O Gauge Union Pacific

A family photo......

@WITZ 41 posted:

Key Imports FEF-3

Custom Series #49. (In service)

Beautiful model. Appearance falls nicely into my era window.  A few things need fixing, and while it runs well, it's a jumper. Could use some better slow speed action.  A good candidate for drivetrain work, upgrade, and wheel paint.

Was 844 ever painted in that scheme, back in her regular service days? I always thought the lettering and stripes were yellow.

@Hot Water posted:

Was 844 ever painted in that scheme, back in her regular service days? I always thought the lettering and stripes were yellow.

Jack,

Leap of faith based on preference.  And no concrete color photo evidence of 844 in service yellow striping. Plenty of photo evidence of 844 in service TTG but everything I've found are black and white photos. Don at Utah Rails researched color photo evidence of  FEFs 835 and 840 in the silver/aluminum white striping.  Lists evidence of several color photos of other FEF-1 and FEF-2 locomotives in silver.  Also stated...

"The official TTG loco drawing was changed 6-2-49 to have silver gray lettering.

All FEFs received this scheme."

I'll defer to his heavy lifting on the research.

Streamliner Vol.4 No.1 article on TTG states after enough diesels ramped up for Streamliner service the Steam painted armor yellow stripes for standby service were changed to the silver/white.

Article also has an amazing color publicity photo of freshly painted #827 in this scheme being shopped.

In the end, I keep on searching.

Worst case scenario if someone can definitively prove me wrong, I can always re-number it to #840.

Plenty of evidence of #840 ahead of the 'City Of St. Louis' -- UP's only 'City' train with passenger cars in the two tone gray and silver/white scheme including lightweight streamliner cars. (Side note: found a few photos of C&NW passenger cars in this scheme too!)

-- Will

Will,

All interesting information. Now, to add more "mystery" to the mix; I remember the guys on the Steam Crew, at the Cheyenne shop, commenting that when they began to strip and sand the paint on 844, during preparation for painting her in two-tone gray, they discovered some of the original gray colors as well as some of the original yellow strip. Go figure.

@Hot Water posted:

Will,

All interesting information. Now, to add more "mystery" to the mix; I remember the guys on the Steam Crew, at the Cheyenne shop, commenting that when they began to strip and sand the paint on 844, during preparation for painting her in two-tone gray, they discovered some of the original gray colors as well as some of the original yellow strip. Go figure.

See, now that's exactly the kind of information that's difficult to come by online, or in libraries!  Great info.  I'll keep searching.

Interesting story.

I finally got around to troubleshooting my TTT in order to get it running.  It's scratch built and the owner I bought it from had very little info other than he got it from a guy in the Citrus Empire Railroad Club at the Pamona fairgrounds.  So I've always been curious.

The tender wheel trucks and springs were fatigued.  The loco also had a contact short somewhere.  Pulled the boiler and checked all driver wheels for proper insulated fireman's side alignment.  Checked the large open frame motor for binding. Cleaned the incredibly robust scratch built open driver gear and worm-gear assembly. All good to go.  Testing the loco with the tender wire connected to a loose 2 Rail wheel truck and it ran just fine.

So. It had to be the tender. Pulled the trucks off, bent and re-aligned the springs to make sure it wasn't an issue of contact with the body.  Sure enough, the insulated side of wheels were not installed for engineer's side alignment.  Double checked the simple wiring assembly inside the tender, light oiling, then tested her out.

Runs great.  A bit noisy but still a successful evening.

Here's the fun part.....

I found a piece of cardboard with a name on it inside the tender shell.

Google searching the name + O Scale or O gauge combinations I came across a few older article publications that led to a connection with the Southern California Traction Club.

Messaged them in the hopes making a connection.  An hour later I received an email from the very same individual! (A club rep confirmed that they forwarded my email to the former member who now lives abroad internationally.) Very cool community.

When I asked about the model this was his response:

"" Hi. Will.  Can' really tell you much about this engine. I bought it 25 years ago on ebay from a seller that found it at an estate sale.

This one resurrected from an MTH parts donor. It arrived with its electronics gutted. Also it had a coal tender and numbered 4017. The seller replaced the tender shell with an oil tender from a grayhound and also included a ball bearing Pittman motor. Factory boards were obtained which enabled use of the included whistle steam. After repainting and relettering this is the result.  Main smoke at low to better show the whistle steam effect.

Pete

Nice work Norton making an restoration version...

Love the whistle.

Newest member of the family.

My KOH's 9000 after gutting the Dallee sound/control system and adding Tsunami sound, weathering and more. Gary Schrader did the work as it's way above my pay scale. Also, some nice photos of it dismantled that you don't see every day. It isn't as nice as Sarah's, but it works for me.

