Phoenix Railways Aluminum Cars

Not ten miles away, Jack Speer had some Daylight extrusions done that were very close to correct.  The Phoenix extrusions were more like some Eastern roads.

I too missed the opportunity to buy these sets new, Didn't get into the hobby until 2005. I have enjoyed the hunt for these elusive cars, not very pricey but hard to find.

I also have the Daylight set including the articulated diner-kitchen-coffee shop. Some Pennsylvania cars. A unpainted Milwaukee road Hiawatha set with 2 beaver-tails that I want to finish up soon.  Need to take some pix and share these beauties.

John, I wish I picked up the SP cars.  I went for the C&O because of the squared off observation car with LED.

They never made a PRR set so I was S.O.L.

I saw a set of Phoenix PRR Congressional cars last March at the Wilmington show; still kicking myself for not grabbing them. 

My hiawatha project is next. These are unfinished Phoenix Railways cars. Just need to paint and assemble them. Know any good painters?

I also saw that Congo set.

There have been several good posts on the history of Phoenix Railways if folks are interested.  I have kept two sets, one is the Sunset Limited.  Here is a UTube video I made recently: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PM_9ot1j9iQ

As you can see, I've replaced the printed windows with clear and did interiors/figures on all cars.   I also made the blunt end observation closer to the prototype.  

Still love the set.

Nice looking cars, everyone--keep them coming. Oldcarsrule, that's quite the stash of unpainted car bodies.

Were the Phoenix cars sold as kits / built-to-order? So far, I've never seen more than one set of a given road name / paint scheme. 

Very nice cars, and setting the bar at the time. Probably the only version of the SP's domes. If you have them enjoy them. That bright anodized finish is spectacular, especially when light reflections glisten off them in night running,

BobbyD posted:

Very nice cars, and setting the bar at the time. Probably the only version of the SP's domes. If you have them enjoy them. That bright anodized finish is spectacular, especially when light reflections glisten off them in night running,

That is the only accurate model of an SP dome car I have ever seen in O scale. Wasn’t aware of Phoenix until now. 

Bob Herrick and Ron White were behind the Phoenix Railways cars. Bob was the one behind their cars being as close a possible in the material they had to the prototype. I heard stories of him getting chased out of rail yards for climbing on cars with a tape measure to get the spacing right. 

Here is a old thread with more info on them.

 https://ogrforum.com/...61#70974704604801761

John,

   Now that is a seriously Great looking Train!  Aluminum just another fancy metal, similar to Tin.  Ya got to love it!  Aluminum Plate, I doubt however it's 2219 NASA Space Shuttle AL.

PCRR/Dave

It's great to see some of the other Phoenix cars. Thanks for sharing them. I feel very fortunate to have the Daylight cars. Better yet, the colors of the Williams GS4 are a spot-on match. Being a tinplate guy at heart, I rarely worry about things like that, but in the case of the Daylight, I make an exception. 

No kits, RTR.

BlueComet400 posted:

Were the Phoenix cars sold as kits / built-to-order? So far, I've never seen more than one set of a given road name / paint scheme. 

I had gotten some anodized unlettered cars from them to paint into schemes like the Atlantic Coast Line's with purple stripes. The frames came complete with assembled trucks, the bodies had the end parts & silhouettes packed loose.

their cars being as close a possible in the material they had to the prototype.

Really?  The Phoenix extrusions I have seen appear to have no prototype - just a generic combination of Budd corrugations and Pullman roofs.  Even the K-Line SP cars were closer, and they were a NYC prototype.

 I own a set of the Phoenix Railways Milwaukee Road Hiawatha cars.  Very realistic set down to the porthole windows on the baggage car's doors and the beavertail observation car.  Note the non corrugated "smooth" sides.

Bob Nelson

Bob, that's a great-looking Hiawatha set. I saw a Phoneix Hiawatha set on ebay a few months ago, bid on it, but the price went above my limit. I bet those cars would look great with a prewar Lionel 250E Hiawatha loco. 

Still waiting for you to post photos of your Jerry Brown Hiawatha on the tinplate thread!

John

BlueComet400 posted:

Bob, that's a great-looking Hiawatha set. I saw a Phoneix Hiawatha set on ebay a few months ago, bid on it, but the price went above my limit. I bet those cars would look great with a prewar Lionel 250E Hiawatha loco. 

Still waiting for you to post photos of your Jerry Brown Hiawatha on the tinplate thread!

John

John,

I had planned to search today for those Jerry Brown cars in our barn and then take and post photos.  Unfortunately, I now have a cold so digging out the set in our chilly barn will need to wait until it gets warmer and/or I kick this bug.  

Getting old is a real bummer!

Bob Nelson

According to a previous posting, both full scale 20" passenger cars and shorter 18" passenger cars were originally being offered for sale by Phoenix.  Does anyone know if both lengths were actually produced of the Hiawatha set?

Bob Nelson

Hope you feel better soon, Bob. 

Interesting thread & topic !!!

Thank you to all posters !!!

CB&Q Bill