How many of you model mail RPO/Express/Express cars and trains? These and cars are interesting. And it is a way to help model trains you cannot afford, either in space, era, time of cost. GN had express refers painted in EMPIRE BUILDER colors. PRR had B50 refers in tuscan. UP had TTG, then passenger train yellow express boxes. Later, there were TOFC and COFC express flats. NYC had their own spcial fleet of express flats. Interesting modeling in scale and traditional sized "O">
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My PRR themed layout is down at the moment so I can't run them, but I have acquired enough PRR express cars to run two trains. One is a PRR express train made up of X-29 express cars, R50b reefers, B60b baggage cars, a few non-PRR reefers, and a P70 at the end. The other is a mail train made up of B60 RPOs and B60 baggage cars. I plan to pull them with one of three engines; a Weaver Passenger Shark AB set, a Lionel Centipede AA set, or a Lionel scale T1. My Pennsy Power book by Mr. Staufer has a picture showing a T1 pulling a 24 car mail and express extra. I'd like to duplicate it.
A friend of mine was collecting Pennsy RPO cars in various versions, kit-built and manufactured, in three rail, but has kind of backed off on that. I collected a number of the K-line aluminum RPO's in western roadnames, and collect other RPO cars, including out of the catalogs, if they are in interesting western roadnames. Future "to-do" includes building some kind of large postal mail distribution center with sidings for these. I collect and build for three rail various Walthers (there are a lot of different ones), and other, O scale RPO kits. I also like gas electrics with postal compartments, and prefer the Walthers cars that are some kind of a combine...postal/baggage, postal/baggage/passenger, etc., as there are a number of variations of those. Many gas electrics towed RPOS's, and some trains, such as the "Yampa Valley Mail" survived on the mail contract. As you've said, I find that all very interesting.
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We have an REA warehouse on our layout and several REA boxcars/reefers. We also have a 460 Piggyback unloading platform just across the tracks with some REA Trailers. Millers REA sign is atop the warehouse.
Yes I agree express trains are very interesting indeed! I do like to run express/ mail trains on occasion because they are interesting. I own two REA R50 b reefers, a B&O R 50 b refer, and several REA express box cars and readers. I also have RPO cars for N&W, Western Maryland, and two for B&O. I also have express box cars in B& O, Pennsy, And Erie Lackawanna and several baggage cars.
I usualky tack a rider coach on the end of the train. For power I use a scale Jclass for N& W express/mail trains, double headed Gp 9s for B&O express/mail, a BL2 couples with a FA2 for Western Maryland
For exclusive REA trains I use double headed scale GG1s.
i also like milk trains and find them interesting.
trains
Most of my stuff is traditional size. But I do have a RK doodlebug PRR 4666, a MTH R60, and a Weaver B60 and a RPO. The Doodle is scale short, but all total, they make a nice train. Sometimes I run the 3 cars behind a RK PRR 2-8-0.
Or, I run my Lionel ATSF 2353 F units with some O-27 REA refer and flatcars, with an ATSF coach. Do no have a short RPO, but it makes for a nice looking Fast mail. I can add some more coaches and domes for an O-27 SF CHIEF. Not scale, but fun!
Considering the price say of the Atlas CZ, I am glad that I am into this sort of modeling! And the cars do not have to be a matched set. Actually, the more unmatched it is, the better.
CAPPilot posted:My PRR themed layout is down at the moment so I can't run them, but I have acquired enough PRR express cars to run two trains. One is a PRR express train made up of X-29 express cars, R50b reefers, B60b baggage cars, a few non-PRR reefers, and a P70 at the end. The other is a mail train made up of B60 RPOs and B60 baggage cars. I plan to pull them with one of three engines; a Weaver Passenger Shark AB set, a Lionel Centipede AA set, or a Lionel scale T1. My Pennsy Power book by Mr. Staufer has a picture showing a T1 pulling a 24 car mail and express extra. I'd like to duplicate it.
That is very cool! I, too am acquiring head-end express cars. At this point I have 3 B60b's, an RPO, and an R50b. This train will probably get a K4s.
George
I have collected enough orphan RPOs and baggage cars to make a decent mail train. I also have a few express reefers though not sure its enough for a unit train. I use them as head end cars on a heavyweight passenger train.
Pete
A PRR 4-4-4-4 would fit such a train to a, er, T!
Anyone know who wound up with the Weaver Troop Sleeper Express Car tooling? I would have bought a Railway Express and a Boston and Maine version, but they never got around to it.
Jim S posted:Anyone know who wound up with the Weaver Troop Sleeper Express Car tooling? I would have bought a Railway Express and a Boston and Maine version, but they never got around to it.
I don't, but another question is who ended up with the B60b / RPO tooling? Those cars were extremely popular when they came out. I would like to acquire a few more, actually.
George
Here are a few photos of express equipment used on my railroad, The Freestate Junction Railroad. Photo of B&O RPO car. Two videos ( same video shot at different angles ) of a WM express/mail train pulled by WM BL2 no 82 ( the prototype of this loco resides at the B&O museum in Baltimore )
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