# Observation Cars



## Guest (Feb 3, 2019)

My favorite of all the possible passenger car candidates is the Observation Car. No one car quite translated so well into the luxury of train travel when they were still in service. 

On the modeling side, the Observation Car also makes every Lightweight passenger train look so much better. The K-Line Super Chief Observation Car is one of the best done in O-gauge. 

What is your favorite passenger car and why. Please also post a photo if you have one.

View attachment 483706


View attachment 483712


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## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

Actually, K-lines observation car is my favorite, too. I had a full set (nine) years ago and gave them away. Wish I had not, now.


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## Yellowstone Special (Jun 23, 2015)

Here's the 15" version of the one Brian has. I need to redden the white roof tail light.









This is the Santa Fe business car. But I suppose it could be an observation car, too.









And finally a Union Pacific observation car which also needs its white roof tail light reddened. 









There's also the stock Polar Express observation, but it's stored until next holiday season.


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## Spence (Oct 15, 2015)

These are my favorite types of passenger cars.


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## Ted W (Jan 15, 2017)

Difficult to pick a favorite, here are three of mine. PRR Red Arrow, SF SC, and the ESE.


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## Panther (Oct 5, 2015)

If you recall, back in the 40's and 50's retired observation cars were converted into local diners.

Here is the one from Oneida New York where I was born.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaur...46-Reviews-Morey_s_Diner-Oneida_New_York.html

Dan


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## Guest (Feb 3, 2019)

Solid Gold!

View attachment 483738


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

From my little collection: just enough vintage character to make it interesting ...

TJ


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## cole226 (Feb 8, 2013)

Panther said:


> If you recall, back in the 40's and 50's retired observation cars were converted into local diners.
> 
> Here is the one from Oneida New York where I was born.
> 
> ...


I've seen quite a few a them around the north east. not so much the rest of the country, but a few.


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## Hasek23 (Dec 25, 2018)

Passenger Train Collector said:


> On the modeling side, the Observation Car also makes every Lightweight passenger train look so much better. The K-Line Super Chief Observation Car is one of the best done in O-gauge.
> 
> What is your favorite passenger car and why. Please also post a photo if you have one.


That Super Chief is pretty amazing.

Below is my NKP MTH observation car. Also the Great Northern Williams set observation. 

The NKP wins my favorite because the car seems a bit more solid and of course it's NKP. 

I haven't run either and they've been in storage for almost two decades so down the road I'll probably change to LEDs and change to metal wheel sets.


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## Guest (Feb 3, 2019)

Nice trio, Ted.


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## HarborBelt1970 (Sep 24, 2015)

My personal favorite observation car is the MKT Texas Special Stephen F. Austin, often mentioned here by reference to this nice photo (although I am not sure this is that car or the Frisco version):









But I have more examples of SP observation cars and of these my favorite is Lionel’s 18” version of the Shasta Daylight car. It’s in the foreground below:









I have not found many photos of this car in service although there are innumerable images of other SP observation cars:
















All three of my examples are aluminum-bodied cars but with different treatments of the boat tail ends and lights. Right in this photo is a K-Line, middle is a GGD and left the Lionel:


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## Guest (Feb 3, 2019)

Let's add these. 

View attachment 483782


View attachment 483784


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## Craignor (Jan 9, 2016)

Pennsylvania #1000


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## Yellowstone Special (Jun 23, 2015)

I think I have to agree with Harborbelt. The Texas Special's observation car is my favorite. 

She's a beauty, Harborbelt and Brian! :thumbsup:


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## Guest (Feb 3, 2019)

Boy Oh Boy, Did I ever miss out on a lot. K-Line! WOW! I am sitting here covered in my own drool and babbling . If anyone sees me there will be a nice white jacket in my future.

Absolutely Gorgeous,

Gary.


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## Guest (Feb 3, 2019)

Gary, check our eBay. They do come up.