I bought a PSC Crown UP DD-40 about 2 months ago and unfortunately it was damaged in shipment.  The seller really felt bad about it and even offered to give it to me, but I thought a decent reduction in price was sufficient, so it was a win/win. So, I've taken it apart and I'm fixing it now, something I've never attempted before.

A little history: This was one of the last KTM (Japanese) built O scale models (mid 1980's) as most importers (OMI, KEY, Sunset, etc.) had gone to Korea years before since the labor was much cheaper. It's really easy to see the KTM heritage in this model, as it's built with heavier brass sheet and castings............and has a very strange drive system for the 4 axle trucks. But, it's built tough like all USH and Max Gray locos of the 50's, 60's and 70's and isn't fragile like most Korean models built in that period.

So, we're off to the races and I'll take you along for the ride. But, I expect this will take some time as I don't want to create more work for myself.

Sweet turbine Butch. Welcome back.  Love the photos of the UP type too.  A good weathering job takes more skill than I have at the moment. 

Bummer about the shipment damage. Seems a lot of that going around these days.

I'm spinning a couple projects myself at the moment, but I did pick up some nice Express cars I'll post photos of later. Thanks for posting.

Thanks Will, still getting settled in from the move, so not as much time for hobbies as I would like, but that will change soon.

Weaver O Ultra Line

Union Pacific 40' DD Express Boxcars

2 Rail.... 9109, 9122, 9135, and 9173.

I believe these were a custom run by Weaver with 3 car numbers in each Yellow and TTG. I got all three TTG and one in Yellow.

I missed out as I was outbid on a set of Beaver Creek cars which were perfect including accurate trucks but these are the next best thing.  They are the only non-brass cars even close to prototypical.  Most are incorrectly 50' (MTH), 40' single door, or too tall/standard height.

These are also the same tooling Lionel was offering as their LionScale line. It would be nice to see them made.

The UP built these cars special for the Challenger merchandise service.

40' Steel with double doors for quick loading unloading.  They were nominally shorter height than standard 40' cars and had extra longitudinal girders (4 instead of 2 ) to support heavier merchandise.  High speed trucks to handle passenger train speeds.

They look great with passenger equipment....

The car numbers in this group of Weaver cars should have Symington-Gould high speed trucks.  These are close but not entirely correct.

Since I have a duplicate #9135 that also has some paint defects, I plan to renumber it #9213.

The #9210-9219 cars in TTG had Allied Full Cushion trucks.  So I got my hands on some Weaver 2R Allied trucks.  The seller had dozens but almost all were broken or disintegrating.  He sent me three in case one broke in shipping ,(which it did),  but I have a pair I can reinforce and paint to use on the car. One more project on the list ...

I wish Atlas had these for sale....

Up 3989 with dual Aux tenders

Sweet Challenger Steve and a long consist too. Great video.

Separately, that broken rock face portion of your layout, with the boulders, talus, and scree is amazing!  I love it. Thanks for sharing.

Here’s a old AHM I Custom painted and decaled it

Added this truck to the layout over the weekend. I added some upgrades to it including decals

Nice work Lee. I like it!

If you haven't already read it, the UPHS Streamliner Vol.5 No.4 has a couple page article on the UP's Rail Truck service along with some great color photos.

It's the same issue that discusses the details of the Express Service Cars....

@WITZ 41 posted:

Nice work Lee. I like it!

If you haven't already read it, the UPHS Streamliner Vol.5 No.4 has a couple page article on the UP's Rail Truck service along with some great color photos.

It's the same issue that discusses the details of the Express Service Cars....

Thanks for the info and thanks for the complement. I have pic of the truck I built same paint scheme but I can’t post due to copyrights. Do you have any pics from the 60s of there trucks? I’m getting ready to build a bigger tractor and a tanker truck. Don’t know if they had them but the Dough Hill layout will. Thanks

Took me a while to find the 844 with the cab specific announcements as well as the VL tender.

@Tiffany posted:

Hello VASH44

I wondering if they make a "Railking" version of the Excursion passenger set to go with my "Railking" Imperial U.P. Challenger ?   VASH that is very NICE looking set !!!!!

Tiffany

Yes they do, I have all MTH Railing UP cars to go with my Lionel 4041 and 844

Nuts at work lately.  Not much time.

I did pick up another KTM mountain in excellent condition.  I plan to add large Sweeney stack and paint it two tone gray with silver/white striping.

Getting harder to find decals.

Picked up a Westside BB with Sofue drive and weathered by Lee Turner. Lee's weathering cinched the deal for me.

