Need help identifying an MTH NYC smooth side set

@lionelflyer posted:

The set consists of:

2645 Coach, 2669 Coach, 3123 Coach, 9110 Baggage, and an observation with just the name Thousand Islands.

https://mthtrains.com/20-65034

@lionelflyer posted:

Back about 20 years ago, according to my records, I purchased an MTH NYC smooth side set.  However, the set was in a box for a 20-6533 Pere Marquette.  I recently pulled the set out and can't remember (or took notes) on exactly what set it is.  I've spent several hours trying to research this set and can't find a reference anywhere.  The set consists of:

2645 Coach, 2669 Coach, 3123 Coach, 9110 Baggage, and an observation with just the name Thousand Islands.  The only pictures I've found are of the 20-6516 set which has different car numbers and an observation with Hickory Creek.

Since I bought the set used around 2005, I'm guessing the year of production is somewhere between 1998 and maybe 2003.  I don't have MTH catalogs for this era and when I do find a catalog noted on-line it is in flash format so can't be opened.

Any help is appreciated.  One other question: what NYC engines would have pulled a set of streamlined cars like this?

These would have pulled primarily by a Dreyfuss Hudson though on occasion an unstreamlined Hudson from 1940 to 1946. Sometime around 1946 they would have gotten repainted with the grays in the opposite location.

Pete

These are prewar/postwar period streamliners. No particular “train set” they’d belong to. As new cars were added to the great steel fleet, they’d be pooled and a train could be put together from the pool of cars available to a given assignment. They could even be put into Century Service if enough segments were warranted, and all remaining Century painted equipment was already assigned, and or on the road already ……

Pat

Pete’s correct, the colors would’ve been worn 40-46, ….I’ve edited my comment above …

Pat

Thanks. You guys are the best.  I'm always amazed at the resident knowledge here.  Since I don't have a Dreyfuss Hudson, I'll have to be content putting them behind my Lionel 1950 773 or my Lionel 2344 F3s.  I'm guessing the F3s wouldn't be correct, but they should look good together.

@lionelflyer posted:

Thanks. You guys are the best.  I'm always amazed at the resident knowledge here.  Since I don't have a Dreyfuss Hudson, I'll have to be content putting them behind my Lionel 1950 773 or my Lionel 2344 F3s.  I'm guessing the F3s wouldn't be correct, but they should look good together.

I think F3s would be correct too. There was some pent up demand for diesels after the war. NYC had pretty much moved all its steam to Cleveland and west by 1950. The color reversal wasn’t completed until 1948 and I suspect some cars even after that.

The Central had some E7s painted to match those cars. Both 3rd Rail and Lionel have done E7s in that paint scheme. Lionel’s is the lighter gray.

Pete