Chi-town; Who else?

[XG01X]

Who all models Chicago?
If so What do you model? an in what part of town?

[Anonymous]

While my layout itself is more or less generic, meaning it is not of any particular location, the passenger trains are for the most part C&NW commuter trains. I have a Kato bi-level cab car, a couple of Walthers, a couple of Three Brothers kits, and an old Reynolds kit. I also have a P2K E8 and E7 and a few Athearn F7's (all C&NW of course!)

[XG01X]

I'm modeling a short line/industrial but I'm going to throw in a Metra train for interest.
My hobby shop has got a Walthers Metra Cabcar for $24 and those Katos are very tempting. I'm curious how do you like the different kits?
Maybe we should start a bilevel addiction club!

[dinwitty]

in my design track plans now is to build a downtown chicago but kinda freelanced.
The North Shore/South Shore, IC, C&NW will dominate, with a mini loop CTA for the North Shore to run on. I just found and got a 1-50 series CTA car kit. , so I will just have a one car CTA....8-D
MTS...make these cars again, puhleeze?

[richhotrain]

I keep thinking about modelling the 16th Street interlock but haven't had the time or space. Anyone model that area of Chicago?

Could be expanded to include the interlock and passenger station at 63rd Street (Englewood). Everything from the Rock Island, NYC, Pennsylvania, Illinois Central and others all ran trains through these interlocks 24/7.

[Anonymous]

Mine's vaguely based on the IRM - hence I have a set of C&NW bilevels and a matching Erie-Built (in my parallel universe, one was rescued as a bare shell and rebuilt to F59PH specifications). I may well buy a couple of the Katos when they become available over here as the preserved bilevel coaches have a different window pattern to the Walthers models (the preserved cars are the earlier St Louis Car Company design, the Walthers models are the later Pullman-Standard version).

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: XG01X: I'm curious how do you like the different kits?
Maybe we should start a bilevel addiction club!

The kits required a fair amount of model building skills which I somewhat lack but they turned out good enough for me. However, there is an obvious difference between them and Kato or Walthers. The hardest part was painting the roof and ends to match the pre-painted sides. That's where my skill falls off. The kits were the only choice at the time if one wanted a CNW bi-level. There may have been a brass model but that was way out of my price range.

QUOTE: Railroading_Brit: Erie-Built (in my parallel universe, one was rescued as a bare shell and rebuilt to F59PH specifications). I may well buy a couple of the Katos when they become available over here as the preserved bilevel coaches have a different window pattern to the Walthers models

The FP-40's and F59's didn't arrive on the scene until sometime after Metra took over, so there never were any of these with the CNW painted bi-levels (although there might have been some cars not yet repainted to Metra with a F-40).. The Erie-Built may not be as far out of place as you might think, but for the most part, CNW ran E8's and F7's on the commuter lines. The different window patterns were mixed on the same train and continued for a while into the Metra era.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by KG1960

QUOTE: Railroading_Brit: Erie-Built (in my parallel universe, one was rescued as a bare shell and rebuilt to F59PH specifications). I may well buy a couple of the Katos when they become available over here as the preserved bilevel coaches have a different window pattern to the Walthers models

The FP-40's and F59's didn't arrive on the scene until sometime after Metra took over, so there never were any of these with the CNW painted bi-levels (although there might have been some cars not yet repainted to Metra with a F-40).. The Erie-Built may not be as far out of place as you might think, but for the most part, CNW ran E8's and F7's on the commuter lines. The different window patterns were mixed on the same train and continued for a while into the Metra era.

Certainly, the only locos I've seen with these cars were F40PH and E-units. I meant that the alternate history I've come up with to justify the Erie-Built (which didn't have head end power in real life) is that the museum rebuilt it internally with the power unit and HEP capabilities of an F59PH - not too unlikely, apparently the NYC rebuilt some Eries with EMD powerplants. I just wish someone would make one of the "Club car" variants of the bilevels now - Walthers have ignored it despite having a good car structure that they could tool new sides for.

[Ibflattop]

I hear that they still have Roundhouses there!!!!! Kevin

[XG01X]

I starting to think that its just begging to be modeled on a grand scale. Anymore the models are flowing.
Depots by john- structures
BRC & EJE diesels, SOO bandits MP15's, Bilevels. various regional and shortline freight cars
It's starting to full in the gaps.
Heck pick a line around the Clearing yard and you could see anything; with those freedoms its surpising there's not more.