Detailing Lionel Great Northern "Empire Builder" 8-car Passenger Train by John Rowlen

Mark, Sometimes I wish I could ride along with the passengers.

The detailing of the second RPO/Baggage Car is finished and waiting for glue to dry before I close it up.   The doors do not open so details need to placed near windows.

I will be cutting out seats from a coach car interior floor to have them ready to install in the "Santium Pass" 10-5 Pullman Sleepers that shipped today.  After that I will be busy painting people for a few days.

Sincerely, john Rowlen

I'm not up to date on Lionel RPO/Baggage cars, but it seems unusual for this model to have doors that don't open. Is this typical of Lionel 21" cars? It's a shame given the level of detail JR has provided that viewing is limited to the windows, and eliminates open doors.

Carl, Lionel still makes an opening door Baggage Car.  The last one that I purchased came in the Lionel 2227260 Amtrak III 4-pack.  This is my favorite Lionel Baggage Car design because the doors open wide to get a glimpse at the people working inside. I like using the Woodland Scenics O scale figures in these cars.

I would buy a Great Northern "Empire Builder" Baggage Car of this design.  Even the Lounge Baggage would be good too.

Sincerely, John Rowlen

Beautifully detailed RPO/Baggage with the WS working figures, John.

Apparently, privacy was not a major concern. nor was hygiene.

That’s great being able to see the employees at work.

January 4, 2025 ... Sometimes the work I do is not that picturesque.  Sitting painting people and preparing parts needed in detailing the cars takes time.  Today was one of those less exciting workdays.  At 21 degrees outside, it was a good day to sit in the warm kitchen and finish painting 44 more people and the 14 Seats I need for the two Great Northern 10-5 Pullman Sleepers that arrived.

Tomorrow I will open a Lionel 2427090 2-pack and paint the interior seats and tables in the "Santium Pass" 10-5 Pullman Sleeper that is missing seven seats in the interior floor mold.  There is also a Dome Coach in that 2-pack that will need the Seats in the Dome to be rotated 180 degrees.

Warm wishes, John Rowlen

@John Rowlen posted:

January 4, 2025 ... Sometimes the work I do is not that picturesque.  Sitting painting people and preparing parts needed in detailing the cars takes time.  Today was one of those less exciting workdays.  At 21 degrees outside, it was a good day to sit in the warm kitchen and finish painting 44 more people and the 14 Seats I need for the two Great Northern 10-5 Pullman Sleepers that arrived.

Tomorrow I will open a Lionel 2427090 2-pack and paint the interior seats and tables in the "Santium Pass" 10-5 Pullman Sleeper that is missing seven seats in the interior floor mold.  There is also a Dome Coach in that 2-pack that will need the Seats in the Dome to be rotated 180 degrees.

Warm wishes, John Rowlen

John are the people naturally balanced so that they sit nicely on top of the Tamiya paint jars or do you use some sort of stick-em to make sure they don't fall over?

Coach Joe, The figures are balanced on the Tamiya jars but get significant griding to create a flat surface that will adhere better when glued to the passenger car seats.  I use a battery powered hand-held Dremel tool with sanding drum to grind the figures to fit. I then touch-up the paint.

I stayed up to 3:30 A.M. yesterday, Saturday, December 4, 2025 to paint the interior of the Great Northern "Santium Pass" 10-5 Pullman Sleeper.  I installed seven Seats that were not molded into the interior Floor mold. The car is now complete with two coats of paint and waiting for installation of Seated People.

Here are a few pictures of that car as manufactured and then as customized with additional Seats cut out of a Coach Interior Floor piece. and then painted.

Sincerely, John Rowlen

While I was up late, I rotated the Seats in the Dome Coach #1324 180 degrees. I had to score the underside of the Dome Floor around each Seat Post and then Tap out the post with a regular hobby screwdriver. After sanding any residual glue or plastic from the top surface of the Dome Floor, I installed the seats rotated 180 degrees.  The people are supposed to enter the Dome from the rear.  The only passenger car that had people enter from the front was a Dome Observation.

I have another Lionel 2427090 2-pack still to modify and paint.  Here is a picture of the #1324 Dome Coach after a coat of paint.  The Dome Seats have two coats of paint.

Keeping warm as I work, John Rowlen

A good task to do on a cold day and night!  One of these days I'll get to doing mine!

@John Rowlen, are you satisfied with the lighting inside the dome? I believe the lighting in the dome is indirect; coming from below through the openings in the raised dome floor.

@John Rowlen posted:

II took a day off to rest and found myself back at the kitchen table painting the interior of another Station Sounds Dining Car.  I painted the underside of the tables a Tamiya Red Brown. Then I gave the first of six coats of flat white to the tabletops. I crisscross the bush strokes on each coat of paint to create a linen tablecloth effect.

Next, I painted the first coat of Rose tan on the seats.  I will cut more seat backs and glue them to the backside of the seat cubes molded into the Dining Car Interior Floor.  When the glue dries, I will fill the joints between the chair backs and the cubes with another coat of Rose Tan paint that I mixed.

I found a container with 500 to 800 more unpainted seated people in it, so people will be added after I paint more of them.  This is how I spend a winter evening: watching football or detailing more cars.

Yes, my life is as exciting as "watching the paint dry."

Sincerely, John Rowlen

Now I know when ever I try to purchase Preiser figures, they are always sold out...LOL,  Nice work John,  Happy New Year'...

Carl,  I think the Dome lighting is adequate considering wiring lights in the Dome Roof would be bulky and not be realistic.  When traveling at night, bright lights in the Dome would obstruct the view through the windows. That is why I never drive at night with my car Dome light on.  The light spilling through the openings in the Dome Floor are similar to low light aisle lights in a theater.

Mark,  When I start a set of passengers, sometimes I get tired of the project and stop.  Your following my work keeps me working and pushing myself to make progress.

Quarter Gauger 48,  The tray of people pictured is a supply of similar figures that were made in China and are no longer available.  My different sources for Preiser 65602 Unpainted Seated People cannot get them at this time.  I am hopeful that Preiser will make more.  The current painted China figures have a very hard coated paint on them that cannot be removed.  One figure from China has the clothing painted across the face and then a circle of flesh painted on top of the clothes.  So much paint is used that eye sockets and noses disappear into the mass of layers of paint.  I emailed the Chinese Ebay Seller and the unpainted blanks pictured are no longer available.  I did buy a set of six Preiser Adults with Babies on Ebay for $55.00 plus shipping. That makes each person over $10.00 each.  That is why I buy the 24 Preiser 65602 blanks for $38.00 and paint my own people.  When I paint my own people, I can put them in a variety of colored clothing.

Forward Progress:  I was able to put people in the Dome of the Great Northern "Empire Builder" #1324 Dome Coach while watching football today. Here are a few pictures.

Sincerely, John Rowlen

John, Folks following my posts motivate me to keep going as well when I get to more tedious tasks.

@Pingman posted:

I'm not up to date on Lionel RPO/Baggage cars, but it seems unusual for this model to have doors that don't open. Is this typical of Lionel 21" cars? It's a shame given the level of detail JR has provided that viewing is limited to the windows, and eliminates open doors.

I worked on two New York Central baggage cars with the "theater doors" on one end for a friend and the baggage doors do NOT open.

John, great job on the figures.  I have used every figure manufacturer on the market.  For years Peiser was my favorite.  Can't them past few years.  I was one of the original buyers of China figures painted, unpainted, from "we Honest" . He no longer sell them.  I used them as fill ins and in back grounds.  I never thought to sand down the bottoms for a better fit.  Great idea.  I like your variety of figures as you position.  Very nice work..