California Zephyr Dreamin'

Atlas,

We need those baggage cars... Like 3 years ago. It has been FAR TOO long substituting a Midland Baggage car. Sadly Bob does not have one like I have to use in photos.
We could use a PRB DRGW full baggage; maybe! I can't find any photos anywhere except Havelock's being used a subs for the Budd cars.

First dome is the 2nd run with corrected window shades and "clasp brake" 41N trucks. The three following are 1st run with outside printed window shades and 41ND trucks. Notice the difference in the finish?

Yep, the dome windows are also bluer than the ones in the 2nd run. Unlettered domes from the 2nd run came with the windows gaskets unpainted and no coupler close bar :/. Wish I had purchased all domes from the first run, replacing the windows is easy and those have the nicest finish IMO.

 

Any chance either of you can post photos of the difference in domes?  I ask because I emailed Atlas today asking for dimensional information for a project, and wasn't aware of the color difference.  Thanks.

If your worried about the correct cars one could always run a 1948/9 Exposition Flyer which used the delivered Budd cars with the delivered EMD/Alco locomotives until all was available.  As they say there is a prototype for everything.

       
       


Hey Richard is that a ploy to get me to post photos of my Expo Flyer?

get me to post photos of my Expo Flyer? 

 

Yes, Yes Yes!

       
       


Hey buddy-

Despite the error with the window shades; the first run cars appear more expensive to produce. The 41N trucks also points to a possible completely new tooled project? I have no idea what went wrong in China with atlas on the first round but it's obvious we got a different model with a whole new playing field. One thing changed for sure was the boxes. No more styrofoam. I'm happy with both but DO NOT like the mismatch in my investment made this far. Do I sell off and redo the train with all cars post first run? Is this why atlas reran the domes and 10/6's again? All good questions that still lead us to the same conclusion, what happened?

One thing is certain I sure do like the cars. Wish we could wrap it up!

Bob sent these-- stand in PRB DRGW  RPO baggage !

Now guys you know that you can't run those new observation cars until the whole consist arrives!

The real 1:1 counterparts were in storage until the full consists were delivered in Spring 1949. Interesting to note that Budd managed to deliver the real 1:1 CZ consists to their clients despite a war and post war shortage in less time than we have our O scale set.

Erik,

 

What circuit are you using for the MARS light on the aspen leaf PA unit? I've never seen one like that.

That I do not know. It is the factory supplied unit.

       
       


Howard I am going to pack up the Expo and haul it to Tim's Wednesday night. Photo run by! Yeah!?

Erik,

Have you tried using a filter in order to separate the colors in B&W? The engine looks, for the most part, to be one shade of gray.

Erik, or anyone else, when you can, please supply the dimensions for the vista domes.  I've emailed Atlas for the information and would order three of them for NOS Clark Benson scale length extruded aluminum cars, but have not heard back from them, yet.

 

My email address is chtlaw at yahoo dot com.

 

Thanks for any assistance.

 

Apologies for going off-topic, but no email address in profile for Erik or Santiago23.

 

 

That is a screen capture from my iPhone video switched out to B&W with the iPhone photo editor.


       

Jim these are samples of the pre-set filters


Screen capture no filter


They call these filters Mono, Instant, Chrome, Transfer, etc etc

       
       


I could measure the basic dimensions?

At the base the dome measures 6 inches long. At the top it's 5 inches. The base width is a little over 3 1/2 inches. Hope this helps.

Thanks Santiago-

I just have not had the chance to do it today. My baby is sort of under the weather today.

Thanks, Santiago.  Now, if I can just get Atlas to reply to my email I could buy them.

 

Hope your child gets well soon, Erik.

I don't generally do plastic, but if those domes are available separately, I might nibble.

Are they, and price?

 

Unlike you, I believe I would wait until I actually had one in hand before destroying a good extrusion.  On the other hand, while Clark had his heart in the right spot, turning one of his extrusions into aluminum scrap would not deprive the hobby of an accurate Budd car.

 

I have never cut an extrusion without the aid of an end mill - if you are thinking about doing it by hand, you have my admiration.

Bob2, if the "you" in your post refers to me, I won't be cutting anything.  Of the 8 NOS Clark Benson shells that I have, 3 are domes w/ lead castings for the domes!  These must weigh over a pound each.  So I'm looking for a plastic dome alternative. 

 

 

 

Got it.  You are hoping the Atlas dome will be an exact fit.  Probably not gonna happen.

 

I had one of those - for the time they were sort of ok.  Let me recommend the easy way out - eBay that Benson thing and buy the complete Atlas car, or find a Midland Reproductions dome car, or a Mac Shops, or even a K-Line.  K-Line domes were not great, but they were a lot better than the Benson.

 

If the accuracy of the Benson dome bothers you, just wait until you try to find a prototype photo of a Budd car with a full length letterboard on the lower side sheeting.

No problem. Glad to help

Take a ride on a real dome car. Enjoy. Don

scale rail, enjoyed the video; thanks for posting!!!

That was a fun three day trip. Its great these cars were saved. Love to see lighted hand rails in the Atlas cars. Don

Exposition Flyer circa late 1948!



Photo courtesy Burlington Bulletin (c) Otto Perry

       
       


ME TOO!

Tim's Toy Trains and his "Rusty Spike" brought us the Exposition Flyer! Thanks Tim

My CB&Q F3's are a work in progress, but they wanna join the fun so bad!

 

I see notes posted saying that the new Atlas CZ cars have 41N trucks instead of the correct 41ND trucks.  Is this true??

       
       



2nd run cars have clasp brakes buddy!

Yup you heard it right. That's an awe-crap if I've ever seen one. 

We all await the impending arrival of the 3rd group (any day now, they did leave China 6 weeks ago) to see if they corrected the incorrect correction from the 2nd run.

And so these $200 cars are not absolutely correct?  Outrageous!  We were hoping they would put the high end out of business!

 

The way I see it, if you want near perfection in a passenger car, the entry fee starts at around $700/ car.  You can get metal Sunset - pretty good, but not 100% accurate - for $300/ car, and pretty darn good plastic with the wrong brakes for $200.

 

I am probably hopelessly out of date with the prices, but even in model trains, you get what you pay for.

Your so right Bob!

I won a 5 car set of Weaver 20" Aluminum cars in Amtrak on Ebay in which I have two other identical sets.  I belong to an operating club and I will be adding the dome and two coaches to my other 5 car set with the other identical dome and two coaches which will make my consist eleven cars long for the next show in three weeks.  At $215 plus $6.25 shipping that averages out to $46.25 a car which fits my budget and makes the kids smile(little and big ones).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

According to the Atlas website the latest CZ cars have been shipped to dealers.