A full house!

[Aerojet]

You have seen them apart, and now I present my full set of Walther's Oscar and Piker units ....

Both with their respective hustler locos. The Piker in blue was a rebuild, and the decal set for my lettering is way too old to use anymore. So it will remain unlettered. The bright orange roof is due to a repaint - it was a dirty brown before.

This represents both ends of the Walther's experience. The Royal Blue units came from the 70's -- the Amtrak are from 2000.

Along with 7808 I have been busy doing the final reworks on a few cars to get them on the road -- WHY let them sit in the box half reworked?

If you can not run a passenger train - why not run it this way? Just a suggestion! Yes they both run just fine! Although that Athearn Hustler probably will need a new set of rubber bands one of these days.

Enjoy!

The Aerojet

I saw a set of 2000 Union Pacific set on evil bay, but they are over $125.00..... A kit set went for $45.00 last week. They are out there, but be prepared to pay for them if you want them!

 

[Aerojet]

You ask - "What is my obsession with these cars?"

Just this - one of a kind as it was. They were available, and now are not. Then in 2000 they were again and most did not buy them then. NOW they are sought after by collectors. Originally there were only two of them. Shortly I will build from scratch 3 more. WHY?

Because I can. I bought an old trashed kit off evil bay for parts, then proceeded to figure out how to "make more" little cars" then planned out the interiors for a coach and a 3 compartment Pullman... The head end car will be a Railway Express car, looking like a baggage car. All in my own paint scheme. I finally got the decals to work, but the thing for the smallest set of letters is a bit too big for these cars. I am not sure where the original lettering came from and I hate to think I put it on one letter at a time. See below.

Now think of this - if railroads cannot make passenger trains work -- why not? Amtrak is making money - so why not get into it? The problem is fitting the size of the cars to the number of people taking the train. A small number of people, the smaller the car. Ergo the 21 foot passenger cars.

I know it is only my own railroad, but like everything else, why not have fun with it? Just another planning lash up ---

Both cars are lit on the tail, and that is the end of this project. The Piker has been converted into a diner. Very easy to do, just add tables between the seats and you have a 16 person diner and a kitchen and a rest room in the same car. The Oscar can be at the end a lounge - bar observation car.

Replace the two front end cars and we are talking TRAIN!! Just another way to have fun, do something which doesn't cost a ton of cash, and make your layout interesting. A small passenger train which can go any layout and thru any curve!

So to sum up - From the head end - a 21 foot express car, a 21 foot coach, a 21 foot diner, a 21foot sleeper, and a 21 foot lounge-bar. All total about 45 people if we cram them all in. Probably more like 30 -- but then again I am just dreaming and making my dream come true!

Just having fun.

The Aerojet

PS - just digging thru the internet doing research, I found this item ---

Not sure who made it or where it came from, but here 'tis as I say. So there is someplace in the world a prototype of the Oscar.

TA

 

[tootnkumin]

Don't know if I'd wan'na ride in that at the end of a 20 car AAPRCO train. Now, the only question that remains, which inspired the other?

 

[Aerojet]

Actually, from all I have read, this was inspired by another modeler - but in the end, it is nothing more than a souped up "bobber" caboose. So one way or the other - I am not sure where exactly in the research I found this item, but finding it was pure gold. At least I can say I have seen one in person. /// In other news here - I am finally getting the lighting done in all my passenger cars. This has been a long and broken road of start and stop until now - I have the Walther's kits in house, need to go over and get the 36 inch pick up wheels and sub those into the trucks and then wire.



This will make the entire "Continental Train" light up. /// Just a bit of my own whimsy - an advertising sheet for my train. Something you won't get on any plane, or driving your self to where ever. // Just a F Y I - this was something I made up for an advertising class I took a few years ago and had to come up with an ad for something I was trying to sell ... I got a B on the project. //

YOU do run passenger trains?

If you model anytime before 1970, when Amtrak took over you should be running at least one train someplace on your layout. Just another thing for the operating session to work with - getting trains around each other and the varnish gets the green light.

The Aerojet

 

[JazzDad]

It's the old concept of little things being cute. Even little cockroaches, er, never mind.