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## Guest (Feb 3, 2019)

From Left to Right: 

Golden Date Depot: GM Train of Tomorrow
MTH: Santa Fe Blue Goose
Atlas: California Zephyr
Golden Date Depot: Pennsylvania R.R. Broadway Limited
K-Line: New York Central 20th Century Limited

View attachment 483794


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I think my all time favorite observation car is the Milwaukee Road Hiawatha, even though I don't have one.


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## Pingman (Aug 18, 2015)

This is a terrific thread and it's great to see everyone's photos; I'm sure there will be many more. I'm glad Brian has shown that multiple posts are encouraged.

Here are two "roll your own" from many years ago when these weren't yet made, that ran around my Christmas tree this year.

The GM&O is a tribute to the late Richard Sherry, a Chicagoland painter of exceptional skill who restored tinplate and redeorated Lionel PW F units in liveries never offered by Lionel back in the day--i.e. 30 or so years ago, and GM&O was one of his most popular repaints.


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## HarborBelt1970 (Sep 24, 2015)

waitin' 4 the train said:


> Boy Oh Boy, Did I ever miss out on a lot. K-Line! WOW! I am sitting here covered in my own drool and babbling . If anyone sees me there will be a nice white jacket in my future.
> 
> Absolutely Gorgeous,
> 
> Gary.


If you are referring to Craignor’s all-stainless business car then heed Brian’s later post; they come up regularly on fleaBay. 

I have often wondered why Lionel or MTH (or GGD or anyone else for that matter) haven’t made a business car like this one in the UP Excursion fleet:
















It can’t be that K-Line had some monopoly on these cars in 3R.


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## kstrains (Sep 19, 2015)

My Favorite Observation cars in my collection are the Lionel aluminum Hiawatha Observations cars. The beaver tail and sky top observation cars.

View attachment 483870


Another favorite is the Lionel Crescent Limited Observation car from 2003 with the Lighted Drumhead and gold handrails.

View attachment 483874


However, for passenger cars in service today and taking a Excursion, I found my favorite in passenger cars changed a bit. I really like the MR Hiawatha passenger cars in my collection but I found the California Zephyr, Silver Palace Dome car is one of most enjoyable cars to take Excursion in. I walked through the Milwaukee Road Super Dome and other MR Hiawatha passenger cars on the excursion I took this past Fall which were nice but they were all cramped in space. The Silver Palace may not be the most attractive from the outside but on the other hand it is one of most spacious and very comfortable cars to ride in. After riding in this car, I am planning to add Chrome plated California Zephyr passenger cars from MTH to my collection when they become available later this year. 

View attachment 483858

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Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> I think my all time favorite observation car is the Milwaukee Road Hiawatha, even though I don't have one.


I agree John! Although I like them after C.N. bought them from Milwaukie Road.....here's 2 of them butt to butt....

https://www.modeltrainforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=483894&stc=1&d=1549255792


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## Pingman (Aug 18, 2015)

The Skytop looked pretty good in UP livery also, though I don't know the origin of the car name, "**** Rapids":


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

Pingman said:


> The Skytop looked pretty good in UP livery also, though I don't know the origin of the car name, "**** Rapids":


Probably **** Rapids, MN 55448. My cousin lives there.


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## Guest (Feb 4, 2019)

My favorite observation car is either a heavyweight observation car or the Aerotrain observation car. I like the heavyweight observation because of the open air platform, marker lights and the look. I like the Aerotrain observation because it is both unique and typical of late 1950s style.

Williams New York Central 









Railking Aerotrain









But my favorite passenger car is probably the vista dome. I think these cars are my favorite because I never saw them running when I was growing up on the east coast.

Railking New York Central observation car









I've traveled by train but never in a vista dome. I can only imagine the spectacular views traveling in a car like this.


