Since most layouts I have seen (pictures, videos, in person) are mostly freight trains, I have wonder and research about old passenger trains such as the Super Chief, The Zep, 400, Daylight, and many more.
Here’s my question(s) for my fellow modelers.
Prototype modelers: Which railroad passenger train(s) are you modeling and how many do you have?
Freelance modelers: How many passenger trains are you running on your layout and if they have a catchy name, could you list them?
I’m modelling an obscure portion of the Santa Fe in New Mexico. From the research I have done, It appears that they only ran mixed trains (Freight train with a combination baggage coach in place of a caboose) on this line originating in Rincon, NM going out to Hurley and returning the same day. However, they also ran a small passenger train (coach only) from Albuquerque through Rincon and terminating in El Paso, TX. This train was called the “El-Pasoan”. Since my Eastern staging represents El-Paso, I’m taking some artistic liberty and running a passenger train from El-Paso to Silver-City and returning. I’ll be running the mixed freights as well.
I have several of the cars from the 1937? Superchief but since I’m not modelling the transcon main, it just doesn’t fit.
If you are looking for something specific, you can find alot of old passenger schedules on ebay that will provide information on names, consists etc.
I’m modeling the D&RGW between 1965 and 1990. Thats a pretty wide time frame but a significant portion of the rolling stock applies across much of that time period. If you model the “mainline thru the rockies”, passenger trains break down essentially as:
up to 1970 there was the famous California Zephyr - which in HO can be modeled using Broadway Limited CZ cars.
between 1970 and 1883, the Rio Grande Zephyr traveled between Denver and Salt Lake City, basically the same route and equipement from the above pool - loco’s are EMD F9ABB units in single stripe D&RGW paint. You can used BLI CZ cars lettered for D&RGW and omit the baggage and sleepers - the combine is a Pullman Standard Baggage/Dorm/Chair car - modeled from brass car sides or brass Palace Car Company models (I have two versions at home - on is the post 1975 de-skirted car with the dorm windows blanked out, and the skirted version with dorm windows).
between 1983 and the mid-1990’s there is the Amtrak California Zephyr you can model using EMD F40PH’s - I prefer KATO versions in HO and the Walthers Trainline are really not bad. Walthers makes the HO Superliner I cars which depending on time period (Amtrak Phase II, III or IV). The phase II and III paint were used and mixed during the 1980 and early 1990’s - then phase IV after that.
To answer the question specifically:
I am modeling 3 passenger trains using the equipment listed which I own:
California Zephyr (real train existed Mar 1949 - Mar 1970):
-Model = 12 Budd passenger cars from BLI in HO plastic for the late 60’s version: 1 bag, 1 48 seat chair car, 3 dome-coaches, 1 dome-lounge, 1 diner, 1 5-6 sleeper, 3 12-6 sleepers and 1 dome-observation (also have 3 spare dome cars). The above is a mix of D&RGW, WP and CB&Q owned cars.
Everyone learns something everyday and I never knew that about the SF and I read some good information about them. I saw some schedules on Ebay and I’m currently bidding on Overton cars to make my own passenger fleet.
I model a NYC freight and servicing terminal on my modest 4 x 8 layout. However, I do have - so far - a few heavyweight passenger cars to be pulled behind my NYC Hudson. (Two Branchline couches and a sleeper) I also have a BLI Dreyfuss Hudson ('40 paint scheme) that I am hoping that MTH will still be releasing the passenger cars for at sometime, although I’m not going to hold me breath.
Currently I can’t run either Hudson on my layout as the curves are not large enough to handle the 60-70’ cars. The longest rolling stock I run on my freight layout are 50-footers.
My ‘proto-lance’ Rio Grande Yuba River Sub has a combination of Rio Grande and Espee running on it during the WWII and post-war years (up to about 1954). So I have several Espee passenger trains (“Daylight”, “Gold Coast”, “City of San Francisco”) that make appearances, plus several Rio Grande passengers (“Prospector”, “Exposition Flyer”) and one ‘never was’ streamliner called the “Scenic Limited.” (well, the “Scenic Limited” certainly existed, but never in an 8-car streamlined version) .
The Espee trains have been relatively easy to put together with cars from MTH, Walthers and Branchline. The Rio Grande trains are another story entirely–I’ve had to ‘make do’ with cars from Walthers, since I can’t afford the exact cars and consists of the “Prospector” and “Exposition Flyer”, which are largely available only in imported brass (Division Point, etc.).
