I would like to know if anyone has any ideas as to where I can find or what I can use to outfit my Alco brass MP54’s with interior seating. I have looked at a few interior prototype photos and the seats always seem to face in one direction so I’m not even sure if these coachs had “walkover” seating like the Erie Lackawanna MU coaches did. If they had walkovers, I could use some old Rivarossi 1920 coach interiors with some modifications. I’ve tried this and it works but they are getting hard to find, even on ebay. I have also contacted ConCor to inquire if they would sell me parts (the interior seating) but they said they will not make parts available so I’m at a loss right now. Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks, Joe
The MP54s did have walkover seats. The frames were very similar to the ones in the DL&W MUs, but IIRC the Lackawanna cars had rattan upholstry the PRR cars had plush upholstry (some of them were maroon, but seem to recall other colors too). At some point, maybe around 1970 or so, they started to fix half the seats in a car facing one way and half facing the other way to cut down on maintenance expense. About the same time they started to do away with the window shades and put tinted glazing (Lexan?) in the windows. They also started to use a light green vinyl? material on the upholstry. I think I got this pretty close, that was 40 years ago…
EDIT: Seem to remember blue plush and brown plush too. Better check another source before painting the seats.
Thank you for the input. i grew up with the E-L mu’s so I’m familar with them. I never got the chance to ride on an MP54.
Do you have ideas about what to use for an interior?
I have been “retired” from model railroading for almost 50 years, so I don’t know what might be available to use for an interior.
Before the seats were fixed, the train crew generally, but not always, would flip all the seats to face the direction of travel, so it would be normal to see them all face the same way.
The seats were fixed by bolting a metal clip on the curved track that the seat back bracket rode on. It could be easily removed if they wanted to make them reversible again.
I have heard that when the idea came up to fix half the seats in each direction they did one car and watched it in service. They found out that even when there were plenty of “forward” seats available about half the passengers would take a “backward” seat, so they started doing more cars.
I rode in the electrified MP54’s during the 70’s. I remembered green seats but I mostly rode on the platform. I was a teen working during the weekends in philly and loved watching the cars grind against each other. They also had a grind that sounded like a loud Athearn Blue box loco.
Con Cor had a run of non-powered MP54’s last year and has powered one’s coming out soon.
Great units with lighting included.
I really do appreciate the input. It is wonderful to hear form someone who is familar with the “times.” I think I’m good on the walkover seating…now to find an acceptable interior!