brass Prospector series - original configuration)
Walthers P-S 52 seat coach

It's a shame Walthers or some company hasn't put out any more "correct" passenger cars usable by the D&RGW - they could cover C&O and D&RGW and Algoma Central, perhaps others, from a few models.

As far as the Yuba River Express - the D&RGW ran a passenger train called the Mountaineer up to about 1951 or so that was very heavy on the front end cars, mostly baggage.

With all the Yuba this and that makes me think of northern California up near Quincy and Chico State University, where the WP ran partly.  Are you from up that way?  I had an old friend who lived up there and who's family had a cabin that way - but lost track of him years ago.

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Posted by Mr. LMD on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 2:13 PM

riogrande5761

 

 twhite:

 

My 'proto-lance' Rio Grande Yuba River Sub has a combination of Rio Grande and Espee running on it during the WWII and post-war years (up to about 1954).  So I have several Espee passenger trains ("Daylight", "Gold Coast", "City of San Francisco") that make appearances, plus several Rio Grande passengers ("Prospector", "Exposition Flyer") and one 'never was' streamliner called the "Scenic Limited."  (well, the "Scenic Limited" certainly existed, but never in an 8-car streamlined version) . 

The Rio Grande trains are another story entirely--I've had to 'make do' with cars from Walthers, since I can't afford the exact cars and consists of the "Prospector" and "Exposition Flyer", which are largely available only in imported brass (Division Point, etc.). 

Completing my passenger roster is an un-named Rio Grande mail train, and a little 4-car local known as the "Yuba River Express", which is famous for flag-stopping at every good fishing hole along the river itself, LOL!

Tom

 

There is the major disadvantage of modeling your time period, to do it well you need brass brass and more brass.  An old round robin club acquaintence of mine from my graduate school days is modeling the D&RGW in 1953 but once told me he was in the top 3% earning bracket in the United States - In other words a good deal of money to spend on brass and brass he has - quite a few correct D&RGW steam engines, a brass CZ, etc. but last I saw from pictures I haven't seen any of the other name trains so far that you would need to pop $500 each for Div Pt Prospector Passenger cars.

For me, I could model a prototypical but non-typicalYampa Valley Mail passenger train using cars from the following:

PCC P-S Combine (from the brass Prospector series - original configuration)
Walthers P-S 52 seat coach

It's a shame Walthers or some company hasn't put out any more "correct" passenger cars usable by the D&RGW - they could cover C&O and D&RGW and Algoma Central, perhaps others, from a few models.

As far as the Yuba River Express - the D&RGW ran a passenger train called the Mountaineer up to about 1951 or so that was very heavy on the front end cars, mostly baggage.

With all the Yuba this and that makes me think of northern California up near Quincy and Chico State University, where the WP ran partly.  Are you from up that way?  I had an old friend who lived up there and who's family had a cabin that way - but lost track of him years ago.

I seen John Gray and Howard Zane, both feature in tracks ahead on youtube (before the series became private) and they both have brass and your benchwork has too be 100% good or your brass set will rip the track to pieces.

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Posted by Trynn_Allen2 on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 2:14 PM

I'm modeling in central Wi, between Portage and Plover/Stevens Point Wi.  The line was real, but I added electrification, and made the industry along the line a little more robust.  Still agricultural, but more robust.

For passenger service I have a milk run that runs twice a day, Once at 7am from Plover arriving in Portage at 9:30 am and once at 3pm arriving in Portage at 6:30.  This route runs the full length of the P-line and is an hour longer because of a conflicting passenger schedual.    Steam powered consists of 4 express reefers, 1 milk bunker car and a combine.  Usually hauled by a Hvy 2-8-2.  Speed is timed for an avg of 55mph, with 6 stops.  It returns with empties and freight for interchange with the GB&W at Plover at 11am and 9:00pm.  Consist is set for the day, but is usually reworked at night depending on availablity of the express reefers.  Note:  this is the fastest train I run, is sorta based on prototype.  There was a milk run, but it didn't warrent this kind of schedualling, (it was once a day and was only 2 RS, and a BM)

Additionally there is a small commuter run that runs from Portage to Montello via Endeover.  This one runs a 1:30hr turn around with a pair of back to back doodlebugs (yeap there is a proto for everything) .  Start time is 5:30 am with last run starting from Portage to Montello taking place at 7:00 pm ish.  Servcing is done at Montello.  If the Doodlebugs can't make the run a Steeplecab and 2 Hvywt Coachs make the run and are sometimes used as supplimental consist during the summer.  Note:  This run is actually based on the prototype line that I took over.  It was the only functioning schedualled run on the entire route.