Completing my passenger roster is an un-named Rio Grande mail train, and a little 4-car local known as the “Yuba River Express”, which is famous for flag-stopping at every good fishing hole along the river itself, LOL!
As most people probably would choose, nothing looks better than a “complete” private passenger train era train. So the full California Zephyr consist with a 4 or 5 F unit power set looks very handsome. And by todays costs, the train was relatively modest cost if you could pick up the engines and passenger cars at a decent discount as I was able to. Unfortunately speculators are monopolizing the market for BLI passenger cars for the past year or two.
There is the major disadvantage of modeling your time period, to do it well you need brass brass and more brass. An old round robin club acquaintence of mine from my graduate school days is modeling the D&RGW in 1953 but once told me he was in the top 3% earning bracket in the United States - In other words a good deal of money to spend on brass and brass he has - quite a few correct D&RGW steam engines, a brass CZ, etc. but last I saw from pictures I haven’t seen any of the other name trains so far that you would need to pop $500 each for Div Pt Prospector Passenger cars.
For me, I could model a prototypical but non-typicalYampa Valley Mail passenger train using cars from the following:
PCC P-S Combine (from the brass Prospector series - original configuration)
Walthers P-S 52 seat coach
It’s a shame Walthers or some company hasn’t put out any more “correct” passenger cars usable by the D&RGW
My ‘proto-lance’ Rio Grande Yuba River Sub has a combination of Rio Grande and Espee running on it during the WWII and post-war years (up to about 1954). So I have several Espee passenger trains (“Daylight”, “Gold Coast”, “City of San Francisco”) that make appearances, plus several Rio Grande passengers (“Prospector”, “Exposition Flyer”) and one ‘never was’ streamliner called the “Scenic Limited.” (well, the “Scenic Limited” certainly existed, but never in an 8-car streamlined version) .
The Rio Grande trains are another story entirely–I’ve had to ‘make do’ with cars from Walthers, since I can’t afford the exact cars and consists of the “Prospector” and “Exposition Flyer”, which are largely available only in imported brass (Division Point, etc.).
Completing my passenger roster is an un-named Rio Grande mail train, and a little 4-car local known as the “Yuba River Express”, which is famous for flag-stopping at every good fishing hole along the river itself, LOL!
Tom
There is the major disadvantage of modeling your time period, to do it well you need brass brass and more brass. An old round robin club acquaintence of mine from my graduate school days is modeling the D&RGW in 1953 but once told me he was in the top 3% earning bracket in the United States - In other words a good deal of money to spend on brass and brass he has - quite a few correct D&RGW steam engines, a brass CZ, etc. but last I saw from pictures I haven’t seen any of the other name trains so far that you would need to pop $500 each for Div Pt Prospector Passenger cars.
For me, I could model a prototypical but non-typicalYampa Valley Mail passenger train using cars from the following:
I’m modeling in central Wi, between Portage and Plover/Stevens Point Wi. The line was real, but I added electrification, and made the industry along the line a little more robust. Still agricultural, but more robust.
For passenger service I have a milk run that runs twice a day, Once at 7am from Plover arriving in Portage at 9:30 am and once at 3pm arriving in Portage at 6:30. This route runs the full length of the P-line and is an hour longer because of a conflicting passenger schedual. Steam powered consists of 4 express reefers, 1 milk bunker car and a combine. Usually hauled by a Hvy 2-8-2. Speed is timed for an avg of 55mph, with 6 stops. It returns with empties and freight for interchange with the GB&W at Plover at 11am and 9:00pm. Consist is set for the day, but is usually reworked at night depending on availablity of the express reefers. Note: this is the fastest train I run, is sorta based on prototype. There was a milk run, but it didn’t warrent this kind of schedualling, (it was once a day and was only 2 RS, and a BM)
Additionally there is a small commuter run that runs from Portage to Montello via Endeover. This one runs a 1:30hr turn around with a pair of back to back doodlebugs (yeap there is a proto for everything) . Start time is 5:30 am with last run starting from Portage to Montello taking place at 7:00 pm ish. Servcing is done at Montello. If the Doodlebugs can’t make the run a Steeplecab and 2 Hvywt Coachs make the run and are sometimes used as supplimental consist during the summer. Note: This run is actually based on the prototype line that I took over. It was the only functioning schedualled run on the entire route.
After the above two everything is by caboose fare. If fairs warrent it a combine is attached to the freight service. Of course this makes the freight drops at Montello interestin
