Best Passenger Set

20centuryhudson posted:

along the same idea as the most beautiful electric---my vote the 1938 20th Century Limited by GGD

My personal choice would be the Golden Gate Deport Southern Pacific Daylight set with the various articulated chair cars and the articulated three section diner. With the add-on cars, the set gives the operator a beautiful 11/12 car Daylight train that is both steam era and early diesel era.

Edit:  Not to mention, Sunset/3rd Rail also offered various versions of the SP GS-4 Daylight steam locomotives, as well as Alco PA/PB diesels and EMD E7A/E7B diesel, to match the passenger cars.

For me, it's a tie between these 2:

John

OK this view is out on a limb but even in preference to the GGD Daylight cars I vote for Lionel's 2010 aluminum SKU 6-35445 SP Shasta Daylight set. Only 18" cars and so sub-scale but nicely finished inside and out . As explained below I have 'borrowed' these photos, which are better than mine:

The set included the ribbed-side observation car, which true to the prototype was different from the smooth-sided cars that made up the consist. 

Alex M. posted at least the first three photos above in a thread back in about 2013. I love these cars even with the "bulging eyes" window treatment!

The Lionel Daylight cars look great. Mine are Phoenix Railways, which aren't as detailed, but I like them just the same, especially the nice glossy paint job. The color match with my Williams GS-4 is spot-on, too. 

John

While I love all my MTH, Lionel, Atlas, and GGD passenger cars and think each is special in its own way, all things considered (quality, detail, price) my unequivocal vote is : Atlas O CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR!!!  

Honorable mention:

MTH NYC two-tone gray cars: like all MTH passenger cars, while maybe not scale (18" not 21"), they offer the best overall value via amazing quality, detail,  and craftsmanship for a fraction of what others charge.

Lionel Southern Crescent set: a true "set" in that it contains a beautiful steam locomotive with whistle steam and  passenger cars that are beautiful in and out - even has toilets with sinks and bowls.

Not all of us can run "scale" (long) passenger cars. I use PRR heavyweight and streamlined "semi-scale" cars from MTH, mainly because of interiors and overall detailing.

Joe Hohmann posted:

Not all of us can run "scale" (long) passenger cars...

I'll second that.  I'm forced by space constraints to use Atlas 60' Trainman cars for my (NYC) passenger train.  And excellent cars they are, too.  Prototypically short, but O scale.

As for the "most beautiful passenger set," well, that's like asking "what's your favorite beer."  Purely a matter of personal taste.

The one I haven't got yet, the GGD Silver Meteor!!!  Should be soon though   Can't wait to see that Sun-Lounge car.

PJB posted:

While I love all my MTH, Lionel, Atlas, and GGD passenger cars and think each is special in its own way, all things considered (quality, detail, price) my unequivocal vote is : Atlas O CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR!!!  

I couldn’t agree more.  Pound-for-pound and dollar-for-dollar the Atlas O California Zephyr is in a class of its own.

Bob Delbridge posted:

The one I haven't got yet, the GGD Silver Meteor!!!  Should be soon though   Can't wait to see that Sun-Lounge car.

Bob, when it arrives please post photos. Most recent GGD purchase was the El Capitan set and think they look like (the exteriors not the interior) GGD found a way to shrink down the actual train cars.  Would be curious to see the SM when it arrives.  Can always use another nice set of passenger cars. 

Easy.... well okay not so easy... **** it this is tougher than I thought.

K-Line Santa Fe high level El Capitan 

GGD B&O Cincinnatian 

K-Line NP North Coast Limited 

GGD Great Northern Empire Builder Tied with K-Line Great Northern Empire Builder

K-Line Milwaukee Road Hiawatha 

K-Line Santa Fe Super Chief in the bright high glass finish. 

See easy.... 

I don’t run passenger trains, so I need more pics in order to make an informed pick.

Atlas O CZ for sure. I know people like the look of aluminum cars, but I think you can get better detail in plastic at half the price. I was frankly underwhelmed with my GGD aluminum coaches. Their plastic heavyweights are nice though. 

TM Terry posted:

I don’t run passenger trains, so I need more pics in order to make an informed pick.

You're kidding!!!!!

Hot Water posted:

TM Terry posted:

I don’t run passenger trains, so I need more pics in order to make an informed pick.

You're kidding!!!!!

Now why would I be kidding about such a serious subject? Are you suggesting that I can’t participate for the sole reason that I don’t have a passenger train? Maybe I’ll just take my freight train and go home.