Your Preference, Heavyweights or Lightweights

I kinds like the heavy weights. When i was growing up I never saw the fancy Streamlined cars. I don't think I ever saw the streamed lined cars until I took a ride on one from Buffalo ,New York to Trindad , Colorado. Went there to see my son and wouldn't fly. It was awesome. 

Well, I like all passenger cars, but since the Super Chief is my all-time favorite I'd have to go 66% streamlined, 34% heavyweight.

To me there is something very traditional and classy about heavyweight cars. I'll go with heavyweights today. To be honest I like both and I like to see trains that have both. Head end cars look better heavy along with diners and sleepers.
I sometimes feel that Railroads could have saved alot of money forgoing lightweights and thier rougher riding at a time that they could have saved it and themselves.

Since I operate mostly all steam power, I naturally prefer the steam era heavyweights. However, I do have two "streamline" passenger trains which are correct for the steam era, and I do pull them with the proper steam locomotive;

 

1) The GGD scale Southern Pacific Daylight set.

 

2) The K-Line 21" scale NYC Empire State Express set.

Brian, First off I love my passenger cars. But I have more Diesels  than steam so I have a lot more options with Light weight cars. I rode on the Light weight cars as a kid and my first passenger cars were the Lionel Santa Fe with the silhouette's in the windows. So I am sure all that has had a strong influence on me. My preference probablyis more like 80/20.

I have always loved passenger cars. I like all heavyweights, and lightweights in certain color combos. PRR "Fleet of Modernism" (1938-48) is my favorite because it is both rich and subtile at the same time.

I love most passenger trains whether they include heavyweights or streamlined cars.  If I had to rate it, I would say that I prefer the streamlined cars more...maybe 60/40.

Depends upon the era you're modeling. I have some of both.

 

Gilly

What about heavyweights that were restyled to look streamlined to appeal to the public while not spending the money of a totally new car as was done on many RR's?

I road the SCL Silver Star a number of times between Jacksonville and Raleigh quite a few times during the 60's, so I favor the streamliners.

 

But behind a Hudson, Northern, or Pacific I'd go for the heavyweights

I favor the lightweight cars of the 1940's and 50's.

Some heavyweight cars were modernized and streamlined to blend in the  new long distance trains.

 

I like 80/20 hamburger, and the same percentage works well between streamlined and heavyweight passenger cars....

 

Jeff C

Since I am trying to model the early 60's, I have all most all lightweights.  I really like heavyweights, but am not a steam person.  The California Zephyr and the Santa Fe Super Chief are the two prettiest trains in my opinion.  I favor the trains from the Midwest and West, but also love the NYC, Penn, and B&O. 

 

Art

For me it depends on the road and paint scheme.  But I am probably somewhere around 85/15 for streamliners.

 

I know on the Southern and B&O lines I prefer heavyweights.

Heavyweight

 

streamline

Would probably favor the lightweights slightly over the heavyweights but like them all. Would especially like to have some of the Pullman Bradley cars made by Weaver.

I would say I'm 60% Heavyweights since I have more steam engines from the pre-World War 2 era, such as the C&O 490 Streamlined Hudson, Southern Crescent, and the BLue Comet, and I love their rugged, classy looks.

 

Though I also have a few streamlined sets which I seem to prefer depending on the engine. I have streamlined cars for the GS-4 Daylight, and the Rail Chief set fro the scale Hudson.

For O gauge I would go with heavyweights.  

 

But when riding Via Rail I'm happy with the lower 80s vintage LRC  cars over the Budd heritage cars.  Faster and more comfortable.

Heavyweights lead my fleet over streamliners 8 to 4.

 

Peter

 

 

 

I have to have some of both.  I love the older-fashioned look of the heavyweights and the romance of their period, but I rode in lightweight shiny streamliners as a kid and that brings back memories.

Heavyweight.

 

George

Heavyweight.

