3rd Rail GN Dome at York and the Empire Builder

It has set off a buzz in my wallet! I received an email from Scott a few days ago and he said official announcement in about two weeks.

I will more likely order a set.

Kind of wondered about that myself. One of my buddies was at York, and Scott even "announced" the GN Empire Builder during that OGR Grand Stand presentations, yet not a peep from anyone.

Other than Steve Nelson's "grandstand report," there's been no mention. I guess we'll know more in two weeks. My wallet wishes Scott would stop comming up with stuff I want.

21" cars?

If the prototypes were 85' cars, then yes.  If the prototypes were shorter, like some baggage cars and RPOs, then they will be shorter.  GGD equipment is built at full scale length, not shorties like Lionel and MTH.

I was not at york and would have had no way of knowing. I would say this it pretty exciting news!!!

Not complaining about the Zephyr at all, Matt. In fact, it's already packed away in the warehouse...

I just need to keep one-up on you, that's all. On second thought, that shouldn't be that difficult  

It shoudl be for your you shorty, for a minute I thought you worked for Willy Wonka

I opened the thread hoping to see a photo.  No luck.  This one is my attempt, starting with a blank Mac Shops extrusion.  It is named after a glacier I landed on.  The coach is K-Line.

I agree. After the limited distribution York tease, an announcement here would be nice. For that matter, an announcement on the GGD web site would be nice. What's the consist, and what's the cost? (Please don't go all Lionel on us.) And will 3rd Rail be offering appropriate power?

Not surprising. As was mentioned in another thread, York news from attendees was lousy, as if everyone slept through the presentations. 

I'm not an expert by any means on the GN Empire Builder of the streamliner era, but I seem to recall that there were three basic "modern era" train set developments:

1) Late 1940s (1947?) with NO DOMES.

2) Early 1950s (1952/1953) regular domes added to consist.

3) Mid to late 1950s, the big "full length" domes added to the consist.

Looks like it will be the 50's version.  I agree.   Scott should announce F7s to go with the train.  The likelyhood of anyone having proper motive power for this train is low?

Check-out this article from Prototype Modeler, August 1977.  It contains a lot of information on the specific consists of the GN Empire Builder in its several iterations.

Yes, it's primarily a "how to" on painting an HO representation of this great streamliner, but it contains numerous references to the specific equipment, years introduced, etc.

*Just click on the underlined word to view the article.  The first page is a long view of the train.  Click on "next" at the top of each page to go through the entire ~17 page article.

While this is good news, the 11 car K-Line 21" set was fairly close to prototype, was it not?  I think the K-Line dome cars were not Budd, plus a few other errors, but still pretty close.  Plus, K-Line offered matching F7's.

I wish GGD would offer some other sets that have never been done in O scale, like the SP Cascade with blunt end observation, or SP/Rock Island Golden State with matching SP red and silver E7's, or Illinois Central Panama Limited, City of New Orleans, or City of Miami instead of slightly better versions of sets that have already been done, and fairly recently too, in O scale.

More info on the GN EB; this from the GNRHS on the train's consists from 1955-59.

Probably because it is not in an orange and blue box.

The Empire Builder will be a 1950's consist and will be an eight car train with extra cars available. Per Scott, packaging mandates boxes with 4 cars per box for the basic consist.

Probably will include observation, postal-baggage, full dome, short dome, coach, sleeper, and two additional cars for the basic consist, but I am certain that is not finalized yet. Obviously, the baggage cars are a possibility as well as several sleeper variations.

The full length dome that Scott displayed at York is a Midland Reproductions car built from a kit. The basic car body is formed from a brass wrapper.

Sunset/3rd Rail has recently imported correct GN motive power (F7 units) for the train. It would seem another run of GN units for the Empire Builder could be in the offing depending upon requests.

I rode the Empire Builder's lower class cousin THE WESTERN STAR from St Paul to the west coast in the 1960's and it was pulled by an A-A-B-B-A consist of F7 units.

If anyone is reserving the Empire Builder and wants F7 units to pull it you should let Scott know. After all, the Train of Tomorrow required a small run of E7 units so it would seem likely another run of GN F7 units could be offered for the Empire Builder.

Now lets just hope the Northcoast limited is next. Especially since I have 2 domed coaches in this winters build que, and already ordered the F7s and sure wish we could get a picture!!!!  As hard as it was to find 2 dome coach kits I have still yet to see a single domed sleeper car kit or otherwise in O   I will purchase a few GN cars for my coast pool train.  the opportunity for prototypical consists is getting better all the time. Thanx Scott!!!!!

The problem with K-Line was the dome itself - quite toylike, on an otherwise beautiful model.  I had the NP 21" set here for 2-railing many years ago - it is in the museum now.

As more and more really good Sunset models hit the market, the good K-Line cars will become available on the used market at a favorable price.  If really good is good enough, as opposed to nearly perfect, then K-Line will be in your future.

Just pulled down all my domes, Sunset and Kline, time to dust.   I must not have a kline sleeper dome but I'm sure the window configuration is probably incorrect.  I  built a dozen Walter Dean  domes as presentation pieces to commemorate the naming of the domed lounge car and  The search was a BEAR ended up custom punching window strips and hacking Mac shops extrusions to get it right sure wish I had built an extra for myself.  And think again about a floral pattern on the furniture!!!!!