Metra Passenger Cars?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Would someone please lighten my darkness on what passenger cars would have run behind RTA F40PHs in the early '80s?

Kato make the loco in H0 but Idon’trecall ever seeing a model of an RTA Passenger car…did/does anyone make one?Would they have taken on ex CNW or RI commuter cars/bi-levels in the early days?

TIA [8D]

2

Dave,

Walthers did a run of bilevel cars a while back. They are listed in the catalog, but are showing out of stock.

Coach:
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/932-6252

Cab Car:
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/932-6262

Nick

3

An RTA engine should be pulling RTA, not Metra cars. Fortunately both Kato and Walthers has made them in the past.

http://www.katousa.com/HO/Bilevel/index.html

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/932-6253

John

4

Thanks Nick![tup]

I’d never seen them.I’m looking into them now. Anyone got any they don’t want?

Any other Metra cars anyone?

[8D]

5

I thought that I was getting muddled about RTA and Metra.

Would TRA have come first wit one colour scheme and then Metra… or what- please?

If Metra took over from RTA was there an overlap period when locos and cars would have been in both schemes - either mixed in consists or running in solid consists but both schemes around at the same time?

Thanks (and thanks for the links)[tup]

[8D]

6

The most common cars pulled behind RTA F40’s would be the ones I posted above, along with bilevels painted in CNW yellow and green and Rock Island red and yellow. All three have been made by both Kato and Walthers. The only other cars they would have pulled would be the Millwakee Rd and RI stainless steel Budd bilevels. The only model of these car is the rather crude, out of production Three Brothers/Holagtes and Reynolds kits consisting of an aluminum extrusion for the body and white metal details. These cars were expensive for what you got and made a marginal model at best.

I can’t seem to find any photos of the Metra cars posted Nick, but I’m thinking that is a newer paint scheme which wouldn’t overlap the 1983 Metra take over of RTA.

John

7

Thanks [tup][:)]