Who out here has CTA El Cars

I have the wishful subway series with the White Sox and the Cubs.

 

 

 

I have the same #6200 cars that you have. I rode them as a kid. I was glad to see MTH release them several years ago.

 

You have a very nice platform scene, by the way.  

 

jay jay your photo is not displaying correctly?

I agree with jay jay nice looking platform. I also have the green and cream set I remember going Christmas shopping on State St. with my Mom and we would take the

long way home to ride the EL.

 

franktrain 

Thanks, Franktrain. I have reduced it to the little photo. 

I have a few:

 

 

 

 

 

CTA Fan

Build notes on my blog: http://ctalayout.blogspot.com/

I also have the Alpine white and Mint green cars. (Ravenswood B train) Both sets I have detailed the interiors. Ran leds for the marker lights on the end and lead cars. I also grew up riding these cars as a kid both Ravenswood and N/S line. I had always promesed myself that if I ever saw in HO or O i would buy them. Thats how I got back into modle railroading. My only issue is that the stops on 6201 are incorrect as there has never been a state and division stop ( Its Clark and Division) and its after Grand and State going north. They did not include any of the state street all stops (Jackson, Madison, washington) .

CTA fan set the standard for a CTA Layout. Now only some one would make the 4000s .   

I agree CTA fan has excellent Chicago layout!

Been asking for years about a 4000 series car, I can only wish this time around.  But in any case, how about a work train 6200 with the amber lights on top and a snow plow, in yellow? They still have the dies to do it.  I also have the so-called alpine white set and a few other sets, which I do enjoy running.  From the real village,Bruce

Other Chicago models have been produced.  St. Petersburg made a beautiful unpowered 2000 series.  Island Modelworks has a 2200 shell that fits an MTH 3200 chassis.  And Q-Car does make a 4000.

Last time I was on Island Modleworks they were no longer producing the 2200s shells, 300-400.00- not worth kitbashing with St Pet. They also make a non powered 6001 series(Flat Doors). Do you have a link for the 4000?

Doug

Island Model Works still makes the 2200 series shell. Link http://islandmodelworks.com/OChicago.html

 

 This is my shell

Suzu- Try www.qcarcompany.com for a 4000.

 

Howard- Hope my 2200s look half as good as yours when I get around to painting them.  Really nice job.

I had spoken with Islandwerks about a year ago. At the time they were not taking orders and did not know if they were going to contine with the 2200 as at the time there wasnt any demand for them. If you go to there web site. There is a statment about they are not taking orders. If thats not true they need to change that.  Now about qcar company. I have been to there web site. yes they make a 4000 shell, and other detail parts for both 6000s and 4000s. They also mack powered trucks for the St Pete 2000 series. The only issue with that is the cost of the St pete 6001 and the 2000 series 300-400 dollars. Also qcar is set up for 2 rail not 3 rail but that would be a minor issue. Now CTA howard was my insperation with the marker lights as I had found his you tube post on the 3200s a couple of years ago. The question I have for him is, What interior details did you change as the interiors for the 2200 are different from the 3200s and are you using the correct markerlights that show the Douglas/Ohare. or ar you running Lake/Dan Ryan.

 

Doug.     

Got them too....here they are crossing the harbor downtown going into the station area...

 

Alan

 

 

 

 

 

 

Island Model Works still makes the 2200's ... I just ordered a set.

 

As for 4000's ... Q Car Company isn't casting any more shells.

 

So ...

 

As an experiment, I am thinking of making my own 4000's out of 3D printed ends and laser cut wood sides. I can then combine the parts into a shell that will fit onto an MTH 6000 chassis.

 

I've made a successful "proof of concept" test by figuring out Google Sketchup and seeing if I could resize and upload to Shapeways. So far, my very basic end with no details has been uploaded and costs $22 to print one end on their highest resolution material. A picture of the "test / proof of concept" end is:

 

 

 

 

 

Again, this was just a test to see if I could actually figure out the program and get something uploaded to Shapeways. I am going to recreate the model and add more details.

 

If all works out, hopefully I can "scratchbuild" a 4000 series using model technology.

