GM Train Of Tomorrow

Train of Tomorrow by Ric Morgan arrived about an hour ago.  This is a really good book, not just because of the ToT, but it is fascinating just because of all the 1940s/1950s photos, clothes, the little details about life in that period.  And of course, gobs of details about the train.

 

Thank you, Bob, for recommending it.

My copy of the book is to arrive sometime before 6 June.  I wanted it because I have ordered the train from Sunset and the book will be a neat companion.

 

Ron

The bookseller(s) must be mystified! I too have ordered Ric Morgan's book. What I have already seen on GM's train (see especially the brochure linked above) is fascinating period material.

Well, I just put in my reservation. 

 

I had been on the fence because of other expenses (including my B&O Columbian set), but the link to the brochure that Rusty posted put me over.  Combined this with the fact that the 3rd Rail cars will have prototypical interiors as well as exteriors.

 

I think this chance to order a 3rd Rail/GGD set will be the only time that we have a chance to get a detailed, truly scale model of this train.  While I could see Lionel or MTH maybe offering the ToT paint scheme, I have no doubt they would just use whatever generic cars they currently have available.

 

Although they cost more than originally thought, the B&O Columbian set turned out fantastic.  These delivered cars are a part of the reason that I faith that Scott can deliver a great ToT set.

 

Bottom line is that if we want a set we better reserve it soon.  These will be a limited run and its unlikely that sets will appear on the secondary market.

 

Jim

The brochure linked above has cutaway views of all of the cars but this diagram of the observation car interior (which I think is a Budd drawing) is more detailed:

 

 

 

 

I don't think any manufacturer (GGD/3rd Rail included) actually incorporates every detail (such as handrails on the internal stairs or indeed in many cases any stairs to the dome seating) and in particular seating/sleeper areas that are largely obscured from external view. Nonetheless having asked Scott Mann about this directly I trust that on this set there is going to be an effort to render a high level of interior detail. 

 

P.S. I encourage anyone who is still sitting on the fence to support the issue of this set.

I too have ordered this book. 

I agree with Hancock52, this is the time to get your order in for this one. I am optimistic that this will be a sensational passenger train.

I love this photo of the cars...

 

 

...and this color photo...

 

Beautiful photos Keith. Can't wait to get this model.

Thanks for the great photos, Keith, keep them coming. However, in an odd way, the photos do make the wait a bit more difficult.

It is going to be a fantastic model train - I am really excited about it.  

 

Interesting note.  Normally when I get a new railroading book, my wife shows no interest - often worse, she rolls her eyes. 

 

But this book, I can't pry away from her.  Like she says, "It's a trip back in time."  

How many are considering the City Of Seattle set?

Gee, just when I was being good about resisting the new LIONEL and MTH catalogs!   Pulled the trigger on it.  Just got the book also and now am really glad I ordered it.  Now to figure out how to build giant curves to make it look good.

I really am looking forward to mine.  Does anybody know when it can be expected?  I have no idea how long it takes 3rd Rail.  

 

I got the book too and love it.  So, too, does my wife, who just can't get enough of all the '50s fashion.  She's on my case about why men don't dress up more when going out today, like they did back then - they wore a tie and hat all the time it seems.  

Was wondering about delivery time also.  Excited to get it and trying to figure out if it will be part of this year's or next year's train expenditures.  It was because of all of you that I grabbed the book at a great price off of Amazon.  Thought the same thing about how men and boys were wearing suits.  And that the hats (ladies and men) are great too!

I'm not sure where the process is on the cars, but I am sure I will find out soon.  I can say that the shells for the E7's have been produced.  Granted, with the E7 tooling completed already, this wasn't exactly a hard task. 

I'm sure that if asked Scott Mann will give an ETA particularly as it seems pretty clear that the take-up for the GM version looks very good. I am assuming that it will be late this year or early next.

 

The GM version has quite a lot of special plating/logos (for want of a better word) on the engine and these will have to be produced in addition to the body shells. Not sure how long a process like that takes. I will say that I waited a long time for Scott's Jawn Henry set and it was most definitely worth it.