 

 

   Norm

 

   Norca Falls

Streamlined. My favorite passenger cars are the 2400 Series Lionel.

is there a basic description outlining the differences between heavyweights and streamline cars?  Aside from obviously the weight of the construction materials used?  Can they be defined solely by the number of wheels in the trucks, or are there exceptions?  Does length  come into play?  I used to think the terms Madisons and heavyweights were interchangeable but that does't seem right.  Interested in reading what the more commonly accepted distinctions are.

 

- Mike

I've got about 50/50 in the yard but I favor the heavyweights.

Seaboard ran "The Tidewater" between Portsmouth and Raleigh and it was a mix of lightweight and heavyweight cars:

 

Trains No. 17 and 18

 

 

 

Portsmouth to Raleigh – time approximately 4 hours 15 minutes

 

 

 

Power –          E7           (3017-3048)   3029 – Mint Green (1965)

 

                              3041 – Mint Green (1965)

 

                              3030 – Mint Green (1966)

 

                              3030 – Citrus Scheme (1951)

 

                              3040 – Citrus Scheme (1951)

 

                    E8          (3049-3059)   3049 – Mint Green (1958)

 

                              3053 – Mint Green (1963)

 

 

 

1) RPO-Baggage          Heavyweight, ACF

 

2) Dining Car              Heavyweight (227, 240)

 

3) Coach                    Heavyweight or Lightweight (52-seat Budd) (6219)

 

4) Sleeper          Lightweight (5-1-4-4) 5 Double Bedrooms, 1 Compartment,

 

4 Sections, 4 Roomettes

 

5) Sleeper          Lightweight  (5-1-4-4) Budd, 5 Double Bedrooms,

 

1 Compartment, 4 Sections, 4 Roomettes

 

6) Coach                    Heavyweight or Lightweight (52-seat Budd) (6219)

 

 

 

Train would proceed to Raleigh, leave Engine, RPO, and Diner at Raleigh.  Attach Sleepers and Coaches to Southbound train (Silver Comet).

 

So I run a mix of LW and HW.  Every now and then I'll throw in a "fantasy" car, my Seaboard Sun-Lounge car (sorry, no picture yet).  I doubt the Sun-Lounge car ever made it to Portsmouth, unless it came in for repairs.

 

Steam era modeler so I favor the Heavyweights.

I prefer lightweight cars and the vast majority of the cars I have are lightweight. I have one steamer and several heavyweights that I run from time to time. 

I prefer the lightweight cars best of all. The lightweights represent about 1/3 of my fleet of passenger cars. But the number 1 factor that I go for is the eye catching use of different colors and a good blend of the colors. And better yet is a matching engine to go with them.

 

I do prefer the streamlined!! Sleek, shiny, fast...

I am 60-40 Streamline to Heavyweights with Lionel UP pulled by 844 FEF,SP Daylite,4436 with Lionel Daylite Cars,Atlas Ca Zephyr,WP F-7 ABBA,Burlington ABA by MTH,DRGW MTH Pass Cars,Lionel Alco PA ABA DRGW,Lionel ATSF ABBA,Lionel Super Chief,Lionel 3751,Heavyweights,Lionel Hudson,Lioel NYC Heavyweights.Hoping Lionel,MTH,Atlas makes Harriman Cars.

I like both depending on the train and era. I model the NYC and the Santa Fe so I have heavyweights behind hudsons and lightweights behind ATSF ABBA f3s. Some mixed behind ATSF hudsons and mikados.

I like them intermixed, as the roads ran them, but I prefer heavyweights, and wish

there was a set of D&RGW heavyweights in the pre-war non-bumblebee colors

available.

Great question Brian:

 

For me its heavyweight, I'd guess 60/40.

 

To be more specific, its name trains that I really like and must have ornamental observation deck with drumhead.

 

Charlie

50/50

I totally agree! Why pay more for less taste?

exactly what I was going to say

I like heavyweights far more than the lightweights.  They just seem to have more individual character to me.  Still, a long streamlined train is a beautiful sight, so I'd have to say that I'm 75/25 in favor of the heavyweights.

 

Andy