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## HarborBelt1970 (Sep 24, 2015)

Pingman said:


> The Skytop looked pretty good in UP livery also, though I don't know the origin of the car name, "**** Rapids":


I thought I'd add this to the fine photo of a prototype above - and from a similar angle. This was part of a "K-Line by Lionel" two car add-on set of yesteryear that I could not resist getting a while back although I have none of the rest of the cars:









I have ascertained that the prototype of this car was one of the Milwaukee Road's "Creek" series of Skytops. But this otherwise fine model is lettered "*Adler Creek*" whereas the original was "*Alder Creek*"! I should have known; another fine factory blooper to go with the more recent "_Bucyrus Eric_" and "_Huckleberry Fin_" (as in shark's). 

Have never found a color photo of this car in service or indeed any other photo but this one of it being pulled/pushed from the tail end by a bipolar:









I don't know for sure but I think that this car must have been named for Alder Creek in northern Idaho, which was on the old Milwaukee Road line.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Old_Hobo said:


> I agree John! Although I like them after C.N. bought them from Milwaukie Road.....here's 2 of them butt to butt....


Neat, I didn't realize that CN had them now.


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## Pingman (Aug 18, 2015)

HB70, thanks for that fine photo and history lesson--perhaps you can start a "blooper" thread.

Sending you an email regarding your UP Skytop obs car.

And thanks to all who posted photos.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> Neat, I didn't realize that CN had them now.


"Had" is the operative word there....I don't think they lasted to the VIA era....retired in 1977.....

A short history of the Skytop parlor-lounges and sleeper-lounges (Wikipedia):



> The Skytop Lounges were a fleet of streamlined passenger cars with the parlor-lounge cars built by the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad ("the Milwaukee Road") and sleeper-lounges built by Pullman-Standard in 1948. The cars were designed by famed industrial designer Brooks Stevens. The fleet included both parlor-lounges and sleeping cars. The lounges entered service in 1948 on the Twin Cities Hiawatha, while the sleeping cars were used on the long-distance Olympian Hiawatha. In 1964 the Milwaukee Road sold the sleeping cars to the Canadian National Railway, which operated them until 1977. The parlor cars continued in service with the Milwaukee Road until 1970, when they were retired.


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## Craignor (Jan 9, 2016)

Love that photo of the bipolar and the observation car. Thanks for posting. 

Looks like you have a rare collectible with the Adler Creek.:laugh:




HarborBelt1970 said:


> I thought I'd add this to the fine photo of a prototype above - and from a similar angle. This was part of a "K-Line by Lionel" two car add-on set of yesteryear that I could not resist getting a while back although I have none of the rest of the cars:
> 
> View attachment 483960
> 
> ...


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## Craignor (Jan 9, 2016)

Me at Strasburg, Wednesday of York week, in April 2018. First ride of the day, in the President’s car.


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

Can’t decide. I like observation cars. I have a set of PRR Madison cars that came without an obs car. It doesn’t seem complete without an obs car, even though many (most?) trains ran without them. I also like dome cars. And I have always liked RDCs.


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## Pingman (Aug 18, 2015)

kstrains said:


> My Favorite Observation cars in my collection are the Lionel aluminum Hiawatha Observations cars. The beaver tail and sky top observation cars.
> 
> View attachment 483870
> 
> ...


A personal shout out to kstrains who emailed me numerous photos of his SKYTOP lounge car at my request for a project I'm working on. THANK YOU, KEN.


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## Pingman (Aug 18, 2015)

I like domes and I like observation cars--why not have BOTH:


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## Guest (Feb 5, 2019)

Absolutely wonderful photos, Carl.


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## Guest (Feb 5, 2019)

HarborBelt1970 said:


> If you are referring to Craignor’s all-stainless business car then heed Brian’s later post; they come up regularly on fleaBay.
> 
> I have often wondered why Lionel or MTH (or GGD or anyone else for that matter) haven’t made a business car like this one in the UP Excursion fleet:
> 
> ...


