Atlas-O California Zephyr News...

Alright David,

 

I think your enjoying your self just to dang much up there.

 

But, then again that's pretty cool in it self.

 

Larry

To add to this news, a Rio Grande 12 car version will be offered through the dealer network if the Golden Spike CB&Q run gets sufficient orders for production.

 

George

This is great news.  I really hope that it happens, so that we can get a set where the cars actually match each other, unlike the current situation where the Atlas CZ cars have been made over the course of several years by different factories, and the individual cars definitely do not match each other well.

Thanks for the report Dave.  I didn't get over that side of the hall yet, but I will tomorrow.  It's too late for me as I opted not to wait and picked up a K-Line 21" CZ set at York back in April.

 

But I'm still buying a few of the Atlas unlettered versions to creat a business train for my railroad eventually.

David that's pretty cool news. Thanks for sharing!

On a prototypical note during the operation years 1949 onward it was improbable if not nearly impossible to have ever seen a matched set of CZ cars in one complete set in their owners roads. These cars came in batches over an extended period of time starting in 1947. The observation cars were in storage until the official roll out in spring 1949.

But it's cool! They are following suite as I recall with BLI as they did the same marketing with the HO counterparts.




It's not positive however I don't think the test consist seen here in Illinois in 1949 was all Q.. It is truncated and not 11 cars the original consist full length. In the later years 12++ cars could be seen in the Summer months.
(C) David Van Droonen

Any word on the release of the baggage car and conductors dome?

Baggage car is expected in port any week now.  Shipped out of China on 9/15.  

 

The car with conductor's window is 3Q2016, another year out.

 

David

Atlas should tool up a some E5's to pull em with

Keep in mind E5's were stand in power and not seen much after 52' when the last of the E8's arrived.

99.8% of the time on the Q -power was:

F3's - 1947-1952
E7's
E8's
E9's

Guys, let's give Atlas-O a chance to get all the passenger cars out the door!    We can all probably come up with suitable CZ motive power from our existing rosters.  As things sit now, it's probably a good bet that Atlas-O's F7 production run won't see the light of day until mid-2016 -- just a hunch. 

 

Seeing/hearing the words "tool up", "new tooling, or "re-tooling" has become synonymous for major production delays -- regardless of who's doing the importing. 

 

David

 

Just like the Alco power was quickly superseded by EMD power on the D&RG, but everybody has already made all the others and the E5's were so much prettier.

Ive already got a set of Lionel CB&Q F3's to pull my way more than 10 car train. I like F-units and the E7-9 were nothing really special.

Well the Burlington sure didn't think that way!

But what about the Amtrak Version. Are the Amtrak fans SOL?

No they didn't, they loved those big E units running elephant style

This is interesting in that I purchased CB&Q cars only with the exception of the PRR car. My engines are Lionel's CB&Q F3s

Big John, that is exactly what I did, all CB&Q cars with Lionel CB&Q F3's

 

Rocky Mountaineer:  

Thanks for the update on Atlas-O's 21" (85' scale) plastic CZ cars.  These are beautiful cars, although I do not plan to buy any of them.  I like that they are based on the Budd prototype CZ cars.  

 

Erik C Lindgren:  

Are your photos of the BLI HO CZ car & locos ?  

 

Erik, Matt, & Hot Water:

Though the E5 units were not the CZ's primary power, there are many photos of E5s on the point of the CZ.  A great example is the b&w cover photo on Rich Wilson's book "Burlington Route Through the Heartland".  The Q also used the E5 units as the quintessential Zephyr power in their advertising for the entire Zephyr fleet in the 1950s & 1960s and on the timetable covers of this same period.  Therefore, our O-scale CZ trains would be well served in style if anyone ever produces a model of the E5 for us.  My guess is the E5 tooling costs for only one RR (CB&Q) make this prospect financially unattractive for the manufacturers.  

 

Possible Atlas-O Trainman 60' (15-16") CZ Cars ? 

After Atlas-O has completed all of the orders for the whole scale 85' (21") CZ cars, will they decide to offer a TrainMan semi-scale 60' (15-16") or 70' (18") CZ cars.  Although I love the CZ & all things Zephyr, my shelves are too full for the 21" Atlas-O CZ cars.  I also remember that John Shankland only ran the 70' scale (18") CZ cars on his Chicago layout because he felt that the 85' cars looked unprototypical due to the large amount of overhang on his 120" O-gauge curves.  My eventual layout will be limited to either O-72 or O-84, so I plan to stay with the semi-scale 60' (15-16") aluminum model CZ cars.  However, I would consider buying Trainman 60' CZ cars if offered in select car-types (diners, sleepers, baggage, extra domes, etc) to fill out my 60' CZ fleet.  

