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Post by harborbelt70 on May 5, 2020 17:28:16 GMT
harborbelt: Interesting photos of more of your extensive passenger car collection. I don't understand the "lattice work" on the top ends of your Santa Fe full-length dome diner, along the top of your Seaboard diner, and on the top of your GM Train of Tomorrow dome. I recall seeing the real Santa Fe dome cars back in the 1960s, but none had that on the top ends. Is this supposed to be some kind of communications anttenae or something? It's also on the tops of our Lionel polished aluminum 15" dome cars. I don't get it. What you see running down the middle of the various cars, including the Santa Fe VistaDome in our anodized aluminum sets, are radio telephone antennae - that much I know for sure. It's also on the TX Special observation car I posted earlier. But, like many things with Lionel passenger cars, on that car just like many others, it is just a representation of the real thing - as it was at one time in service history. For example, on the actual MKT TX Special Stephen F. Austin observation car, the antenna actually ran around most of the perimeter of the roof, as rendered in this HO brass version of the car (left side photo):  You cannot clearly see that detail in the only color photo of the car I have ever found, which is on the right. On the other hand, I dunno exactly what the upright structures at each end of the Great Dome car were for. I vaguely remember that when Scott Mann/GGD announced these cars, there was some discussion about including them and why but in any case they were judged to be prototypical. I assume they are either handrails or antennae. This is the photo from the GGD pamphlet of the time that reflected Scott's research and it includes them:  It would not surprise me if these particular structures were removed in later stages of the cars' service lives. Telephone service might have become expensive to provide or otherwise surplus to requirements as passenger numbers declined. I still put old coin-op pay phones in some of my car interiors but that's just a representation too.
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Post by Yellowstone Special on May 5, 2020 19:39:30 GMT
Well that help clears it up, harborbelt. One learns something new every day here. Many thanks.  |
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Post by Traindiesel! on May 6, 2020 22:42:58 GMT
Passenger cars are my passion in this hobby. From my post war General set to my latest Golden Gate Depot purchases. This is like trying to pick your favorite child!
I'll name three that I have that really stand out to me, in no particular order. I wish I had pictures but they're all packed away until the layout gets built.
1) Golden Gate Depot Southern Pacific daylight set. Ten 21" cars with articulated diners. They look sensational being pulled by a Daylight GS-4 or a set of matching E units. I remember how they changed their pricing before delivery, angering a lot of buyers and shop owners. I bought mine from JusTrains of Delaware and Kirk ate the increase in price for his buyers. This started a war between them to where JusTrains stopped carrying their product in store.
2) K-Line Santa Fe Super Chief set. A ten car 21" set with the gleaming finish that shines like a jewel! I have several Santa fe Diesels just waiting for the chance to pull this consist! I later added two more cars I found at York from the previous K-Line rendering that had a more satin finish to them.
3) Golden Gate Depot PRR Congressional set. Twelve 21" car set that gleams like the stars. The detail is stunning and I can't wait to run them with my GG1's, especially the silver GG1!
There are so many others I have I could put in the top three. GGD NYC 1948 20th Century Limited, GGD 1948 Broadway Limited, GGD N&W Powhatan Arrow, K-Line Milwaukee Road, K-Line Northern Pacific and Great Northern sets, K-Line PRR "The Jeffersonian" set, another shiny K-Line NYC Empire State Express, and K-Line Amtrak Surfliner bi-level set. The shiny K-Line California Zephyr, K-Line B&O Columbian, MTH Strasburg wood sided cars and on and on!
And later to be hopefully added are the upcoming GGD scale Amfleet and Viewliner sets, and their E60 to pull them. But I'm looking at having to spend about $3500 for all of that, so I don't know!
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Post by JDaddy on May 7, 2020 4:19:05 GMT
Lionel 21 inch Sante Fe Chief passenger cars. Here's a quick video
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Post by Traindiesel! on May 7, 2020 6:40:47 GMT
Oh, and I almost forgot! My favorite of all, the Lionel Acela. Even with its issues it’s the coolest model train ever made!
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Post by ptc on May 7, 2020 10:39:22 GMT
John, those 21" Lionel Sante Fe passenger cars, painted and dull, dull, dull.  |
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Post by harborbelt70 on May 7, 2020 11:42:55 GMT
Oh, and I almost forgot! My favorite of all, the Lionel Acela. Even with its issues it’s the coolest model train ever made!
Here's someone's basement layout video, which within less than a minute shows the tell-tale flashing car lights indicating an IR signal failure.
Notwithstanding that, the cars are the most prototypically accurate that Lionel has ever attempted. I'd like to see them back but with hard wired serial data connections.
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Post by Deleted on May 7, 2020 13:01:52 GMT
JDADDY, will you leave those SF Engines and Passenger Cars as is or will you give them a shiny coat of paint??
Gary.
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Post by JDaddy on May 7, 2020 17:25:44 GMT
They are what they are. I guess I will leave them as oxidized. good news is they match the E6's.
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Post by ptc on May 7, 2020 17:31:08 GMT
"They are what they are. I guess I will leave them as oxidized. good news is they match the E6's"You could chrome those puppies, John. 
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Post by JDaddy on May 7, 2020 18:18:04 GMT
Chrome plastic, no, too much work and cost, not really worth the effort at this point. they kind of have that post war look which I guess will have to do at this point. The new stainless look on the F3's Lionel had a good look, Not sure why these did not have the same finish?
Like I say … it is what it is … for the price they look good enough. Station sounds Dome car is a first and the sounds are great.
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Post by ptc on May 7, 2020 19:01:47 GMT
Let's see, door # 1 (Lionel) or # 2 (K-line). Just kidding about the chrome job, John. I told Lionel when they first announced the 21" plastic cars that would be painted, this would be a BIG MISTAKE. Hmmm, K-Line not painted, I know, I'll take door # 2.  |
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Post by JDaddy on May 7, 2020 19:05:52 GMT
Yeah, I like that chrome look too, but Door no. 2 is long gone for most people due to availability.
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Post by ptc on May 7, 2020 19:31:16 GMT
"Yeah, I like that chrome look too, but Door no. 2 is long gone for most people due to availability."
Yes they are, but I am really happy we have a set of them.
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Post by Spice7 on May 8, 2020 22:46:33 GMT
My favorite New Haven. Attachments:
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