Some one asked me earlier today what that dome car where I offer free drinks is like so here is how to model it.
It is fairly easy to do. If you want to model my dome exactly, It needs to be any smoothside Short dome, painted GN Big Sky Blue. (If your modeling Pre-67 GN Empire scheme will do) If you want one for your own road. by all means paint it your choice of colors. However you are going to need a custom interior. It is as follows.
In the dome you want you want to arrange couches and easy chairs to give a club lounge feel. Then at the immediat bottom of the stairs, and possibly under neath the dome seating itself is stationed a fully stocked and full service bar. At the end of the car that would be closest to the end of the train. are arrange tables and chairs for patrons to lounge about and converse and party freely. At the front end of the car arrange some booths so patrons can have semi private conversation and a good view out a nice big picture wondow. Between the front end vestibule and the first set o booths. I would add a ladies and Gents lavatories.
Special lettering on the GN, would be minimum, but following their pracice for named cars, And that since this is a “Club” car. Name your car after various organizations that end in the word Club. Such as “400 Club” or “Coco Bonga Club”
For those roads that denoted wheater a certain car was a coach, sleeper, diner, and such. (Amtrak comes to mind) Donote that the car is a “Club Car”
And then if you make special literature for your layout, In the brocure that you make for your passenger trains, please note the special amentities of the car, and that you have to be a member in good standing of that railroads “Vista Dome Club” to be granted access to the car. On my “Dream Builder” (My term for an Empire Builder consist arranged how I want it) This car would be end of the train as to use your Vista Dome Club privilges one must be a first class passenger.
Thanks, I was just thinking of the Dome Car as I was quaffing a Harpoon India Pale Ale. I got an Observation Car on Ebay to match my ancient Mantua set, and I’ve got my eye on another coach (diner maybe?) but so far I haven’t seen a matching Dome Car. So, I’ll have to do with the GE refrigerator “car” where the beer is kept for now.
I think if you just look hard eneugh you will come across one. The Mantua cars later became Tyco cars and looking on the Tyco site, they have some information on the Mantua-Tyco line of passenger cars.
Hey everyone. Just wanted to let you all know. All happy and holly jolly folk who are interested can get get free eggnog in the dome car from now till new years.
I saw a special on the SP (I think it was the old Daylighter steam train). They said the profits from the bar car covered the trains operating expences on every run. So I don’t really know about that whole “free” drink thing.[:D]
wish someone would give me a free drink right now…wait!..it’s not noon yet and I made a promise to my wife that i won’t drink until at least noon…but it is noon on the east coast isn’t it?.. i’ll have that free drink now…[:D] chuck
Oh yes. I forgot. The Empire Builder will be running in 4 sections to help the Easter Bunny stage all his eggs for easter. The west bound is due at 10:00 a.m. and the east bout at 4:30 pm