This passenger car was created for FDR and last used by Ronald Reagan. I was able to take a tour of it in Washington DC several years ago as part of Amtrak's train day. Has any company ever modeled this beautiful observation car?
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I recall Lionel cataloging a Baby Madison version but I don't know if it made it to production.
@POTRZBE posted:This passenger car was created for FDR and last used by Ronald Reagan. I was able to take a tour of it in Washington DC several years ago as part of Amtrak's train day. Has any company ever modeled this beautiful observation car?
Yes. Overland Models offered it in brass, both 2-Rail and 3-Rail, quite some years ago. The one I had (the Harry Truman version) was truly stunning. Sunset/3rd Rail also subsequently offered the U.S. Army Communications car as well as the Hospital car, that traveled with FDR when he used the Magellan.
As a side note, since the Magellan weighed 200 tons (imagine THAT on the rear of a passenger consist!), whenever the PRR handled "FDR's train", a special senior Engineer was always assigned to the GG-1 that handled the train out of Washington.
I edited my original post to reflect that Overland Models made the Magellan, and NOT Sunset/3rd Rail. That Overland model was fully detailed inside and out, and simply stunning.
I had a private tour of the car when it was at the Gold Coast RR Museum near Miami, very impressive, especially sitting in the seat that FDR occupied when doing Presidential business. A friend was the car's "caretaker" and we spent a lot of time going through it. When Hurricane Andrew blew through, the couple of GCRM folks that stood by spent most of their hurricane time in the Magellan, it survived quite well.
I certainly did not know the Magellan was offered by Sunset/3rd Rail. I have one of the three versions offered by Overland in O scale. My model (2 rail) of the Magellan is the Truman campaign version and is, in my opinion, the most detailed passenger car I have ever seen. The detailing is simply amazing. The Youtube link is:
https://youtu.be/VFZEa0K2B9g?si=syV_RRzp8iafcFO4
I don't know if I am allowed to post the video because of copyright issues and I don't want to get in trouble with the webmaster
What a beautiful piece!
I believe Norm's O Scale had both the two-rail and three-rail versions in both eras of Overland's model of the Ferdinand Magellan for sale at the York Train Meet back when. IIRC, that was the first and last three-rail model that Overland produced.
We have an O model of the Magellan at the A&M museum; remind me to take some happy snaps. 
Further to Jack’s last comment above; railroads handling FDR’s train when he was on board established a top speed of 30 mph. Apparently that was as fast as FDR was comfortable traveling while trying to navigate the car in his wheelchair.
Curt
A slight divergence from topic, but FDR also used the Roald Amundsen Pullman Explorer observation car that is on permanent display at the McCormick-Stillman Scottsdale Railroad Park and can be toured.
This car has the distinction of never being modified like the Ferdinand Magellan car and retains all the features of the original car. It was used by every president from Hoover to Eisenhower and is on the Register of Historical Places. If you are ever in AZ, it is certainly worth the visit.
