Blue Comet to Polar Express

I had always hoped that the MTH and Lionel Corp deal would lead to a tinplate polar express set but I had read somewhere that MTH didn’t have access to the polar express name within their agreement. Maybe a 384e ready to run polar express would have been feasible. I have wanted to do my own by repainting  a 384e set as a starting point but haven’t had funds to do so yet. Would love to see a 400e and some state cars redone in that theme.

The movie features an 027 tinplate polar express that looks like a commodore Vanderbilt

a standard gauge would be even more magical.

CH posted:

The movie features an 027 tinplate polar express that looks like a commodore Vanderbilt

a standard gauge would be even more magical.

Looked like a run of the mill 4-4-2 to me?  

I thought the movie had a Berkshire steam engine.  The heavy set kid even recited all the specs and mfg of the engine during the trip to the north pole.  

I did that with 2 Lionel 610's and a 612, The big square windows give them the appearance of the Polar Express cars.  I put post war couplers on the cars so my Grandson Ryder could hook up to his engine, put pictures of all his relatives in the windows and called it the RYDER EXPRESS. Everyone got a kick out of his new train. I had the wrong lighting for the close ups of the cars so the color is off in the pictures. I used Dupli-color GM Blue Engine Enamel and Krylon Burgundy it really came close to the Polar Express colors.

aussteve posted:

I thought the movie had a Berkshire steam engine.  The heavy set kid even recited all the specs and mfg of the engine during the trip to the north pole.  

Given they're talking about tinplate, I think they're talking about the version actually running under the tree on Christmas Day.  

Brian Liesberg posted:

Me and a friend were tossing around the idea of taking a blue comet set (or a state set) and turning it into the Polar express. The idea was to repaint the roofs black and windows a maroon color while keeping the blue body paint intact. Then hitching it to a black 400e.

What are your thoughts?

Great idea, would love to see it.

gene maag posted:

I did that with 2 Lionel 610's and a 612, The big square windows give them the appearance of the Polar Express cars.  I put post war couplers on the cars so my Grandson Ryder could hook up to his engine, put pictures of all his relatives in the windows and called it the RYDER EXPRESS. Everyone got a kick out of his new train. I had the wrong lighting for the close ups of the cars so the color is off in the pictures. I used Dupli-color GM Blue Engine Enamel and Krylon Burgundy it really came close to the Polar Express colors.

 

I recall this Gene, a fabulous idea and fantastic finished product!

(Attempted to make this one post, but it kept inserting your post into my reply with Brian. ???)

I remember seeing your set before Gene, that was partially what gave me the idea to do this.

Now I just need to get my hands on some blue comet cars.

Montclaire posted:

CH posted:

The movie features an 027 tinplate polar express that looks like a commodore Vanderbilt

a standard gauge would be even more magical.

Looked like a run of the mill 4-4-2 to me?  

Well, that proves I’m not the know-it-all kid (whew)!

i stand corrected!! (Maybe a little wishful thinking. The loco was a tinplate Vanderbilt)

that had to be a Marx train.

It would look great!

CH posted:

Montclaire posted:

CH posted:

The movie features an 027 tinplate polar express that looks like a commodore Vanderbilt

a standard gauge would be even more magical.

Looked like a run of the mill 4-4-2 to me?  

Well, that proves I’m not the know-it-all kid (whew)!

i stand corrected!! (Maybe a little wishful thinking. The loco was a tinplate Vanderbilt)

To me it looks like the Marx timplate 0-4-0 (the one that had the plastic front, tin body and sometimes had the longer NKP tender, or in this case the shorter NYC tender).

In fact, I still want to repaint a Marx 0-4-0 and tinplate passenger cars to match this one someday.