After the above two everything is by caboose fare.  If fairs warrent it a combine is attached to the freight service.  Of course this makes the freight drops at Montello interesting, because if there are fares for Montello, then the caboose has to be dropped at the station, making the rest of the moves incity flagged ones sans caboose.  I haven't figured out names for any of them, because as far as I know there were no names for the trains.  On the other hand with the milk train being as heavily schedualled as it is, the speed it maintains, and the fact that it is the only thing that even remotely resembles a passenger schedual it probably should have a name.

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Posted by riogrande5761 on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 2:14 PM

Mr. LMD

 riogrande5761:

Unfortunately speculators are monopolizing the market for BLI passenger cars for the past year or two.

 

I believe the market has been flooded with Union Pacific everywhere just as well.

No, actually the problem with the BLI CZ cars right now is speculators have bought up a lot of what was on the market and is now asking prices around 2 times the Retail price.  The original MSRP price was $64.xx to 69.xx and now you see these listed on fleabay for $99 to $16x prices.  That isn't what I'd call flooded market prices.  As for UP, Walthers has been producing them in the past 12 months but I don't think they are bargain basement prices so far.  Anything hitting the market now and in the future are higher costs due to all the market/currency devaluation/production costs effects.

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Posted by Mr. LMD on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 2:17 PM

riogrande5761

 

 Mr. LMD:

 

 

 riogrande5761:

Unfortunately speculators are monopolizing the market for BLI passenger cars for the past year or two.

 

 

I believe the market has been flooded with Union Pacific everywhere just as well.

 

 

No, actually the problem with the BLI CZ cars right now is speculators have bought up a lot of what was on the market and is now asking prices around 2 times the Retail price.  The original MSRP price was $64.xx to 69.xx and now you see these listed on fleabay for $99 to $16x prices.  That isn't what I'd call flooded market prices.  As for UP, Walthers has been producing them in the past 12 months but I don't think they are bargain basement prices so far.  Anything hitting the market now and in the future are higher costs due to all the market/currency devaluation/production costs effects.

Thank you for correcting me. I do see a lot more U.P brand more than anything else since they are one of the oldest railroad in america still running. Ebay do have good deals, but mostly the prices are indeed high for some products.

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Posted by tomikawaTT on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 2:21 PM

Mr. LMD

Since most layouts I have seen (pictures, videos, in person) are mostly freight trains, I have wonder and research about old passenger trains such as the Super Chief, The Zep, 400, Daylight, and many more.

I may be the exception.  Most of the timetable slots on my layout are for passenger trains.

Prototype modelers: Which railroad passenger train(s) are you modeling and how many do you have?

The entire scheduled operation for my month, taken from the timetable of the Japan National Railways for September, 1964 - with station names changed to protect the guilty.  To cover this, I have three DMU consists, three heavyweight passenger consists and five EMU that mix and match into two, three and four car trains.  Each runs as several different trains during a 24 hour day.

Freelance modelers: How many passenger trains are you running on your layout and if they have a catchy name, could you list them?

No catchy names on the Tomikawa Tani Tetsudo.  Just two scheduled runs each way with two coaches (carries miners to the colliery, kids to school in Tomikawa, then vice-versa,) two mixed trains each way each day with a single coach, and a four-wheel diesel railbus that protects the other passenger runs.  Overnight, the coaches lay over at Tomikawa and the railbus lays over at the colliery.

Which doesn't mean there aren't plenty of freights.  The timetables, JNR and TTT, list over 140 train movements every 24 fast-clock hours.

Chuck (Modeling Central Japa in September, 1964)

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Posted by Motley on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 2:27 PM

Mr. LMD

 

 Motley:

 

I have recently been fascinated by the named passenger trains. They are so good looking. That I want all of them.

So my excuse for 50s passenger named trains on my modern 1989-Present D&RGW layout is excursion/museum restoration trains.