 

The passenger car interiors matter more than anything else to me and I believe that they will take no small amount of work to render accurately. You can be sure that when there are production samples 3rd Rail will publish them.

I am assuming that after I finish FT graphics within the next day or so, I'll be getting the "Train of Tomorrow" to do next.  Scott's off to Asia on Wednesday and I'm sure we'll get an update soon.

 

Be interested to see those graphics if you can post them here as you have done with the FTs.

 

Copying in tho photo below from an earlier posting which shows the front of the loco treatment, high-relief star motif on the fluted parts of the side and so forth. Not sure what blue GM used for this train but it appears to be high-gloss almost like an auto paint.

 

 

 

 

Don't forget, the T.O.T. was a special exhibition train.  She wouldn't show up for the party "weathered."  The staff was probably busy keeping the shine maintained.

 

Rusty

I'm very excited about Scott's project and glad that I have ordered a complete set. I knew nothing of this train until discovered on the "Streamliner Memories" site.

 

With the urging of earlier posts, I ordered Ric Morgan's "The Train of Tomorrow" that arrived two weeks ago. Richly illustrated, this 210 page "tome" covers all imaginable aspects of this truly fascinating train in two sections with twelve chapters. Requiring six years of research, few, if any questions are left to the reader. Motive power and each car enjoys it's own chapter, including a sub chapter for the resulting dormitory/baggage car. Details include weights and measurements, capacities, inventories for each unique car. The book thoroughly discusses the train from conception through it's demise, and thereafter.

 

If your sitting on the fence about purchasing this book, the chapter on the models for this train is alone worth the price of admission. If your on the fence about purchasing the GGD model, read this book.

 

I believe I read a post that the set was planned by the end of this year. It should be a spectacular addition to anyone's passenger train inventory.

Don't forget, the T.O.T. was a special exhibition train.  She wouldn't show up for the party "weathered."  The staff was probably busy keeping the shine maintained.

 

That alone is a good reason to own it.

Interesting that GM a major automobile company partly responsible for putting many local trolley lines out of business would bother with the Train of Tomorrow.

Does any other model manufacturer make this train, Lionel or MTH?

No.

I had heard that there was a similar exhibition traveling around the farm-belt recently. This was called the 'GM Grain of Tomorrow' 

Guys, It looks very cool! Isn't it interesting that a car company ( GM) would compete with trains and eventually replace them as the major source of travel. I was always interested in how easily this was accomplished. I guess now I know! They conned us! And made us want them! Cars, I mean! I, for one, wish we could go back to those times with the facts about traffic fatalities and statistics about distracted driving (namely texting) and prevent all those deaths. The world might be a different place! Certainly, less highways and more high speed trains. More wind farms! Progress DOES NOT always mean benefit for the masses. Has this obsession with personally owned cars been that good? Hmmm.......A real head scratcher? Mike Maurice

General Motors owned EMD locomotive division right up until 2005 or so.  GM had its sites set on the automobile that I will agree that was their bread,butter and dessert.

 

You really need to go back to Henry Ford, who pioneered the automobile assembly line and made cars affordable for the common man.  

 

Plus, also Dwight D. Eisenhower who signed the Interstate Highway bill, which was for strategic purposes and economic development.

 

Rusty

Gentlemen,

    This is the 1st non-Tin Plate Train that I have liked in many years, a way cool train.

PCRR/Dave

Dear Rusty,

 

I know Gen. Eisenhower purposes were strategic and economic and that we prospered because of it as a country. It's why we continue to thrive today! Because of our massively complex system of highways. It's just as a country we might be in another spot climate wise.

 

There are trade offs! It is not good to speculate what our position in the world might be today. It certainly wouldn't be the same.....I venture to guess!

 

Mike Maurice

I don't think there is a grain of truth in that!

