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HO models of early Stream lined passenger trains

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  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Collinwood, Ohio, USA
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Posted by gmpullman on Saturday, March 18, 2023 8:47 PM

Broadway Limited should soon be releasing their New York Central Commodore Vanderbilt Hudson which would be a nice addition as an early streamlined example:

 New York Central 4-6-4 Hudson type Commodore Vanderbilt Colorized by George  Murphey, on Flickr

They have offered a few other models of streamlined steam such as the PRR K4:

 PRR_3768-speed by Edmund, on Flickr

   — and the New York Central "Century" streamlined Hudson:

 NYC_J3 by Edmund, on Flickr

I suppose you could call the T1 streamlined, as well:

 PRR_T1-E7 by Edmund, on Flickr

 The trouble in most cases is that the main-stream manufacturers seem reluctant to "package" a full streamliner with cars and locomotives as the retail price would probably put off most casual buyers. The modeler is left to his own devices to acquire proper cars for a complete train.

MTH (Mike's Train House) at one time did produce an Empire state Express Hudson and nice cars. These have been out of production for some time and MTH's HO is now owned by another entity.

 Empire_5426PSM1 by Edmund, on Flickr

 

 

     Regards, Ed

  • Member since
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  • From: Milwaukee WI (Fox Point)
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Posted by dknelson on Saturday, March 18, 2023 11:21 AM

Many of the streamline cars that AHM/Rivarossi introduced in the 1960s were reasonably accurate models of 1938 Broadway Limited (PRR) cars.

And it was either AHM or IHC that had a series of packaged semi streamlined steam locomotive passenger train sets in a variety of paint schemes from the 1930s even if the cars themselves were not completely accurate for those trains.

There were also some classic Model Railroader articles on building your own Burlington Zephyrs.  

Dave Nelson

  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
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Posted by SeeYou190 on Friday, March 17, 2023 9:57 PM

As has been said... Con-Cor or brass.

The brass models of these tend to be very poor runners.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    July 2022
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Posted by MurBall on Friday, March 17, 2023 8:34 PM

Thanks that's great info.

 

 

Moderator
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  • From: Northeast OH
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Posted by tstage on Friday, March 17, 2023 7:34 PM

The Con-Cor 3-car Pioneer Zephyrs - the 1934 original & the post-war, twin-headlight 1948 (below) - are generally available on eBay.  2 or 3 of the early version are currently up for sale, as of today:

Even though I model the NYC, I picked one up at the beginning of January.  It's a terrific looking model and runs VERY smoothly! YesCool  I also purchased the 4th add-on car for it.  The M-10000s show up every once in a while.

The longer Zephyrs (e.g. Mark Twain, Twin Cities, Flying Yankee) are only available in brass.  I wish Con-Cor had produced the Flying Yankee.  I would snatch one of those up, as well.

Tom

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

Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: SE Michigan
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Posted by fmilhaupt on Friday, March 17, 2023 7:02 PM

In the past, Con-Cor brought out plastic models of the Burlington's Pioneer Zephyr (original and modernized versions), the Union Pacific M-10000, and the New Haven Comet in HO.

They haven't been made in over ten years, but they do show up on eBay from time to time.

Similarly, Fox Valley Models brought out the early steam-powered streamlined Milwaukee Road Hiawatha in plastic in roughly the same time frame.

For early streamliners beyond those, you'll need to look for brass models.

Tags: Streamliners

-Fritz Milhaupt, Publications Editor, Pere Marquette Historical Society, Inc.
http://www.pmhistsoc.org

  • Member since
    July 2022
  • 36 posts
HO models of early Stream lined passenger trains
Posted by MurBall on Friday, March 17, 2023 6:23 PM

I've been admiring early US streamlined passenger trains and I can't find any examples of HO models of them on ebay such as city of Los Angeles circa 1936 or burlington and quincy Zephyrs. Anybody know where they are to be found or why they aren't modeled so much? They seem like they would make a gorgeous model.

https://imgur.com/gallery/i8R9mtu

 1 0 City of Los Angeles streamlined train

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