All of them are sweet! We have the MTH Hiawatha set and add on cars with the grey roofs to be pulled by the new Lionel Milwaukee Road E6 AA set. If the grey color doesn't match I will fix that. A powered B unit would look nice with this set as well. May not be prototypical but would sure look good. Will keep looking on BugBay.

Regards,

Gary.


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## bluecomet400 (Sep 13, 2015)

Here's a version of the Hiawatha observation you won't see every day. Please forgive...…...it's Standard Gague!














John


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## Craignor (Jan 9, 2016)

Nice car John, me likey.:thumbsup:


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## Guest (Feb 5, 2019)

bluecomet400 said:


> Here's a version of the Hiawatha observation you won't see every day. Please forgive...…...it's Standard Gague!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Cool car John!

Regards,

Gary.


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## bluecomet400 (Sep 13, 2015)

Thanks guys. It is reported that JAD Lines made roughly 80 sets of these Hiawatha cars back in the 70s, so they're definitely not an everyday thing. 

Since Craig posted the real Philly & Reading President's car, here's the recently-produced MTH version:


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## HarborBelt1970 (Sep 24, 2015)

I think that I always knew that the Milwaukee Road went in for some, er, really distinctive observation cars but I forgot that Lionel has done models of them. Just for interest here’s the prototype of the standard gauge car posted above (showing that the model is pretty true to the type) together with the original and Lionel versions of a “beavertail”:

























I leave it to the purists to say what they think of the Lionel model but me likey. A bit.


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## Craignor (Jan 9, 2016)

Wow, thanks for that John. A couple shots of the interior of the President’s car, that’s the room where I sat, what a way to go, a very pleasant ride on a very cold morning, and I shared it with a good friend.


















Harborbelt, thanks it’s great to see the 1:1 prototypes that the models were based on, and how close Lionel came to replicating them. Good job Lionel.


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

Nice shots of the president’s car Craig. Strasburg has some excellent varnish. Here are a few of the parlor car.


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## Craignor (Jan 9, 2016)

Very nice pics Bob. 

You are right, Strasburg is the bomb. I think you would be hard pressed to find passenger cars in better condition anywhere else.


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## Guest (Feb 6, 2019)

Craig, that's riding in style. Brian looks like he is having a good time also.


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## Craignor (Jan 9, 2016)

Thanks Brian. 

It was a very relaxing ride, afterwards we took in the TCA Museum manufactures announcements, and toured the museum. Then we checked out a great O Gauge layout, the “Red Lion Train Station Model Railroaders” (if you have never been, be sure to check it out, very nice), then dinner. 

A great day!


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## bluecomet400 (Sep 13, 2015)

They sure have done a nice job maintaining the President's car, inside and out. That's the way to travel for sure. 


John


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## Craignor (Jan 9, 2016)

John,

I like in the cooler months how each car has a coal fired pot belly stove in the corner that keeps the inside nice and warm.

I love Strasburg, I only wish the ride was twice as long.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Yep, I think that's my main complaint with Strasburg, it isn't a very long ride.


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## Guest (Feb 6, 2019)

Harbor Belt, Lionel did a fabulous job on that car.


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## 86TA355SR (Feb 27, 2015)




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## bluecomet400 (Sep 13, 2015)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> Yep, I think that's my main complaint with Strasburg, it isn't a very long ride.



That is one of the reasons they are as successful as they are. While we train nuts would love a longer train ride, most people, especially parents with small children who have short attention spans, do better on a ride that is relatively short. The Maine Narrow Gauge RR in Portland, where I volunteer, is also a short run--shorter than Strasburg--but we do very well, especially when bus tours and cruise ships are in town. 


John


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## Craignor (Jan 9, 2016)

Right on, John.

The train ride seems to be about 30-40 minutes.

The nice thing about Strasburg is it’s not just the train ride, it’s the Toy Train Museum, Choo Choo barn, Issacs, and the Pennsylvania RR museum. You can make a whole day of it all. And that’s perfect for people who like variety, or with short attention spans.