"I had heard that there was a similar exhibition traveling around the farm-belt recently. This was called the 'GM Grain of Tomorrow' "

 

I do see a parallel here. It would not be a stretch to think that wheat or other grain based products were part of the menu in the Dining Car of the ToT. 

being  primarily a passenger car builder I sat on the fence for the GGD 48 brdwy and the 38 brdwy dumb move on my part so I sprung for the City of Seattle. Now if anyone wants to part with a blunt end observation PRR kit or otherwise email in profile

Hello everyone:

 

My name is Ric Morgan and I am the author of the book about the GM/UP Train of Tomorrow.

 

I would like to thank all of you for the very nice and kind, remarks you have been making about my book in this Forum. I worked long and hard on the project, and I think the end result was a good effort.

 

There are a couple of things I want to comment on that I have seen in the Forum.

 

First, there is a cutaway drawing of the Moon Glow, the observation lounge car, and someone made a comment about the drawing from “Budd.” In fact, the drawing was done by GM. The cars were built by Pullman-Standard in their Michigan City, Indiana plant. Even the car body of the E-7 EMD locomotive was made by P-S on order to perfectly match the cars.

 

Next, there indeed was a combine car that was used for storage and Pullman employees. The heavyweight car carried the stairs, made by an aircraft company, portable lights, and signs, along with printed materials and press kits. The Pullman employees used the dormitory when the train was on tour, although they were given space on the Train from time-to-time. The car, called the “Blue Goose” traveled on freight trains separately from the Train of Tomorrow. However, in Appendix A of the book, which is the tour diary, there are a couple of mentions of Blue Goose moves. The Blue Goose was “Shadow” painted so it looked just like the four dome cars in case the car was moved with the Train. The color was the same, and painted fluted sidings made the car blend in.

 

An interesting side note: GM was not allowed to use the name Blue Goose until they received permission from the name’s owner. I don’t know who it was, but they do mention it in the tour diary when it happened.

 

There is one picture of the Blue Goose in the consist of the Train. It was taken when GM offered the University Football Team and Marching Band a ride between San Francisco and Los Angeles on New Years Day to play in the Rose Bowl. The Blue Goose is just barely visible behind 765, the locomotive.

 

Finally, there is something you need to be very careful with. In many color pictures the Train appears blue. In fact, the color was Dupont Dulux Blue-Green, a dark metallic turquoise. There is one photo in circulation that shows the correct color. Also, there is a DVD of three films about the Train available from the Ogden Union Station Museum, Ogden, Utah. These films also show the correct color. So if you plan to make your own model of the Train, make sure you use the correct color.

 

Another interesting fact: All the pictures that GM made of the Train are in black and white. GM Photographic, a division of the old GM Public Relations department, had not started using color film when the Train was built. Any color pictures you may see are made from other sources, like newspapers and magazines.

 

Again, thank you for the kind comments about the book, and if you have any questions send an e-mail to ric@ricmorgan.com, or call (865) 384-6198 from 4 PM to 8 PM Eastern Time ONLY, any evening.

 

Thanks Ric for your update. Very informative.

Thank you for your post Ric. Your book is great, and I'm extremely happy that I heard about it here, and have been able to add it to my train library. 

Thank you.  I love your book, and appreciate the information about the Blue Goose car.  

Ric, thanks for all the information you provided here and in your wonderful book.

I find the color you mention very interesting.  Reason...a long time ago, I showed my father online photos of this train.  When I would get to a color photo, he'd say that not what it looked like.  He couldn't quite explain to me the correct color though.  He didn't start working at GM until 1953, but did get a chance to see the real train.

My family gave me a copy of "The Train of Tomorrow" for Father's Day. Ric Morgan did an outstanding job. Even if I hadn't already ordered the complete TOT, I would have loved this book, cover-to-cover. Beside the obvious nostalgia I feel from the period photography, there is a secondary, more subtle nostalgia that comes from holding a hard-backed book in your hands and reading the words of the author. It is a perfect marriage between the message and the medium. 

 

Emile