 

CTA Fan

 

The lighting and interior is different because I use a 6200 truck, seating, and lighting. I didn't use the 3200 series truck, I didn't like the way it looked. You can see in the pic which subway car I used. The only thing I couldn't use was the windows as you have to make your on. As for the marker lights, I used the current marking system that the cta uses now. The marker lights are for a train from O'Hare to UIC- Halsted as the cta has cut serves to save money on running trains all the way to Forest Park (Congress). I Think Island Model Works still makes the shells as I will be ordering more in a few months, currently I am working on a HO Metra Line

Fan-

 

Brilliant work on the fabricated 4000 ends.  Would it be possible to buy a couple of them from you?  Could really use them on a project I'm starting soon.  Many thanx.

CTSRapid:

 

I will definitely share any models that I can get to work.

 

This current model was just a test to see if I could figure all this out and to see how much something like this would cost on Shapeways. The model is scale width (8' 6"), but the height I guessed at. Plus, the door window is wrong (upper sash/window too small) and I haven't added any details. I also haven't actually printed it, so not sure how it would really look. But, at least its printable.

 

The next step is to take an accurate measurement of the MTH 6000 chassis and model the anticlimber to fit onto that. Then, I need to take a trip out to the Illinois Railway Museum to see up close and personal a real 4000. I've got a bunch of pictures, but seeing it will be a lot more useful.

Then, I can create the rest of the model adding more surface details such as headlight assemblies and rivets. I don't think I have the skills or Google Sketchup has the ability to make rivets in the curved anticlimber, so I may have to leave those off. Other than that, not too much to do!

 

I'll keep all updated on the progress. I am stuck in the middle of a major home renovation so work on this project has been delayed. However, what you see took me about four hours to do, which started from downloading sketchup and then learning how to use the program. Its pretty easy once you figure out the basic concepts.

 

But, the plan is to view this as an open source project. Car ends seem to be the most complex part of the shell and are good candidates for 3D printing if the costs can be kept down. The sides, if there aren't any compound curves, can then be made out of layers of laser cut wood with rivet decals applied. This is definitely a more advanced model to build, but when there aren't any models commercially available, then this is it.

 

Of course, if Island Model Works or someone else comes out with an O scale shell (that is available), then I'd be much happier.

 

Thanks

 

CTA Fan

Fan-

 

THANX!  All I need, however, are the car ends, not the whole 4000 shell.  Have two Ken Kidder Japanese commuter cars that I will attempt to kit bash into old Philadelphia Frankford el cars.  These cars have the same unusual cap design as the 4000s, so your cap fabrication would be a welcome shortcut.  As soon as you have a couple extra, name your price!  And thanx again for sharing.

Looks like N.Y. scored again with MTH but they did give us a very old stand -by with the Chicago South Shore.  Maybe next time we may see CA&E ?  Have a great day, Bruce

Island Model works no longer has a page for O Scale Chicago.

 

Andrew

Some years back a hobby store near Chicago had MTH'S 6000 series set is where i first saw them.

I should have bought them !

 

Those 6000 series always captured my heart as i operated them before they phased them out around 1982/83 .

We were called motorman back then before the phasing out of conductors then called operators.

Some of us still wore the pinstripe uniform.

My frozen class was a switchman and picked in that classification once enough seniority was obtained.

 

 

The 3200 series i was very fortunate to kick off the grand opening of the Midway(Orange) line .

No passengers were allowed as we picked up the Gov and Mayor and some bodyguards (i presume) dignitaries etc at the Pulaski station then a very nice celebration at the terminal with news coverage , speeches, and food.

 

Sometimes rode them as a child but had no idea i would have a career with the company .

Retired ATU Member Local 308

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I grew up riding the 6000s and the 4000s Ravenswood /Jackson Park Howard or Englewood Howard/as I got older Evanston to linden, Douglas to Jeff Park long before the extension to Ohare Always had to be in the first car front seat across from the motorman. I always wanted to go explore the Wilson repair Shed and Howard yard. Motorman for the longest time that was the dream job for me.