MTH did the ex Seaboard Baldwin  switcher in the Purple red and white scheme but never Passenger cars or the U boats. They also did the Auto carriers in both the old and the later  Amtrak scheme.  I guess you could switch cars in Stanford Fla or Lorton Va but not run between them is MTHs theory.  I never understood why they have yet to run the passenger cars.  There were so many dome cars on this train. I would love a starter set with U36b, coach, dome, full length dome and auto carrier. Add on carriers, baggage and coaches would be great to expand the set. If you got two sets you would have a good start on a nice sized train. Oh well  some day.

I grew up near the VA terminal and I remember after Auto train died and Amtrak took over going there to see the then new Genesis units. This train was thier first assignment in the early 1990s. 

What an incredibly fascinating train, unless you saw it you wouldn’t believe it.. a purple, red, white, pink, and chartreuse train! Yeah!  Insane 

                         waiting for the train...  the "REST" of the train...

Silver Lake posted:

I grew up near the VA terminal and I remember after Auto train died and Amtrak took over going there to see the then new Genesis units. This train was thier first assignment in the early 1990s. 

Yes, the Genesis units took over from the GE P30CHs, which were scrapped in the early/mid 90s. Would be nice to have all versions of the train available. A few cars missing from the Amtrak Phase III version, especially the ex-MILW Super Domes, and P30CHs don't exist yet. Perhaps somebody like Nicholas Smith could coax MTH into doing an exclusive uncatalogued series.

Here is a thread I posted asking MTH about finishing the set that they started:

https://ogrforum.com/...hy-no-more-cars-made

   some auto- train info : http://www.themetrains.com/auto-train-timeline.htm

I never knew there was a auto-train prior to the current Amtrak one.

Here's my Amtrak version. Took about a decade to assemble:

Since then I've added three of the "modern" autoracks and assigned the newest MTH P40's to this train, so the next time it runs for the camera, it'll be three cars longer and running under DCS

---PCJ

                                  RAILRIDE,   GREAT looking train !!!

           imagine this train in O scale :     https://youtu.be/K-yzt3Yb4mQ

                                                   this would be awesome !!!

briansilvermustang posted:

                                  RAILRIDE,   GREAT looking train !!!

Thanks!

Funny thing is now, doing a search for "Amtrak Auto Train" brings up my video in the first half-dozen matches

---PCJ 

Interesting thing about the U36Bs is they had EMD Blomberg trucks. Maybe this is a project for 3rd Rail.

1990 auto-train commercial... https://youtu.be/k8ncUmCBAIY

Thank you Brian neat short video 

Never rode the old one. Amtrak 6 times and counting. One trip we had a vista dome car. Never saw one again.

another Amtrak auto-train commercial...  1987

          https://youtu.be/EPsunKo1FEI

                               original autotrain cars in Sanford,Fl. 1982 

                                       https://youtu.be/j55PgmNS7pM 

Progress on the custom painted cars is moving along.  Really glad MTH at least made the carriers!  Gave up on MTH making the rest of the train after 12 years since the carriers were made and still nothing additional offered.  

            the paint work on your Auto-Train is looking GREAT Scott

                         that is going to be one NICE looking train !  

                      you are doing an awesome job !!   great work !!!

                    http://www.themetrains.com/auto-train-roster.htm

A couple of original Auto Train Commercials

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MzVidE8W8o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKjod6ZnN20

briansilvermustang posted:

 

 

Unfortunately the HO Bachmann Auto Train locomotives died of Zinc Rot but Athearn did make a locomotive also.

Scott, that's a heck of a paint project--all that masking of the domes, yikes!!!

What did you use for donor passenger cars?

I would definitely like to know where Scott sourced the BUDD domes on the two cars.  Not MTH for sure.  Maybe K-line?

Fred

Pingman posted:

Scott, that's a heck of a paint project--all that masking of the domes, yikes!!!

What did you use for donor passenger cars?

 

Pingman, yes lots of work, Im glad Christine is painting these, she is amazing!  It was an effort to put together the consist that as closely as possible recreated  actual cars used on AT.  I was going to use K-Line domes but really wanted the more accurate Lionel recently made UP domes, and full domes.

The full domes are Lionel recently released Reading & Northern, the smoothside short domes are Lionel ex Union Pacific including a blunt end obs version, the ex California Zephyr short dome is Atlas, the Sleeping cars and Diner/buffet car are Weaver with interiors ex N&W, the steam generator car is an ex California Zephyr baggage car, and the crew dorm car is an aluminum car of unkown manufacturer.   All cars are 21" with exception of the baggage power car. There will be at least 6 MTH 75' car carriers, maybe a couple more of the new release of the cars which were due last month ever show up.

The locomotives are a compromise but I feel capture the look as best that I could find.  They are 2 Atlas 0 U23B with blomberg trucks,ex WP locos.  

Here are the real cars that are the consist I am as closely as possible recreating in O Scale.  There are some compromises but I feel its as close as possible using off the shelf trains. These are the car numbers being painted.  The website "themetrains" was very helpful in planning the consist.  This info comes from them.  

https://www.themetrains.com/auto-train-roster.htm

That's quite the project, Scott.  Props to you for your efforts to reproduce accurately the prototype with  commercially available donor units, including buying NEW releases to achieve your objectives.

That will be one exceptionally long train--have a place to run it?  Display it?

Thanks for the in progress photos and info on the prototypes.

Carl,

Thanks!  It will be too long for my current layout,  but the  plan is to eventially move to a house that will accommodate long stretches of track. I have a friend with long stretches of track who has welcomed the AT to visit.

I will be running partial consists with unused cars sitting on sidings for a few years.  

Scott, masking those domes has kept me from completing and starting a couple of passenger train projects.  And I tried/practiced masking scrap domes using liquid mask, tape, Avery labels, and other methods to no avail.  Found Christine and I'm looking forward to adding a dome or two to my NP North Coast Limited, and undertaking the GN Empire Builder.

Never thought much about modeling the AT, but seeing its history, consists, and livery makes it a terrific candidate.

Are you considering LED upgrades to the car lighting? It was a major contributor to getting my own A-T operational, as the incandescent bulbs made in the nine-car Superliner section raised the train's current consumption to 8+ amps just to get it started, with a single powered loco.

With LED's, the train running with twin powered locos, consumes about 4-5 amps while in motion.

---PCJ

RailRide posted:

Are you considering LED upgrades to the car lighting? It was a major contributor to getting my own A-T operational, as the incandescent bulbs made the nine-car Superliner section raised the train's current consumption to 8+ amps just to get it started, with a single powered loco.

With LED's, the train running with twin powered locos, consumes about 4-5 amps while in motion.

---PCJ

Excellent idea !

Awesome Scott

So that’s what’s backlogging Christine’s orders lol. They’re coming out really nicely Scott and I’m glad somebody actually took the time to re-create this beast of a train.

Christine is now clear of the auto-train project!   More pics to come soon after I get all the cars unpacked. She has done an AMAZING job! Here are a few pics from Christine's paint shops:

I may later plate over the rear windows the way auto-train did on this blunt end observation car,  but I decided to get these cars to the painter on schedule and without windows plated over.

          very nice Scott !!      that is one great looking train