Ok, I know they are out there…so let’s see em [;)]
I was very early into these cars, and got the Train Station Products (TSP) kits as soon as they came decorated for Santa Fe. I also made my own interiors for them…of course they now make specific interiors for these cars. I even made a lounge interior which is still awaiting a shell to be put in [V]
Anyway I’d love to see any pics your Hi-level models, and any general comments. I’d also like any info on the TSP interiors. Especially how they are installed. For my custom interiors I had to glue supports inside to keep them at upper floor level. And if anyone has found a lighting unit that will work in these?
I’d also like any comments on the expensive Intermountain ready to run versions. What they have that the kits don’t and if the floor and truck attachments are still the same or have they been improved on?
I have had four of the kits from TSP and did not like them to much,finally traded them in at my lhs on some other stuff.
did not like the lack of interior or windows which had to be bought and added after buying the kits which were not cheap to start with.
the intermountain hi-levels are fully assembled TSP models with everything done on them …interior,windows grabs etc.
they look great and are not bad price wise if you add up the kits and bits that you need to complete it.
just buy one of the intermountain ones and compare it with your kits
I have bought several TSP hi level kits, and I love 'em. I also have loaded them all with the Palace Car Company interiors, and am equally satisfied. I am in the finishing stages of my late 50’s combined Super/El Cap. After some research I finally found the correct interior colors for these cars (I have posted pics below).
Don’t hold your breath on the lounge. I spoke with Mr. Wright himself in 2002 about the lounge and he said that they were working on it, but wouldn’t release it until it was just right. I am afraid you are left with having to drop the $$$$$$$$$ for the Overland lounge (that is what I finally concluded).
The Intermountain models are OK, but they did not release them with the end yokes or roof grabs. I personally buy mine undec so I can add these details myself for the best model possible. Plus Microscale finally did a run of Hi Level decals after about 5 years, so life is good.
Dont forget, NKP Car Sides did the PS baggage dorm, and along with the TSP transition cowling and core kits, you can have yourself a nice car.
Edit: The interiors re-enforce the floors so they aren’t such a pain. And the trucks still***with the bum wheels. I have found that with a truck tuner and Kadee 36" smooth backs, these cars roll like a champ!!
And for the heck of it, here are the interiors I built for my ACF “Palm” 10-6 and “Regal” 4-4-2 sleepers…
Nice interiors. But the diner seats seem to be more like Superliners then the Hi-level individual detached seats. Oh well probably can’t even tell when inside the car. You mentioned Palace Car Company…so those are not the ones made by TSP? Any info on finding Palace’s product line?
An excellent resource for Hi-level modelers is the book, Santa Fe’s Hi-Level Cars, by Larry Occhiello. I found my copy on eBay. The best thing is it describes the interior colors.
The colors on your interiors are pretty close to what I used. In fact the wall color in the diner looks to be exactly what I used. GN Glacier Green perhaps [;)] For the diner seats I used Zinc Chromate Primer. I also used GN Glacier Green for the coach seats. One thing you may want to look into, is adding seat back covers. I made mine in a computer image program, placed several on one sheet of paper. Then simply print them out (color) and cut and glue to each seat back. Pretty time consuming to do for each seat, but the results are worth it. I’ll try and get a picture to show what mine look like.
Glad to see another Hi-Level modeler out there. The cars are really great.
Almost forgot, perhaps the best resource is an article from the Warbonnet (The Santa Fe Historical/Modeling Society) dedicated to Hi-Levels. The issue is from 1999, 3rd Quarter. Back issues are available I believe:
http://www.atsfrr.com/store/war-Vol05.htm
Let me clarify about the interiors, Palace Car Company ( http://www.palacecarco.com/ ) makes the interiors, and TSP puts thier label on them, so yes, they are the TSP interior kits for the Hi Levels.
Great idea about the seat backs. The backs are completely flat, so it would be easy to affix something there. I based the color of the coach seats loosely on some bad pics and ads that I found about the Hi Level cars. I still have some uncertainty about the lower floors. The only thing that I have found state that the walls of the lower floors were stainless, but I have a hard time believing that. I guess all that was down there were “offices” and a nurse’s station, so it is possible.
I eventually plan on doing a pure El Cap consist (probably mid 60’s), but am concentrating on this train for now. I want to have a large pool of Santa Fe passenger cars from which I can consist several different passenger trains, namely all the Chiefs. I also want to do a Chicagoan/Kansas Cityan for a certain rediculous reason, but enough about that.
I haven’t painted my shells yet, but they are detailed and ready to go. I will post pics of them after I get home from work. I have given up on trying to add steam, air and signal lines because they would hang too low. I also scrapped the idea of using the working Hi Level diaphrams from TSP because they are , in my opinion, garbage at best. I hate the gap, but I will get over it. I guess it is hard to design a good working diaphram for those cars because of the size of the diapram. I wished American Limited would do something for those cars.
I haven’t gotten by hands on the book you mentioned, but it is already on my “must have” list. Thanks for your input.[:)]
Below are some pics (with the link underneath to get the full size pic) showing the seat back covers in the extra coach I keep in my passenger servicing yard. I used this coach as the others have people in them and they block the seat backs…I also took off the floor and trucks to hopefully get more light in there for a better pic. Sorry for the quality, I really need a Micro lens:
http://pages.sbcglobal.net/fdoti/_uimages/1.jpg
http://pages.sbcglobal.net/fdoti/_uimages/2.jpg
And here’s a Hi-Level diner on the layout:
http://pages.sbcglobal.net/fdoti/_uimages/3.jpg
The diner has Preiser figures, an old Weston or Mini Metals dining car attendant, and Preiser’s tableware/food set for the plates and food. Walthers still sells this great set http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/590-17220. I painted the plates to look like the Adobe plates used on the El Cap.
The coach interior was made using a modified IHC heavyweight coach interior, as it had the most seats of any interior at the time….sure wish I waited for those TSP coach interiors. The diner interior was made from two IHC lightweight diner interiors cut and spliced together.
I also made up a word document listing the interior colors for some MSTS (Microsoft Train Sim) models a friend was going to produce. If you are interested I can send it to you, my email address is SouthwestChief@gmail.com. This document lists all the interior color information (both upstairs and downstairs).
But that Hi Level book (by Larry Occiello) I mentioned has the same information, plus scale drawings of each car (including the various dorms). Such a great resource. Definitely look on eBay for it. It’s paperback too so shouldn’t be too expensive.