Skip to main content

I am wondering if anyone has ever done silver streamlined 21 inch cars similar in appearance to K-Line's 21 inch Santa Fe streamlined passenger cars or their NYC Empire State Express cars, but instead of having a specific road - they all just say "Pullman" like an old set of brunswick-green heavyweights would... ?

The reason ask is because I would like to have one versatile set of eight 21 inch silver, chrome, or plated looking streamlined aluminum passenger cars to pull behind any of several locos that would look good pulling a set of this tone. I can't afford to pile on every single road name's corresponding set (or I'd end up with about 64 cars), but to have one set of eight that can be used with anything from Santa Fe F3s, to an Empire State Express Hudson, or a Blue Goose, or a good ol' reliable Black Steam engine from any RR would be awesomely handy.

(I've been doing this with a single set of 7 Heavyweight brunswick-green Pullman madison cars that all say "Pullman" and it works wonderfully with all of my black steam engines...and I have many of many different roads.)

Last edited by DdotCdot
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Easy.  Just decide what color you want the stripe, then tell Callie Graphics what you want.  Easy to apply vinyl.  She makes chrome.  Silver would match painted cars; chrome for plated cars.

Mine will be 21" long, red, with thin black outline on the stripe, and silver letters with black outline (Southern Pacific).  Should have ordered a year ago - she is an artist.

I think that the short answer to your question is no, AFAIK no one has made scale length cars of the kind you mention. Back in around 2003, Lionel made some fine 15” aluminum cars that had Pullman lettering but the cars also had individual Santa Fe name plates. 

Of course that does not mean you could not re-letter and generally re-finish other 21” streamliners as Pullman cars but if you want them with a reflective imitation polished metal finish that’s a real specialist job.

Part of the reason no one has made them is around the time streamline cars replaced heavyweights, Pullman had to give up their monopoly of making and owning sleeping cars. The railroads could buy them from Pullman and other manufacturers and put their own names on them. Pullman could still staff them though.

Pete

As Norton said, there was a long drawn out legal battle between Budd and Pullman, at one point Pullman thought the lightweight cars were unsafe and refused to staff other builders cars. Eventually Budd and the railroads won out, however there was a later problem with owning their own sleepers; the national Pullman Pool would fill the void is a car was shopped for repairs etc, not so without Pullman suppling the cars.

From a molding standpoint the Pullman name would eventually only appear in the small placards at the car ends and the large panel would be the Railroad or Train name and then disappearing from the car sides in the 60's.

 

Add Reply

Post

OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Ste 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×