Hello everybody,
I´m a big fan of streamliner trains that crossed the Lone Star state. I think they are way too underrepresented on the HO market, especially in the non-brass market. I have a little listing here of some Texas streamliners, it would be interesting for me to know which train of these you would mostly like to see in HO scale by MTH, BLI, Walthers or some other non-brass builder.
a) Santa Fe Texas Chief (the post 1954 version with big dome lounge cars)
b) Rock Island Texas Rocket
c) Katy/Frisco Texas Special
d) Missouri Pacific/Texas & Pacific Texas Eagle (the post 1952 version with dome cars)
e) Burlington Sam Houston Zephyr
f) Burlington Colorado Zephyr
g) Southern Pacific Sunbeam/Hustler (the post 1948 version with “Southern Pacific” lettering)
h) Southern Pacific Sunset Limited (the 1950-1954 all Budd version)
i) Southern Pacific/Rock Island Golden State (the 1948-1953 red/silver version)
My personal Top 3 are the Sunset Limited, the Texas Eagle and the Texas Special. As for the Texas Special (I think this train has the most beautiful paint scheme of all the trains in this list) I know that it is currently produced by Overland models, but well, I cannot afford 500-600 $ per car…[^]
Regards, Daniel
I, too, like the Texas Special. On my layout I represent it with the Con Cor Texas Special cars. I can’t see spending $500-600 per car either.
Hallmark also produced the Texas Special and can be found from time to time for less than the Overland. A friend of mine as a set and was lucky enough to find another car at teh NTS this past week.
It is a pretty train and he receive lots of comments.
There are many trains I’d like to see produced in HO plastic as well, all I can say is either kitbash, use stand-ins or be patient (or win the lottery!)
Ricky
Green white and orange-- The Texas Mexican “Tex-Mex Express” but I would like to backdate the train to the 50s with the F7s. I am collecting cars but it is low on my to-do list, after getting the Texas Chief and then California Special (mixed LW and HW) running.
I would like to see the following, not really in order of preference, just things that are skipped over…
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MKT-Frisco TEXAS SPECIAL
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Missouri Pacific WEST TEXAS EAGLE (with the CORRECT ACF rivet sided car types)
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SP Budd built SUNSET LIMITED
Too damned much Santa Fe stuff already, we could use a prototype break!!
Doug
That Tex Mex train looks interesting! Never knew about the existance of tis train! Always thought Tex Mex was a freight only railroad. Between which cities did it run?
About the MP Eagles: West Texas Eagle was St. Louis-El Paso, South Texas Eagle St. Louis-San Antonio and East Texas Eagle St. Louis-Houston, right?
Yes, you are right there´s too much Santa Fe stuff out there. I think the Sunset Limited as the oldest continuosly running name train in the west doesn´t get the representation it deserves.
Okay for you Santa Fe haters, I suggest the Texas Chief. Reasons? I model ATSF, I model ATSF in Oklahoma including the north/south mainline, only drawback I model the 1989 period, whoops, guess no streamliner for me.
Bob
Quote from deluxe: “That Tex Mex train looks interesting! Never knew about the existance of this train! Always thought Tex Mex was a freight only railroad. Between which cities did it run?”
Cities? Cities?! Doan need no steenking cities!
This is a view out of last car of the Tex Mex Express crossing the Wild Horse Desert.
But yes, the Tex Mex Express did see some cities. Ran from about six blocks from the Gulf of Mexico (actually Corpus Christi Bay) to 8 blocks from the Mexican border, from 1987 to 1990. Boarded in the morning in Corpus Christi, at a station built around a temporary portable structure made to resemble the FREIGHT station that served C.C. until 1970 and Hurricane Celia.
Train was made up on three old heavyweight coaches, probably ex-PRR-- one streamlined air conditioned coach, and a streamlined air-conditioned lounge. Pulled by one or 2 GP38-2 diesels. 144 mile run each way, 288 mile round trip 3 days a week, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Occasionally a privately-owned ex-Santa Fe sleeper would be added for a private party.
Here the train has just pulled away from the station, about to pass under State Hwy 386 to run past the cotton compress, junkyards and the airport. Stops in Robstown, Alice, Hebronville and arrival in Laredo, at a station built to an FC Naciona
Sorry to drag this back up but in light of the plated Super Chief sell out, a Texas Special in HO done by Walther’s would sell like lost youth. It has been done at least 6 times in O including the beautiful scale Lionel done three years ago each time selling out. The only thing close in HO was the Hallmark, which if you can find at all goes for 185 per car to 2300 for the set, the mortgage your house Overland, or the painted nicely but run like crap Concor Frisco versions.
A Texas Chief can be done pretty much with the available Walthers cars.
An Eagle would be cool but I think the Texas Special has more appeal to more modelers.
Come one Entreprenuers make some money.
Thanks
SB