I’m currently modeling a B&O layout with a C&O interchange, and my operations will mostly consist of freight trains but I’m interested in also including some passenger excursions as well. As of right now i have purchased one c&o locomotive and one b&o locomotive both MTH ho models. The c&o is a 2-8-4 Berkshire and the b&o is a 2-8-2 Mikado I’m not sure what style or kind of passenger cars to purchase. Thank you for any insight on my issue.
I model the B&O with interchange with C&O, Pennsy, NYC and WM. Are you modeling late 40’s early 50’s? If so, I would suggest a couple of 4-6-2’s this was a staple of the passenger fleet. You can mix heavyweight and smoothside cars together, as well as mix in some Pullman’s in their green paint scheme. Also if you are featuring trains to Chicago you can add a couple of AT&SF passenger cars as this was done with the service from L.A. to Washington D.C. I would suggest if you use those cars to get a coach and delux sleeper. Also extra baggage, RPO’s are good for the fast freight and express mail trains too. You can add or mix a couple different roads in this part of the passenger trains as mail was sent from the West coast to East coast in RPO’s as well as from North to South as well. Hope this helps. If you need info on particular passenger trains of the B&O I have a large collection of info on this, I feature passenger trains on my layout.
Ray
wow thanks for the info, so, it sounds like the B&O basicily pulled other road names as well as thier own? i’m pretty new to passenger trains so any other details you could give me would be great. i’m also in the process of getting a good book that may shed some more light on the topic for me. i really need to learn a little more about how the different railroads operated thier passenger trains, because i don’t have a clue as of right now. thanks again.
Are you planning on running featured trains i.e. "Capital Limited" , “Cincinatian”, The Columbian or any other ones? if not you have more flexabilty on what the consist of the train can be. You can have some local passenger trains that are all coaches and they can be a combine of heavyweights and smoothside. Also only the featured trains had observation cars with drum heads on them the regular passenger trains didn’t. I have one fast mail train that I run on my layout that has RPO’s from PRR,NYC and ACL it’s my overnight to Chicago it lets me add Express boxcars that were painted blue to be used on the fast mail passenger trains as well. If you are buying passenger cars I would go to either train shows or ebay and buy some Rivarossi, IHC, AHM or Con-Cor passenger cars. I have and use many of these cars, Don’t bother with the Athearn’s blue box passenger cars they don’t look that good.
Ray
That is the type of information that is best seen on a train video. Here is a good match for you.
Green Frog has The Best of B&O Top Frog Series Volume 8.
I reviewed that show and here is the link.
http://wjhudson.wordpress.com/2011/02/20/best-of-the-bo-top-frog-series-vol-8/