I have the following trains

Colorado Ski Train
UP 844 Steam Excursion train
NYC 20th Century Ltd
SP Daylight
Broadway Ltd
Super Chief
El Capitan

 

 

Do you have the extra tender with your 844 to replicate the water tender?

I sure do!!! I actually just got it last week. The Athearn Veranda Turbine Tender.

Michael


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Mile-HI-Railroad
Prototype: D&RGW Moffat Line 1989

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Posted by Mr. LMD on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 2:27 PM

Trynn_Allen2

I'm modeling in central Wi, between Portage and Plover/Stevens Point Wi.  The line was real, but I added electrification, and made the industry along the line a little more robust.  Still agricultural, but more robust.

For passenger service I have a milk run that runs twice a day, Once at 7am from Plover arriving in Portage at 9:30 am and once at 3pm arriving in Portage at 6:30.  This route runs the full length of the P-line and is an hour longer because of a conflicting passenger schedual.    Steam powered consists of 4 express reefers, 1 milk bunker car and a combine.  Usually hauled by a Hvy 2-8-2.  Speed is timed for an avg of 55mph, with 6 stops.  It returns with empties and freight for interchange with the GB&W at Plover at 11am and 9:00pm.  Consist is set for the day, but is usually reworked at night depending on availablity of the express reefers.  Note:  this is the fastest train I run, is sorta based on prototype.  There was a milk run, but it didn't warrent this kind of schedualling, (it was once a day and was only 2 RS, and a BM)

Additionally there is a small commuter run that runs from Portage to Montello via Endeover.  This one runs a 1:30hr turn around with a pair of back to back doodlebugs (yeap there is a proto for everything) .  Start time is 5:30 am with last run starting from Portage to Montello taking place at 7:00 pm ish.  Servcing is done at Montello.  If the Doodlebugs can't make the run a Steeplecab and 2 Hvywt Coachs make the run and are sometimes used as supplimental consist during the summer.  Note:  This run is actually based on the prototype line that I took over.  It was the only functioning schedualled run on the entire route.

After the above two everything is by caboose fare.  If fairs warrent it a combine is attached to the freight service.  Of course this makes the freight drops at Montello interesting, because if there are fares for Montello, then the caboose has to be dropped at the station, making the rest of the moves incity flagged ones sans caboose.  I haven't figured out names for any of them, because as far as I know there were no names for the trains.  On the other hand with the milk train being as heavily schedualled as it is, the speed it maintains, and the fact that it is the only thing that even remotely resembles a passenger schedual it probably should have a name.

Do you have a lot of switching to go with your heavy detail layout? :)

Mr. LMD, Owner, founder

The Central Chicago & Illinois Railroad

  • Member since
    June 2007
  • 8,892 posts
Posted by riogrande5761 on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 2:29 PM

Mr. LMD

I seen John Gray and Howard Zane, both feature in tracks ahead on youtube (before the series became private) and they both have brass and your benchwork has too be 100% good or your brass set will rip the track to pieces.

I have honestly never heard of brass trains ripping up track before, thats a new one.  I did try to run some brass passenger cars on my garage layout I had built in graduate school with 30-inch minimum mainline radius curves.

The brass train we tried to run was a set of C&NW heavy weight passenger cars, fully painted and finished - gorgeous cars.  They would not run on my 30-inch curves - I think the truck side frames hit the models metal underbody and shorted or something.    I've heard other complaining bitterly about the Division Point Prospector cars - beautiful models but can't run them.

Rio Grande.  The Action Road  - Focus 1977-1983

  • Member since
    September 2011
  • From: chicago, Illinois
  • 683 posts
Posted by Mr. LMD on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 2:31 PM

tomikawaTT

 

 Mr. LMD:

 

Since most layouts I have seen (pictures, videos, in person) are mostly freight trains, I have wonder and research about old passenger trains such as the Super Chief, The Zep, 400, Daylight, and many more.

 

I may be the exception.  Most of the timetable slots on my layout are for passenger trains.

 

Prototype modelers: Which railroad passenger train(s) are you modeling and how many do you have?

 

The entire scheduled operation for my month, taken from the timetable of the Japan National Railways for September, 1964 - with station names changed to protect the guilty.  To cover this, I have three DMU consists, three heavyweight passenger consists and five EMU that mix and match into two, three and four car trains.  Each runs as several different trains during a 24 hour day.

