MR’s June 2007 issue carried the latest version of their occassional series on “Pike-Size Passenger Trains.” I always greatly enjoy these articles, as they include both prototypical info and handy modeling tips. This year there’s a new twist. They announced that an ad will be in the July 2007 issue describing a contest for readers, who will be invited to suggest their own favorite pike-size prototype.
I won’t be able to contribute to this, because my pike-size passenger train is an imaginary one, although based on the practice of my prototype. But there’s probably lots of other modelers in the same position who can contribute what may be useful ideas. So I decided to start this thread as a way to get this info out to other modelers. Feel free to contribute your own pike-size passenger train tips and tricks.
My layout represents a Rio Grande seconday that is basically an extension of the Cane Creek branch toward the southeast. It passes through Durango, which retains a dual-gauge yard and feeds traffic into the narrowgauge main to Chama and Alamosa and up the Silverton Branch to connect with the Mears Roads there. The Rio Grande Southern still exists, adding to the traffic base. The standard gauge continues on to reach the Santa Fe main at Grants, where it proceeds via trackage rights into Albuquerque.
Tentatively named the “La Sal Flyer” after the mountains near Moab, the train provides daily service in both directions for mail, express, and passengers. It’s powered by a P2K PA-PB lashup in the Rio Grande four-stripe Aspen Gold and silver scheme. I’ve swapped power chassis around so that both units are powered, although it’s not actually needed for the grades on my layout.
Typically, it hauls an express reefer for the many express shipments that either must be kept cold or protected from the heat of the Four Corners environment. Currently, this is a Branchline 50’ REA reefer.
MR has not finalized the rules, But I think Terry was thinking of either prototype/proto-freelance/freelance passenger trains. I was thinking about my 50’s era MILW passenger train: GP9/RPO/Bagg/Coach as a possible entry. It ran on MY ‘Pecatonica’ division of the Milwaukee Road!
Thanks for your interest in our upcoming contest. While free-lancing your own trains is fun, the pike-size series has always had the theme of prototypical trains that fit a layout. With that in mind, our contest is only for models of pike-sized prototype trains.
Thanks for reading MR, and good luck to everyone who enters the contest!
I appreciate Jim’s idea, but I do agree that the “Pike-Size…” series needs that prototypical hook to really make the idea click.
But this also means that a neat discussion on my slightly different pike-size topic can take place here, without jeopardizing our chance of being later able to enter the contest itself with ideas that might have taken fruit in our exchanges here. And I actually have some ideas about prototypical trains that might get me interested enough to participate once the contest rules are released in the July 2007 issue.
Your editor’s comment in the June issue hit the nail on the head why thinking about pike-size trains, perhaps including freight trains, is so important in planning a layout. Visions of streamliners on sweeping curves tend to give way to reality all too soon, for the best, if you plan this way.
Otherwise, you just might be one of those who complain that your 80’ passenger cars with body mounted couplers aren’t running well on your 18" radius curves.
I’d like to think I did this pretty well when I designed my layout, but when I first started operating it, I gave into the tendency to run too-long trains. I finally paid attention and scaled things back to what the sidings and yards were really designed to hold and things are much better, with traffic moving fluidly.
Next time, I’ll discuss my “HP Zephyr,” as my “Houston-Portland Zephyr” is popularly known. Using hand-me-down cars from the “California Zephyr,” my Rio Grande line is part of its route, which connects the namesake cities via connecting railroads in this underserved market. But others may want to jump in first and tell us about their pike-size (but not quite prototypical) passenger train.
OK, no contest rules? No problem! We’ll just do it here. Post your pictures, vote for pictures. Winner buys Bergie a beer.
Here’s mine. It may not be the oldest prototype, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s the oldest model. First, from the front, the F7 A-B-A is old Athearns. The rear A was rubber-band drive, now a eunuch. The front A is gear-driven, and the only one from my 50+ year old collection to work well enough after 40 years in the attic to merit a decoder and LED conversion.
The cars are ancient Mantuas. I’ve got 5 of them. They’re real aluminum, about 70-footers. They make it around my 18-inch radius curve with the help of truck-mounted couplers, which I’ve converted to Kadees from the original horn-hooks. Two of the cars still had working incandescent lights. One had a working flourescent (got that one from eBay) and I added LEDs to the other two, including the observation car.