This should be a treat for all you UP guys, at least I felt that way when I received the photos. This is an O scale BB built by Kempie Sofue. 1 of 25 I've been told. It is the holy grail of BB's for obvious reasons and I've never seen one in person or for sale....but I would sell much of what I own, to own one of these. It's an heirloom to be passed from generation to generation. Even a non-train person can appreciate the "art" of this model. I just don't think it gets any better than this.

magnificent !

What a piece of art . 🤓

Here is a photo of a chassis from a 2001 3rd Rail "Early' Challenger I recently picked up.  This one has been modified with twin motor drive that includes Bultman gearboxes, Faulhaber motors and custom installation by Larry Edwards I'm told. More photos of the superstructure and tender to follow.

Fantastic photos Butch! Really spectacular. 

The weathered big boy is a masterful job too. 

@WITZ 41 posted: Weaver O Ultra Line Union Pacific 40' DD Express Boxcars

They are the only non-brass cars even close to prototypical."

Lionel was to make such cars but sell them in multi-car sets.  Understandably, my regular dealer would not break a set for fear of being stuck with leftovers.  I've searched for the Lionel cars, repeatedly, without success and was at my WITZ end, until I saw your posting!

I had seen a Weaver car on eBay (UP 9186) and, thanks to you, have just bought it.  It's 3 rail and I see mounting holes for Kadees so I'll make quick work of the claws.  Thank you!

The Streamliner issue (UPHS Vol.5 No.4 ), referenced in relation to UP highway trucks, also contains an article on the express cars and enumerates the various types of trucks used for each.  I have an apparently rare set of diecast Symington-Gould trucks, presently mounted on a K-Line UP express boxcar, but will check to see what is appropriate for No. 9186 before relocating them.  The only S-G trucks I can now find are plastic and less than satisfactory.

Incidentally, I did buy a couple of sets of Allied trucks from Atlas, several years ago, so it can or could be done.  They're beautifully made.

@Rapid Transit Holmes posted:

Lionel was to make such cars but sell them in multi-car sets. 

Yep, the Lionscale cars based on the same Weaver tooling.  They offered the early Challenger Service and later yellow, but no TTG yet.  Seems like Lionscale quietly just stopped.  I'm waiting on a different reefer set I purchased a year ago.

Nice score on the car. Post some pictures after your conversion if you can. 

@WITZ 41 posted:

Yep, the Lionscale cars based on the same Weaver tooling.  They offered the early Challenger Service and later yellow, but no TTG yet.  Seems like Lionscale quietly just stopped.  I'm waiting on a different reefer set I purchased a year ago.

I wondered about that as well, I haven't seen a lot of activity in Lionscale nowadays.

OK, I thought I'd missed the cars somehow.  I'm interested to learn that Lionel has "ghosted" Lionscale.  The orders must have been lacking.  That's a shame.

I saw that the new Lionel catalog is available online and downloaded it, last night.  However, I saw almost nothing of great interest.  I'm missing MTH, already.

P.S.  I found my K-Line express service car, "UP 2116", equipped with "rare" trucks installed to improve it's looks.  It turns out that they aren't Symington-Goulds but Timken trucks, though the two look quite similar, save for the distinctive Timken journal bearings.  The castings are so good that the bas relief words "Timken" can be read on the journal covers.

The Timken trucks came with a Quality Craft TTX TOFC car, got on eBay, that arrived at the Post Office as kindling but the trucks made the purchase worthwhile.  A search of the internet reveals nothing related and a search for the plastic Athearn Symington-Gould trucks, that used to flood eBay, produces only photos on Worthpoint.

@up148 posted:

Here is a photo of a chassis from a 2001 3rd Rail "Early' Challenger I recently picked up.  This one has been modified with twin motor drive that includes Bultman gearboxes, Faulhaber motors and custom installation by Larry Edwards I'm told. More photos of the superstructure and tender to follow.

Do you happen to have the Faulhaber motor numbers?

The 2342L012C R M124-2002  (42mmx23mm) was fairly common for model trains (I think mainly HO) back in the day.

The numbers stamped into the cases are 3540K012C and show it made in Germany, but the current Faulhaber website doesn't show this series motor, which is the same way Pittman does it....only currently available motors are shown. It has a machined outer case and end bell, so I don't think it was a cheap motor when purchased.

Arrived today..... Fortunately, I think all the missing window glass is loosing around inside the body. Should be easy fix.

3rd Rail CA-1 with side door.

The white has got to go! After a little research, I'd like to renumber and decal with a later era but still accurate lettering, and 3RS couplers.

Here’s another pic of my Weaver RS-11. Sorry I’m pretty proud of this  guy.

I have a sickness.....

....new project heading my way.  I still don't have any time to finish the ones I have.  I think I'm just stacking them in que for when I retire.   

Just picked up an OMI E6 with late added vents that I'll finish to 1948 appearance.....