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

bluecomet400 said:


> That is one of the reasons they are as successful as they are. While we train nuts would love a longer train ride, most people, especially parents with small children who have short attention spans, do better on a ride that is relatively short. The Maine Narrow Gauge RR in Portland, where I volunteer, is also a short run--shorter than Strasburg--but we do very well, especially when bus tours and cruise ships are in town.
> 
> 
> John


Speaking of which... Too bad the motive power was all down the day I was there.


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## Guest (Feb 7, 2019)

This has been a tremendous thread so far. Thanks for all of the contributions.


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## bluecomet400 (Sep 13, 2015)

Lehigh74 said:


> Speaking of which... Too bad the motive power was all down the day I was there.
> 
> View attachment 484360




We now have 2 fully-operational steamers (Monson RR #3 and Bridgton & Saco River #7), as well as the diesels. Safety is always our #1 priority, and if it is determined that we cannot safely operate the train, we don't. Fortunately, that is a very rare occurrence for us. 


John


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## mntbkrguy (Jan 23, 2019)

Lehigh74 said:


> Speaking of which... Too bad the motive power was all down the day I was there.
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 484360


That makes me wonder about something only somewhat related. 

During the transition period between steam and diesel locomotives, how did they generate power the the coaches when using steam? 



Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

mntbkrguy said:


> That makes me wonder about something only somewhat related.
> 
> During the transition period between steam and diesel locomotives, how did they generate power the the coaches when using steam?


During the transition period and in the present, if coaches require electricity for heat, A/C and lighting, a generator is used. The generator can be located on a diesel loco, a power car or in some cases, the passenger car may have its own generator.


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

bluecomet400 said:


> We now have 2 fully-operational steamers (Monson RR #3 and Bridgton & Saco River #7), as well as the diesels. Safety is always our #1 priority, and if it is determined that we cannot safely operate the train, we don't. Fortunately, that is a very rare occurrence for us.
> 
> 
> John


No worries. It would have been interesting to ride the 2-foot gage rails. If I recall correctly, one loco was loaned out and one in Portland had a brake problem. But we had a most excellent tour by a very nice lady of the yard and the repair shed with the #8 and #14 locos.


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## HarborBelt1970 (Sep 24, 2015)

There's a glimpse of it in one of Emile's photos but I don't know how I omitted to mention that the finest observation car I have, and probably will ever have, is from the 3rd Rail _GM Train of Tomorrow_ set. "Moon Glow" is a work of art just like I imagine the prototype was. This car is of course aluminum; I had a very small part in helping Scott Mann determine in what color these sets should be produced:


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## mntbkrguy (Jan 23, 2019)

Lehigh74 said:


> During the transition period and in the present, if coaches require electricity for heat, A/C and lighting, a generator is used. The generator can be located on a diesel loco, a power car or in some cases, the passenger car may have its own generator.


That's cool, thanks for the info. It's nice knowing how things are done before the tech wr had today

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

HarborBelt1970 said:


> There's a glimpse of it in one of Emile's photos but I don't know how I omitted to mention that the finest observation car I have, and probably will ever have, is from the 3rd Rail _GM Train of Tomorrow_ set. "Moon Glow" is a work of art just like I imagine the prototype was.


WOW. That's the nicest passenger car I have ever seen.


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

mntbkrguy said:


> That makes me wonder about something only somewhat related.
> 
> During the transition period between steam and diesel locomotives, how did they generate power the the coaches when using steam?


During the early transition period, you would be more likely to see passenger cars that required steam for heating. If the train had diesel or electric power, there would be a steam generator on the diesel or electric loco.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Or they used a steam generator car, like C.N. did.....


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## Pingman (Aug 18, 2015)

or D&RGW:


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## DennyM (Jan 3, 2016)

My MTH Milwaukee Road, MTH PRR Madison and Lionel Chessie. Missing is my K-Line Golden State which is at the club.