 

Freelance modelers: How many passenger trains are you running on your layout and if they have a catchy name, could you list them?

 

No catchy names on the Tomikawa Tani Tetsudo.  Just two scheduled runs each way with two coaches (carries miners to the colliery, kids to school in Tomikawa, then vice-versa,) two mixed trains each way each day with a single coach, and a four-wheel diesel railbus that protects the other passenger runs.  Overnight, the coaches lay over at Tomikawa and the railbus lays over at the colliery.

Which doesn't mean there aren't plenty of freights.  The timetables, JNR and TTT, list over 140 train movements every 24 fast-clock hours.

Chuck (Modeling Central Japa in September, 1964)

how many towns/cities/villages do your trains stop at?

Mr. LMD, Owner, founder

The Central Chicago & Illinois Railroad

  • Member since
    September 2011
  • From: chicago, Illinois
  • 683 posts
Posted by Mr. LMD on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 2:35 PM

Motley

 

 Mr. LMD:

 

 

 Motley:

 

I have recently been fascinated by the named passenger trains. They are so good looking. That I want all of them.

So my excuse for 50s passenger named trains on my modern 1989-Present D&RGW layout is excursion/museum restoration trains.

I have the following trains

Colorado Ski Train
UP 844 Steam Excursion train
NYC 20th Century Ltd
SP Daylight
Broadway Ltd
Super Chief
El Capitan

 

 

Do you have the extra tender with your 844 to replicate the water tender?

 

 

I sure do!!! I actually just got it last week. The Athearn Veranda Turbine Tender.

Congrats :) i seen the 844 on the history channel show extreme trains and on tracks ahead. I have a 

4-8-4 Rock Island and planned on doing the same thing :)

Mr. LMD, Owner, founder

The Central Chicago & Illinois Railroad

  • Member since
    September 2011
  • From: chicago, Illinois
  • 683 posts
Posted by Mr. LMD on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 2:37 PM

riogrande5761

 

 Mr. LMD:

 

I seen John Gray and Howard Zane, both feature in tracks ahead on youtube (before the series became private) and they both have brass and your benchwork has too be 100% good or your brass set will rip the track to pieces.

 

 

I have honestly never heard of brass trains ripping up track before, thats a new one.  I did try to run some brass passenger cars on my garage layout I had built in graduate school with 30-inch minimum mainline radius curves.

The brass train we tried to run was a set of C&NW heavy weight passenger cars, fully painted and finished - gorgeous cars.  They would not run on my 30-inch curves - I think the truck side frames hit the models metal underbody and shorted or something.    I've heard other complaining bitterly about the Division Point Prospector cars - beautiful models but can't run them.

I meant to say if you do not have a sturdy well built trackwork the brass train would derail often. I'm sorr for the  exaggeration.

Mr. LMD, Owner, founder

The Central Chicago & Illinois Railroad

  • Member since
    June 2007
  • 8,892 posts
Posted by riogrande5761 on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 2:42 PM

Mr. LMD
Thank you for correcting me. I do see a lot more U.P brand more than anything else since they are one of the oldest railroad in america still running. Ebay do have good deals, but mostly the prices are indeed high for some products.

Well, recently and following forward, Wathers had been and is releasing UP Passenger cars.  So it partly depends on what passenger train projects are being issued by major manufacturers at any given time.  For a few years, the BLI California Zephyr cars were readily available and for prices ranging between $30-50 on Ebay and when vendors still had them in stock, mostly they sold for about $54-59 each.  BLI ran several runs and the market was semi saturated for a while, then they ran one more run and since then the supply seems to have dried up, probably with the help of scalpers and speculators trying to gouge modelers for rediculous prices.  Hopefully BLI will run the CZ cars one more time to break up that nonsense and allow folks to pick up more cars at "fair market" prices.

But to some degree, there probably is some truth to UP having a wide name recognition having been alive up to the present - you can even run specials based on the present and run UP passenger cars - although it would probably require some research to get a "correct" train, if that is possible in plastic.  If with the many UP cars out, there are probably many types not offered still.

Rio Grande.  The Action Road  - Focus 1977-1983

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