# Passenger car consis info needed



## Mister Bill (Jan 30, 2014)

I means to spell "consist".

I have a new HO steam engine and would like some 1930-1940 era passenger cars to go with it.

I hope to find these by Rivarossi for the Santa Fe.

What kinds of cars (function) are available for that era?

I would like to have a collection of one of each kind..

I have a stainless steel streamliner collection, and I have a diner, postal, baggage and observation cars.

Were such cars also available for the steam era? Are other cars appropriate?

I am asking so I will know whether to look for one at a time on e-Bay or maybe find everything I need in one set.
Bill


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Mister Bill said:


> I have a stainless steel streamliner collection, and I have a diner, postal, baggage and observation cars.
> 
> Were such cars also available for the steam era? Are other cars appropriate?


In a word, yes. Try Da Google.....under "images".....you'll find tons of pics of real and model train cars.....

Also, a Walthers catalogue (or their web-site) will show you what's available.....


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## cole226 (Feb 8, 2013)

don't forget the milk cars and the REA (railway express agency). these often ran on passenger consists.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

The most used passenger cars in the 1930s through 1940s
were the 'Heavyweights'. They included, coaches, Pullmans,
Diners, club cars, Observation cars as well as baggage,
Railway Post Office and Railway Express cars. For the
most part they were 80 feet long. They had a belt running
on an axle pulley that generated electric power and stored
it in batteries. Some were 'not nice'. Their toilets drained
right onto the tracks where now they use holding tanks.

Here is what they looked like.

http://www.walthers.com/exec/page/heavyweight

All railroads with passenger service used them. It was
during that period that different railroads were also
experimenting with more streamlined cars.

Don


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## Mister Bill (Jan 30, 2014)

Don,

That was very helpful.

Bill


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## Mister Bill (Jan 30, 2014)

I am finding 60 footers in boxed sets and 85 footers individually.

Would the 85 footers be the most appropriate for my 2-8-8-2?

Bill


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## lajrmdlr (Apr 25, 2014)

cole226 said:


> don't forget the milk cars and the REA (railway express agency). these often ran on passenger consists.


Santa Fe didn't run "milk" cars on their name trains even in the heavyweight era. That was mostly an eastern RR thing. They did run express reefers in their Fast Mail. Their name trains consists were baggage, RPO, coaches, a diner & sleepers &/or observation. See what you can find thru Santa Fe Railway Historical Historical & Modeling Society.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Bill

From the standpoint of railroad era the 85 footers would be
right for a 2-8-8-2 but the locomotive was built for
freight service. They were relatively slow. I don't know
if they were ever used in passenger service for
that reason.

Check their background here on Wiki:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2-8-8-2

Notice the size of the drive wheels. The smaller diameter
put more torque on the track. Passenger locomotives had
drive wheels of a larger diameter to afford more
speed.

Now, as CEO of your layout, you have the authority to
say that you want the 2-8-8-2 at the head of your
crack passenger train, and may your will be done.
It would be a fantastic thing to behold, that beautiful
loco at the head of a train of those fine cars. Post us a video.

Don

Don


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## lajrmdlr (Apr 25, 2014)

Mister Bill said:


> I means to spell "consist".
> 
> I have a new HO steam engine and would like some 1930-1940 era passenger cars to go with it.
> 
> ...


The first Santa Fe streamline cars came out in the late 1930s for the new Super Chief w/ the first passenger diesel set. . Other trains got them in the 140s & they also had diesels pulling them. Save your 2-8-8-2 for freight only as they could never keep up the speeds required by any of crack their passenger trains. And Santa Fe only had a few steamers that size they "borrowed" from N&W during WWII as freight helpers.
Get a copy of "A Quarter Century of Santa Fe Consists" (either book or DVD) if you want to know which cars were in which Santa Fe name train,


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## Mister Bill (Jan 30, 2014)

That information was quite helpful. The 2-8-8-2 is special to me since it came from a deceased neighbor. I have been pulling freight with it and thought about pulling a few passenger cars for a change. I still might do that but probably not now that I know better.

I also have an AHM 2-8-2 Mikado. Would it have pulled passenger cars? Maybe the 60 footers I have seen by Rivarossi?

Bill


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

my railroad has a time frame of 70s to 80s. So steam was long gone. I love my big steam engines so I run a lot of excursion runs. Many of the big steam that were preserved were
freight engines but you only see them today pulling passenger cars. 10 years ago a big
steam came here and all the cars were different roads. These were private car owners that had got an excursion trip hooked up. I have a passenger train with all different roads
passenger cars. Run what you want and call it an excursion.


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## cole226 (Feb 8, 2013)

bill,
your mikado would have been a freight hauler too. but like has been said, it is YOUR rr.


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## morrjr (Dec 20, 2012)

Most Mikados were used in freight service, but the C&O used Mikados for passenger service over some of their steeper terrain.


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## Mister Bill (Jan 30, 2014)

Now, for the second question:

I bought a great set of Rivarossi passenger cars on e-Bay. The 6-car set includes two dining cars.

That's a little overkill for a model railroad, right?

I think I will sell one and buy something else that is more interesting.

Bill


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## lajrmdlr (Apr 25, 2014)

For any particular Santa Fe check "Quarter Century of Santa Fe Consists" (1946-1971. You can get it from the Santa Fe Ry Historical & Modeling Society in either book or CD form.No two Santa Fe pax trains were the same especial thru time. cars wer always being adder & deleted. You might want to keep the diner in case you ever want to model more than one ATSF pax train.


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## Brakeman Jake (Mar 8, 2009)

Typically,though it wasn't a rule,passenger train locomotives had larger drivers and four-wheel leading trucks (4-6-2,4-6-4,4-8-2,4-8-4) for a better stability at higher speeds,wich were expected from these engines.
On the other side,when speed wasn't an issue,smaller drivers (thus higher ratios) allowed substantial pulling power in smaller engines,wich were cheaper to both purchase and maintain.The 2-8-2 was a very popular type loco in this category,built in large numbers and owned by many railways.
But then,any loco could be used for either service if need be.On your railroad?...Sure,go for it....


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## Kwikster (Feb 22, 2012)

Mister Bill said:


> I means to spell "consist".
> 
> I have a new HO steam engine and would like some 1930-1940 era passenger cars to go with it.
> 
> ...





Mister Bill said:


> That information was quite helpful. The 2-8-8-2 is special to me since it came from a deceased neighbor. I have been pulling freight with it and thought about pulling a few passenger cars for a change. I still might do that but probably not now that I know better.
> 
> I also have an AHM 2-8-2 Mikado. Would it have pulled passenger cars? Maybe the 60 footers I have seen by Rivarossi?
> 
> Bill


The locomotive you have wasn't used after 1924 by Santa Fe, they only had two of that model. By 1924 both had been rebuilt into 2-8-2 Mikado types. There is a wealth of steam loco info found here: [URL="http://www.steamlocomotive.com/"]http://www.steamlocomotive.com/[/URL] They were good freight loco's for heavy consists over steeper grades, but very slow.

Here's a link to the ATSF versions: http://www.steamlocomotive.com/chesapeake/?page=atsf

Carl


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## Mr. SP (Jan 7, 2015)

*AHM Heavyweights*

The AHM Heavyweight passenger cars haven't been made in a long time
They might be found at swapmets or train shows but the Walthers Heavyweights would be a better choice.


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