 

 I already have Lionel's three six-car aluminum 60' (15-16") CZ sets [for D&RGW, WP, and CB&Q], Lionel's six-car aluminum 60' (15-16") CB&Q Texas Zephyr set, K-Line's six-car aluminum 60' (15-16") CZ set (mix from all three roads), MTH's Premier seven-car 70' (18") aluminum CZ set (CB&Q).  To me, the chromed aluminum really has the prototypical Zephyr consist look more than any plastic model.  The chromed aluminum looks like Zephyr stainless steel to me & these models appear to be based generically on the Budd prototype cars.  

 

I am aware of Lionel's recent six car 70' scale (18") aluminum CZ cars (D&RGW and WP) but have not bought any of them.  

 

I did buy an MTH 70' plastic CZ CB&Q full-length vista dome car (yes, I know that CB&Q only had one full-length dome but it was in GN's Empire Builder livery) to go with the MTH 70' aluminum CZ cars.  The model does appear to be based on the Budd prototype.

 

I do not like the MTH plastic 60' & 70plastic streamlined cars Pullman-Standard or ACF prototype (instead of the Budd prototypes).  This is most noticeable to me on the roof details (width-wise joints instead of Budd's length-wise corrugations) and the dome shape (flat window glass instead of Budd's curved window glass).  The silver paint also does not replicate stainless steel to me.  

 

We are fortunate to have all of these choices for O-scale & O-gauge CZ equipment.  Collect & operate what you like & enjoy !

 

CBQ&Q Bill

 

 

Just as a reminder, Sunset/3rd Rail/Golden Gate Depot has already produced the prototypically correct CB&Q E7A units, i.e. with the black nose strips, for the Atlas CZ train set. Also, they have already announced CB&Q E8A and E9A units for the CB&Q, with the E8A models having the black nose stripes, while the E9A units will have the post 1960 red nose strips. Check out their web site.

Is that you Mr Wolfer?!

No those are all O scale.. Nothing but the best buddy.

E5's are Key Model Imports and this guy is the only 9909-A made in the run. She was a Sam Houston unit as you know that was seen on the point of the Expo often after servicing.
The PA's are also Key Model Imports I just love that Aspen Leaf!

Here are some more for fun!


"We are fortunate to have all of these choices for O-scale & O-gauge CZ equipment.  Collect & operate what you like & enjoy !

CBQ&Q Bill"

So absolutely TRUE!

Hi Erik:

 

Who is Mr Wolfer ?  

 

WOW !!! Thanks for posting the photos above of your 2R O-scale CB&Q E5, D&RGW Pas, and CZ 21' cars.  Absolutely beautiful !!!  Your models are a great tribute to Zephyrs !!!

 

I looked over your website's photos.  That photo of the CB&Q redbird (GP 30 ?) on the point of a freight train with the thunderclouds in the distance looks like a prototype 1960s photo right out of the FWW & MSB books on the CB&Q / D&RGW / AT&SF joint line along the front range !   I also liked your scenes of East Omaha.  

 

Are any of you BRHS members ?  If BRHS ever has another Fall meet in CO, I sure hope that we get to visit your layout.  

 

The 2015 Fall BRHS Meet was in North Platte NE in late Sept.  A buddy & I drove out from Chicagoland (me) & Quad Cities (him) and rail fanned the Q on the way out & back.  We saw many depots, static steamers (both CB&Q & UP), waycars (Q-speak for caboose), freight cars, etc. in both western IA and between Omaha NE & North Platte NE.  The Durham Museum (UP's Omaha Union Station) and Burlington Stations in Omaha & Lincoln were awesome.  However, I really appreciate all of the preserved small town brick & wood depots that give me many ideas for my eventual layout.  

 

Thanks again for sharing your knowledge, models, & layout.

 

CB&Q Bill 

A guy in our club already has the Atlas California Zephyr.  I am glad is does, because I can enjoy seeing it run at all of our operating sessions w/o having to purchase it.  Sorta the BEST of both worlds kinda deal.

 

To be honest, if he didn't have it I would be seriously tempted to buy it.  As a kid I could walk to the Santa Fe tracks in about two minutes and ride my bike to the CB&Q main line in about 10 minutes so I have a soft spot in my heart for all things Burlington.

 

As I mentioned, I will pass on the Cal Zephyr.  However, if and when Atlas wants to do a complete Super Chief PLEASE put my name on the top of the list.  

