@Steve Adby posted:Good heavens! Thank you SO much for such a comprehensive reply. It really is a fascinating and complicated thing, isn't it! (It makes SF's Texas-California service look like a walk in the park...lol).
I truly appreciate the time and trouble you have taken here. I've the Stout and Dorin passenger service books currently here, with the 'MP through passenger car service's on it's way, plus the book on MP motive power which is a start, but your message here answers the questions I couldn't find in the books.
Did motive power get mixed around like the cars, or did it stay very much more on 'home tracks'? I'm wondering if I can get away with a T&P Geep pulling a predominantly MP train of Eagle cars?
Thank you very much again!
Steve
MP and T&P strived to use their own diesels on their own rails … but it didn’t always work out that way. Probably because of scheduled maintenance or equipment failure, or what worked for an “extra” to relieve period heavy bookings - like holidays. I find it fun spotting a T&P engine pulling into St. Louis Union Station. Past peak passenger days one might see a GP providing power with an E unit - probably an indication of a failure of an aging E unit. And I’ve seen pix of GPs on point with small consists near the end of service. A power mix was more likely to be found later with mail/express trains that might have a large head end group of cars with only a couple of coach’s on the tail end. Really though, if all you have is a GP, that’s fine. It’s yours and have some fun. Watch for Passenger diesels for sale on eBay and watch the O Gauge forum “for sale” section (you never know what might show up). Take a “back up” reservation for the 3rd Rail E6 MP offering (reservations are closed - production limited to those that placed orders). If someone backs out, Scott uses a back up reservation for a sale.
And I’m sure Scott will offer new runs of passenger diesels down the road. I believe they are the best - I’ve upgraded to them from other manufacturers models when he does them.