You’re modeling Rio Grande (congratulations!!) and Terry says that the contest should be an ‘authentic’ pike-sized train. My advice: Get hold of a book called RIO GRANDE, MAINLINE OF THE ROCKIES by Lucius Beebe, and check out the photos of the YAMPA VALLEY MAIL. Perfect pike-sized passenger train, either steam or diesel. Diesel would probably be easier for you, reading your post: PA-1 or F7-A, in Grande Gold and silver, standard baggage, mail–in Rio Grande Pullman Green and a couple of Walthers Rio Grande streamline coaches in 4-stripe Grande Gold and silver. Even a dome car (though finding a Rio Grande Budd in the Grande Gold and Silver is just about impossible without tearing apart and re-painting a Walther’s Santa Fe ‘Chief’ car–believe me, I’m still looking).
Steam would be a little harder, you’d need a Rio Grande 800 Pacific (and there aren’t any plastic models that would suffice, you’d need to find a PFM brass ‘authentic’), though an IHC light 4-6 -2 would be okay in a pinch, kit-bash Roundhouse Harriman baggage and mail, get a couple of ‘undec’ Pullman green Walthers coaches and decal the whole thing (I’d use the older “Denver and Rio Grande Western” Microscale steam decals with the tri-colored herald on the tender).
A 3-4 car train that has more character than anything I’ve ever seen. Glorious little train.
Actually, the Yampa Valley Mail is an example of the prototype practices I mentioned that I based my train on. IIRC, I think the YMV itself was done in one of the earlier “Pike-Size…” articles.
I’m one of the original group of members of the Rio Grande Modeling and Historical Society, http://www.drgw.org/ and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the Rio Grande. The Prospector, the society’s journal, is high quality and always has plenty of coverage you won’t find elsewhere.
This also points out how important the resources of railroad historical societies are to modelers. In their publications is frequently where the info on passenger trains that meet the “pike-size” standard can be found. So there’s a tip for anyone interested in participating in MR’s upcoming “pike-size passenger train” contest.
Mike, I read your response with some interest because I also enjoy those Pike Sized . . . . . features. Unlike you, however, I am a freelancer and, therefore, my fictitious railroad will only run fictitious trains but these Pike Sized . . . . . features helps the Seaboard and Western Virginia Railway maintain prototypical fidelity…
I like those ten to twelve car limiteds - I have an all first-class train, presently without a name, and a mixed coach/first class train, also without a name - but even in N Scale these can be rather imposing and my railroad can only afford a limited number. I, therefore, have created several Pike Sized . . . . . consists.
My Mountain State Limited carries a couple of two thousand horsepower A Units on the headend; behind that are one or two head end cars; next up are two or three coaches; bring up the markers is a cafe-lounge-parlor car of clerestory roof heritage.
My Kanawha Flyer - an overnight train - is powered the same as the Mountain State Limited but always carries two headend cars; usually there is only one coach; behind the coach is a square-end diner rebuilt from an observation car; a couple of sleepers carry the markers. There are occasions when an additional coach and/or sleeper can be found in the consist of this train.
I know that I will be struck dead for this and banished to stamp collecting forever but I wish MR would run a freelanced passenger train contest.
Hey, now, that is SWEEET! It actually looks a lot like the YVM, or maybe even the PROSPECTOR during the later years.
Here’s my freelance version of the YVM, only on the Yuba River Sub, it’s called the YUBA RIVER EXPRESS–though using Rio Grande equipment, it’s really patterned more after the WP FEATHER RIVER EXPRESS between Oakland and Portola, CA. But it’s a pike-sizer, anyway. Unfortunately I’ve only got one photo of it, but the consist is a Rio Grande 800 brass Pacific, an express reefer, (BLI) a mail car, baggage, combine and coach (Rivarossi, lettered for D&RGW).
Right now, my latest project is the 1950 ROYAL GORGE, but that’s not quite pike-sized, as the consist is about nine cars, a mixture of Walthers standard and streamline.
I’d say most of today’s Amtrak non cross country trains could be considered Pike-Size passenger trains. A great example would be the Grand Rapids, MI, to Chicago, IL “Pere Marquette”, which is usually one P42 or 8-32PHW and 3 horizon coaches (or 3 Superliners in the winter). I model this train using an Atlas 8-32PHW in Amtrak Phase III and 3 Walthers Amtrak Phase III Horizon coaches. No pics of my train, but here’s the real thing in Grand Rapids last Feburary.
I like it! Sounds a lot like my version of the Yapa Valley mail the La Vita Mail. Same consist, a Rapido D&RGW PA1, Intermountain EMD F7b unit for the steam generator, a Walther heavyweight arched-roof baggage/RPO, then a Walthers PS 52-seat coach with a Walthers Budd Vista-Dome bringing up the rear and the martkers.
