Re: Walthers Pennsylvania "Meteor" Sleeper Howdy Chris, Who is Columbia Coach Shop. Did I miss something? I didn't know anyone makes FRISCO HW cars... Best regards, mike
Passenger Car Info Request I am tyring to get my passenger equipment in shape to run and need some help from you guys who know more about such things than I. Here are some of my questions. 1. What diaphrams should I be using? Would they be the same or different streamlined vs heavyweight? 2. Are there any decent car interiors available for the Hallmark Meteor set that came out in the 1980s? Thanks to Don W. 3. Do I need to add any appliances to the Hallmark Meteor cars? Any good way to simulate the gaskets on the windows? 4. Any suggestions for cars to use on the Florida Special? I am subbing the Meteor cars and some heavyweights until I get the layout to Springfield. 5. Does anyone know the passenger switching operation in Springfield? Any information about how the US Mail was handled (ex-troop sleepers? baggage cars?)? 6. I need more heavyweight cars in my fleet so what are the options in today's HO world? Thanks in advance for your help. Ship IT on the Frisco! Rick
Re: Passenger Car Info Request Rick, in re: #3, I think I read an old Bill Darnaby article where he simply used a fine-tipped Black Sharpie. I can't attest to how well it works. And I'll be eager other's responses on #6. Ken McElreath's old FMIG article on modeling Frisco HWT cars is my best resource on how to eventually model a fleet of these, but I think the sources are rather dated.
Re: Passenger Car Info Request Agree with Chris - a black Sharpie marking pen works very well to simulate the black window gaskets, but you obviously need to get the window glass out first. Then just run the side of the Sharpie point around the window circumference, and then replace the glass. It also works well for the black ring around many modern diesel headlight lenses. Makes the headlight lens (I usually use MV) stand out really well. Ken
Re: Passenger Car Info Request Rick: Until the middle of the night when I couldn't sleep and was browsing my just received April MR, I couldn't have answered your diaphragm question. If you have received you'res, go to the bottom of page 75 where you will find an add for the Coach Yard. www.thecoachyard.com You should be able to buy them where you get your brass. They're not cheap at $24.95 a set, but they will probably be the most realistic. Hope this helps. Bob Hoover FriscoFriend
Re: Passenger Car Info Request Rick, I have had good louck using American Limited diagrams on my heavyweight stuff, that or Branchline also has some nice ones. As far as heavyweight cars, you have the standard stuff AHM/Riv and Athearn conversions, which there is alot you can do with these as a starting point. Branchline coaches are not to bad of a standin for some in the 700 series if a few windows missing doesn't bother you to much. The Walthers heavyweight diner makes for a pretty close 641-643 car and with a little work it can be an almost spot on. Using NERS parts I replaced the doors and added a few windows on both sides and it looks pretty good. Brad
Re: Passenger Car Info Request Brad- Good resource info; thanks. The NERS parts look pretty good and crisp on the website and seem quite affordable to boot; it's nice to read validation from someone who's used them. Best Regards,
Re: Walthers Pennsylvania "Meteor" Sleeper - rest of train? Howdy folks, Has anyone heard rumors that Walthers might produce the Texas Special or Meteor as a whole train, similar to the other name trains? Anyone know who would could write at Walthers and ask? Best regards, mike
Re: Walthers Pennsylvania "Meteor" Sleeper Hmmm! The Texas Special might have a chance to be a commercial success for Walthers. Popular train, well publicized, unique look, two railroads involved, and a past modeling success with the Lionel version. Ken
Re: Walthers Pennsylvania "Meteor" Sleeper Yes and it would need E7s !!!! Southeast . . . Southwest . . . Ship IT on the Frisco! Rick
Re: Walthers Pennsylvania "Meteor" Sleeper Mike, I'd overlooked your message on this one. Alas, this was a tongue-in-cheek reference to my 1:87 car shops in my garage! It's rather like The Merry Old Land of Oz; my shop employees seem to "get up at noon and go to work at one; take an hour's break and then at two, we're done!" My apologies for the confusion. For a town of its size, CoMo seems to be a model railroading wasteland. I've had several express interest in seeing our layout in progress, so maybe we'll work to change that. Best Regards,
Re: Passenger Car Info Request Were the SLSF 750 series heavyweight passenger cars considered Coaches or Chair Cars?
Re: Passenger Car Info Request Most of the Frisco documents I've seen refer to them as "chair" cars. Tom
Re: Passenger Car Info Request (window gaskets) You should use a silver marking pen rather than black for the Texas Special and Meteor cars' window gaskets. They may have been repainted to black or weathered to a darker color, but they were originally a silver or aluminum. See photo of #1250 "Olivette." Tom
Re: Passenger Car Info Request (window gaskets) The diaphragms looks silver on those cars, too. Is that right, or were they gray?
This is the beginning of a thread on lightweight passenger cars. I'll begin moving lightweight discussions to this thread. Additionally, I'll start a message with a table of models that can be used for these cars. Best, mike
Re: Passenger Car Info Request Howdy Rick, I didn't see an answer to your TS and Meteor questions and wondered if you received any. I was lucky enough to pick up the Hallmark Meteor set at the Plano train show. The set was new, still in the plastic wrap and tissue. Now I have the same questions as you including one about the paint color on the the Hallmark cars: is there a commercially available paint match that I could use to pain the diesels? Happy trails, mike
Walthers has announced a 56 seat coach which could be converted to the Frisco lt wt 56 chair car with some window work on the vestibule end of the car. I wish we could get a good plastic set of the TS and Meteor cars, but this could be a start for someone who is ambitious enough to do the window modification. The cool thing is the seat windows and the bathroom window on the non vestibule end of the car look like they could stay. Obviously the paint would have to be changed, but this seems to be the best car for modeling a lt wt Frisco chair car. I don't remember a 56 seat coach being available before. It will come in standard and lighted models. Terry
Re: Walthers Pennsylvania "Meteor" Sleeper If you are wishing to come up with models of Meteor/TXSP cars in HO scale, your best bet is to buy the components from Union Station Products. Of course, this means you will have to assemble the cars, and you will probably spend about as much as you would have for the Walthers RTR car, but it will be completely correct, and they do sell the interiors as well. GS http://unionstationproducts.com/
Why did Frisco name their Texas Special observation car after Joseph Pulitzer? Was it because he started the Pulitzer Prize Foundation or did he have something else in common with the Frisco Railroad? Joe