 

I will say that I like the Atlas Zephyr cars better than the GGD El Capitans.  I'm not knocking the GGD's as they are fine cars and very accurate.  I just feel that the Atlas cars are a better deal for the money, they couple as close as you want, thanks to the adjustable couplers, the diaphragms are flexable and stay closed on wide turns and the windows are properly tinted.

 

 

Seriously, I was gonna bring this up since my wife had QVC on the kitchen TV during breakfast this morning.

 

As high a volume of business they do, they're now offering multi-month "easy pay" options for stuff that's already priced in bargain basement territory.  (Whereas years ago, they only offered easy-pay for big-ticket items.). Really...can you imagine spreading $25 over 5 months "easy pay"???    Part of me says, "Why bother?"  But there's gotta be a good reason they're offering it.  Must be a good sales incentive that's working.

 

Now granted... There's no middle-man involved at QVC, so they're handling the financial float for all the products they sell.  But can you imagine if the importers would offer "easy pay" plans for some of the big-ticket items?  On the the downside, they'd most likely inflate the already ridiculous MSRP's (i.e., in Lionel's case) to accommodate the float.

 

OTOH, I wonder which DEALER would be the first to offer such a payment plan.  

 

David

Well, 3rd Rail does accept installment payments and prepayments and deposits. So if you ordered a $2000 loco that's a year out realistically you can put $200 down a month and it's paid up by the time it gets here. My GGD 13 car El Capitan set is paid up with them and it's not even made yet

Then you must have pre-order the second run of Santa Fe El Capitan passenger cars, as the first run has already been shipped & delivered to customers.

 

I also put lots of stuff on the payment plan with Nicholas Smith. Ive been doing it for a couple years now.

I don't model standard gauge at all, but I must admit I sure would be tempted if Atlas made a model of either of these cars:

 

Both are often spotted on the West Coast. I rode the upper one up both Stampede and Stevens Passes in 2011 (Stevens, with my wife, in the dome) and the lower one behind the 4449 ferry run to Tacoma for the NRHA convention that same year.

I have been preordering from Nicholas Smith for years and have been making payments every paycheck. I also do that with Pete Costa. Pats Trains is another dealer that accepts payments.

 

Bill

I realize there's gotta be give and take on both parties involved, but the payment plans I was referring to ala QVC has QVC holding the float.  Consumers get their product at the point of sale -- not months afterward.  QVC has the consumer's credit card number and charges the consumer's card each month for 3, 4, 5 or 6 months.

 

What you folks are describing is more of a layaway scenario... and that may be the most small LHS's can tolerate/afford.

 

Perhaps the closest thing that may approach the "easy-pay" payment plans I'm describing is Bill-Me-Later, now called Paypal Credit after Paypal acquired Bill Me Later last year.  I've noticed a few -- but by no means the majority of -- dealers now accepting Paypal.  So folks buy the product, get the product, and typically have 6 or 12 months to pay for it (at no interest if paid in full by the deadline).

 

Given the changing landscape of toy train importers and dealers, I would think long and hard before sending $$$ to importers and/or dealers in any type of layaway arrangement.  We could put the money away myself in our own "piggy banks" where it's much safer.    Why incur the risk otherwise?   Off the top of my head, I can easily think of 4 well-known dealers -- not to mention smaller LHS's -- in the last 3 or 4 years who are no longer in business.  

 

David

I asked this Jerry fellow at York the following.

I asked him if he knows when the second PRR car would be released.

Jerry told me the second PRR car would only be released in the 12 car set and that was how it is goona be, I said you tell me the only way to get the second PRR is to buy the 12 cars set.

He said yes and mumbled something I could not here when he turned away from me.

 

It will be a cold day before I buy a set of trains to get the one car I want out of it.

NO SALE! I will stick to the Atlas cars I have.

Are you referring to the PRR's Silver Rapids car?  I thought Atlas-O did two versions of that already... one with a silver roof and one with a black roof.  (I have the latter.)  I hadn't heard about any further re-issue of this car.  And I thought the 12-car train being offered through the Golden Spike Club was gonna be all CB&Q cars.  The PRR Silver Rapids car never came up in the conversations at York during the time I visited the Atlas-O booth.

 

I suppose anything is possible, but I'm not surprised to hear that Atlas-O isn't planning to re-issue the Silver Rapids as an individual-sale item.

 

David 

Baggage car is in at Nicholas Smith

I read the PRR had two different cars for the Zepyr, I will have to look for that black one, missed it. I understand now there was only the one car, latter painted with a black roof. I need to look for that one.

Great news!

Will have to order one. Thanks for the heads up!

 

question - what is the difference between the conductors dome  car and the buffet dome car? Looks like the buffet dome cars are in too!