Chicago and Noethwestern 400

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

What type of passenger cars did the streamlined E4 4-6-4 Chicago and Northwestern Hudson pull? Were they streamlined or heavyweights? I believe the name of the train from Chicago to Minneapolis was the “400”, but i can’t seem to locate any pictures of the cars.

Thank you in advance!!

2

Great question. However, you might want to post this in the prototype section.

3

Thanks PennsyHoosier,

I posted it there also.

4

Dark Green Heavy WEight’s

5

The streamlined 4-6-4’s were not built for ‘400’ service. The pulled the UP connection trains on the ‘Overland’ route. First standard heavyweights, then streamliner cars in the ‘Overland/Challenger’ paint scheme.
The original ‘400’ ran between Chicago and Mpls - it used a non-streamlined 4-6-2 pulling a 5 car standard heavyweight train. Later the train got E3 diesels and a streamlined consist painted in yellow/green.
There was a train that ran between Chicago and Mankato, MN(Minnesota 400) that had streamlined 4-6-2’s pulling a 5 car streamliner consist(the engine was painted to match the train in yellow/green. There were something like 3 of these 4-6-2’s that got the sheet metal/paint streamlining for this service. After WWII, the train was extended to the Dakota’s(Dakota 400) and it got diesels.

Jim Bernier

6

Are there any models being produced today that approximate the heavyweights of the CNW? I see walthers is offering these cars, but they are painted green and yellow.

7

Oren, I would think the C&NW would have a Historical Society. Possibly Yahoo Groups for both modeling and the C&NW prototype exist.

8

Here’s the link to CNW Historical society

http://www.cnwhs.org/

Here’s the link to CNW Yahoo group.
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/cnw/

Here’s the link to CNW modeling group
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/CNW-RR/

9

This is off the CNWHistorical Society web site.

1935 The “Twin Cities 400” makes its inaugural run. It consisted of completely rebuilt, standard cars and locomotives. There were no funds for streamlined equipment, which was coming into vogue.

1939 The new, streamlined “Twin Cities 400” is placed in service, having been approved by the bankruptcy court. It was an immediate success, competing with streamlined equipment on the CB&Q and the CMStP&P. Other streamlined 400’s would follow.
1940’s Diesels start to make inroads into the steam roster. FT diesels are purchased for freight service in 1945, with government permission.

10

I am no expert but I cannot swear that the massive 4-6-4s might not have pulled the Kate Shelley 400 from time to time.

I think the standard cars were painted green and yellow in the 1950s and I doubt if they saw service on any 400 in those colors other than in emergency or heavy load times, such as at Thanksgiving. I am surprised Walthers is not offering the cars in C&NW in the old Pullman Green. Maybe they will later or if enough people ask.
There are some books, including a fairly recent one by Patrick Dorin, on C&NW passenger equipment that I would recommend. The classic book is Jim Scribbins’ The 400 Story. Highly recommended but it now brings collectors prices. The Dorin book is more recent
Dave Nelson