Rapido LW Baggage-Express

[Puddington]

.....  then Justin, you shall be rather pleased..... 

I'll have a look at your PM....

[thomasjmdavis]

http://www.rapidotrains.com/panbe.html

[nickelplate759]

I can't quite be sure from the model photo on the Rapido page, but are those 6-wheel roller-bearing trucks?     I definitely would want some of them!

George

[MRLX1020]

I can't quite be sure from the model photo on the Rapido page, but are those 6-wheel roller-bearing trucks?     I definitely would want some of them!

George

Yeah, those trucks are way exciting for many reasons.

[thomasjmdavis]

Yep, 6 wheel trucks with roller bearings.  I had the same question and got an email back from Rapido confirming.  I suppose it may be conditional on their getting enough orders for units with 6 wheel trucks, but should also be available separately, if I read Puddington's post up above correctly.

Some of the CN cars had 6 wheel trucks to lower axle loading on branch lines, and had lower HP 6 axle lightweight diesels for the same reason.  I think they also applied similar trucks to a lot of their heavyweight rebuilds that were expected to operate with streamline equipment. 

Anyone have photos of the 6 axle CN baggage cars operating in the US?

[CBQ Fan]

Looks like I will have to put in a pre order for the Q cars.

[jmlaboda]

They had baggage cars with 6 wheel trucks, so this is great news.

I hope folks realize that these are not the type of six-axle trucks used on newer equipment like the UP head-end cars... these were an earlier design employed on NYC dining cars of the late-30s, GM&O coach and parlor cars and some Espee articulated cars... as well as some early head-end cars.

[peteski]

I hope folks realize that these are not the type of six-axle trucks used on newer equipment like the UP head-end cars... these were an earlier design employed on NYC dining cars of the late-30s, GM&O coach and parlor cars and some Espee articulated cars... as well as some early head-end cars.

So those are roller-bearing version of the Kato's SP Daylight 6-wheel trucks as shown at http://www.spookshow.net/trucks/spnaphat.html ?
Looks like Des Plaines Hobbies makes a roller-bearing version of that truck (also shown on the above page).  But we never have enough truck variety in N scale - bring them on Rapido!

[jmlaboda]

I have been able to determine that the following number series originally were used by CN for their baggage cars, though some cars from each group were renumbered during the 70s.  Many went on to serve Via Rail Canada and other operators, including Amtrak.  Will have a more complete renumbering list once I can sort through all of the changes.

CN 9085 - 9202  Class BE-73-G  6-wheel trucks
CN 9212 - 9227  Class BE-73-H  4-wheel trucks
CN 9228 - 9232  Class BE-73-J  4-wheel trucks w/ end doors
CN 9233 - 9302  Class BE-73-H  4-wheel trucks

Three other series are also apparently this type of baggage car but I do not know the Class nor do I know trucks on the first series...

CN 8829 - 8838
CN 8981 - 9030  6-wheel trucks
CN 9031 - 9080  6-wheel trucks

Ontario Northland also had three, 410 - 412, which also had 6-wheel trucks.

[High Hood]

Head end?  Penn Central?  Not a good combo for my wallet.

[Ike the BN Freak]

Oh great!  Now that I've accumulated enough Walthers baggage cars (at a blowout price) for the American Freedom Train I will be modeling, you come out with a more accurate car for probably 3x the price!  Thanks a lot Rapido! 

Now I'll have to decide if the accuracy trumps cost of the new cars, or do I just stick with Walthers. 

When the cars were modified for AFT service, did they keep the end doors?

[jmlaboda]

Now I'll have to decide if the accuracy trumps cost of the new cars, or do I just stick with Walthers.

They are not accurate for the NYC so picking one or the other really shouldn't matter.

When the cars were modified for AFT service, did they keep the end doors?

Pictures of the ends are very hard to find but I would bet that they kept them because of the easy it would provide for removing large displays.  One car that was purchased but not used (it became AFT 99) shows the end doors...

http://www.freedomtrain.org/american-freedom-train-consist-spare-baggage-car.htm

[peteski]

They are not accurate for the NYC so picking one or the other really shouldn't matter.

Pictures of the ends are very hard to find but I would bet that they kept them because of the easy it would provide for removing large displays.  One car that was purchased but not used (it became AFT 99) shows the end doors...

Well, but it has the end doors which as I understand is the first ever N scale model to depict that.  That detail makes it desirable as it seems more accurate for modeling the AFT.  However, at $50 a pop, I'm pretty sure I'll stick with the Walthers car (which is better still than the Kato baggage car used by other N scale AFT modelers).

The AFT cars did retain the end doors. Here is a photo from the AFT website.


One ting that looks odd in the preproduction photos is the depth of the roof pane engraving.  Those are more like large gaps between the panels rather than a faint representation of 2 panels overlapping with some faint rivet heads.  But it is just preproduction sample...   

[bbussey]

I have been able to determine that the following number series originally were used by CN for their baggage cars, though some cars from each group were renumbered during the 70s.  Many went on to serve Via Rail Canada and other operators, including Amtrak.  Will have a more complete renumbering list once I can sort through all of the changes.

CN 9085 - 9202  Class BE-73-G  6-wheel trucks
CN 9212 - 9227  Class BE-73-H  4-wheel trucks
CN 9228 - 9232  Class BE-73-J  4-wheel trucks w/ end doors
CN 9233 - 9302  Class BE-73-H  4-wheel trucks

Three other series are also apparently this type of baggage car but I do not know the Class nor do I know trucks on the first series...

CN 8829 - 8838
CN 8981 - 9030  6-wheel trucks
CN 9031 - 9080  6-wheel trucks

Ontario Northland also had three, 410 - 412, which also had 6-wheel trucks.

@jmlaboda Jerry — I'd be interested on any Amtrak information you may have on these cars.

[jmlaboda]

Seven cars were purchased from VIA in 1984 (maybe a car swap?) and converted for HEP before they entered service...

1000 ex-VIA 9643, exx-CN 9643, nee-CN 9263
1001 ex-VIA 9638, exx-CN 9638, nee-CN 9257
1002 ex-VIA 9641, exx-CN 9641, nee-CN 9260
1003 ex-VIA 9634, exx-CN 9634, nee-CN 9253
1004 ex-VIA 9651, exx-CN 9651, nee-CN 9280
1005 ex-VIA 9652, exx-CN 9652, nee-CN 9281
1006 ex-VIA 9660, exx-CN 9660, nee-CN 9289