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## Yellowstone Special (Jun 23, 2015)

DennyM said:


> My MTH Milwaukee Road, MTH PRR Madison and Lionel Chessie. Missing is my K-Line Golden State which is at the club.
> 
> View attachment 484932
> 
> ...


Not to detract from your awesome photos Denny, but it appears there's some vintage stereo equipment in the background of your last two photos, including a twin cassette tape player. I have some old equipment like that as well and it all still works. :thumbsup:


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## Richard E (Apr 30, 2016)

The K-Line 15 inch streamlined cars look a little stubby. All the other proportions are scale, but the 18 inch cars are beautiful. The 15 inch heavy weights look good. 

K-Line's fluting was accurate the prototype. and no they were not all the same. On the smooth side cars any ribbing was also accurate to the prototype. They did one hell of a job.


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## DennyM (Jan 3, 2016)

Yellowstone Special said:


> Not to detract from your awesome photos Denny, but it appears there's some vintage stereo equipment in the background of your last two photos, including a twin cassette tape player. I have some old equipment like that as well and it all still works. :thumbsup:


There is, unfortunately the two Sonys one's a twin tape player and twin CD recorder and player has stopped working. The amp is a Sony and the equalizer and radio receiver are Marantz. The turntable is a Audio-technica. The speakers are Pioneer. It shakes the house so I only play it when nobody is home.


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## Richard E (Apr 30, 2016)

I believe the Skytop is being pulled by the bipolar. It is common practice to use the rear pan rather than the front to avoid ripping of the rear if the front gets snagged in the overhead.


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## HarborBelt1970 (Sep 24, 2015)

Richard E said:


> I believe the Skytop is being pulled by the bipolar. It is common practice to use the rear pan rather than the front to avoid ripping of the rear if the front gets snagged in the overhead.


Thanks for the info. I wondered about that - but the only guide I had to hand was the automatic pans on my GG1, which run exactly as you describe.


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## Guest (Feb 11, 2019)

HarborBelt1970 said:


> There's a glimpse of it in one of Emile's photos but I don't know how I omitted to mention that the finest observation car I have, and probably will ever have, is from the 3rd Rail _GM Train of Tomorrow_ set. "Moon Glow" is a work of art just like I imagine the prototype was. This car is of course aluminum; I had a very small part in helping Scott Mann determine in what color these sets should be produced:
> 
> View attachment 484616
> 
> ...


What an absolutely gorgeous passenger car!

Regards,

Gary.


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## highvoltage (Apr 6, 2014)

86TA355SR said:


> View attachment 484266
> 
> View attachment 484268
> 
> ...


Beautiful pictures, and you have a theater car, very nice.


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## HarborBelt1970 (Sep 24, 2015)

Here's a late addition to this observation car roster - late because this has only just arrived.

This is the observation car from Scott Mann's GGD Silver Meteor set. Don't think that this has ever been done in 3R O scale before but I'll be corrected if I am wrong:

























I will just note that GGD/3rd Rail use paint to represent the stainless steel of streamliners, not plating or polished metal. The first two photos slightly exaggerate the shine/reflectivity of this car but whatever it lacks in that department it makes up in detail and the overall quality of the finish. Bear in mind that these are scale length cars and so BIG. Here are the three cars that I have unboxed so far in what is a fairly accurate photo showing the finish:


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## Guest (Feb 18, 2019)

Very nice. Bill Webb should also have the Silver Meteor at his doorstep as well. :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## DennyM (Jan 3, 2016)

Very nice HB.


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## Pingman (Aug 18, 2015)

Very nice; thanks for taking the time to take, edit, and post the photos.

They deserve a thread of their own when you get the rest of the cars unboxed.


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## Cousin Eddie (Jan 4, 2019)

I can tell you this about the rail king it’s not the most detailed but looks good. They are really made well too I had a derailment off my elevated track and it fell 50 inches to the floor (hard wood floor just for the record) and all that happened was the interior light bulbs got knocked out took it apart and popped them back in and as good as new!


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