Micro-Trains for Dec 2021

[learmoia]

Gerry, I plan to ask MTL if they would consider swapping the baggage car, the obs car and two of the 10-1-2's out for a Baggage-RPO, a diner and a single window coach. MTLJoe, if you're listening, if ya'll do a 5 car set of baggage-RPO, 2 coaches (MP had both single and double window cars) , a diner and a 10-1-2 or 12-1 you could model a number of MP secondary trains under steam or diesel. I can post some consists later.

MP had some good sleeper names: 10-1-2's included Mesquite (MP), Lake Okechobee (NOT&M), Rio Bravo (MP). Some of the 8-5's had interesting Mexican names like Ixtaccihuatl (I-GN), Popocatepetl (I-GN) and Sierra Madre (MP).

As cliche as it sounds, I've always liked the Con-Cor HW 5 packs.. "RPO, Coach, Dinner, Sleeper, Observation".. then you fill out the train with a Baggage, and additional Coaches/Sleepers as needed.

I've always found the MTL passenger car 'set' consists to be a bit.. lopsided?
 
I'll bet doing a 5 car set with only 3 body styles helps keep production costs down, since 3 of your cars are the same mold and paint mask...

[squirrelhunter]

I think it depends on the railroad and the other equipment available.

I their IC set seems to go well with the Wheels of Time and Kato equipment out there, no need for them to go have on the baggage cars or coaches. I think the ACL set is heavy o. Sleepers, but you could make a Florida bound second section/tourist extra with all sorts of sleepers.

Their Cotton Belt set was a prefect compliment to the SSW coaches done by Rapido.

In the case of the MP, Wheels of Time has done baggage cars in both eagle (T&P) and Jenks blue. But beyond Walthers (hard to find) smoothside coach, the IM/Centralia 6-6-4 and 10-5 (also hard to find and only used on a few trains) and Con Cor (tooling not correct and paint work out of date) offerings, there isn't any other MP equipment.

What is even crazier is there aren't even decals to do eagle scheme passenger cars in N.

[squirrelhunter]

A few consists from an MP makeup of passenger trains book from June 1956 posted by Fred Frailey on the old passenger consist yahoo group.

MP trains 7-8 Southerner, between Palestine TX and San Antonio, carried 4 baggage/storage mail cars, a PRR car (probably a B60b), a 50' express box, a baggage/RPO and 1 to 3 coaches. I believe that around 1952 it still carried a 10-1-2 SA-STL.

MP trains 9-10, the Missourian from STL-KC, carried depending on the direction, 3 to 5 50' express reefers/boxcars, 3 to 4 baggage cars, a full RPO, 2 coaches, and 8-5 sleeper and a 12-1 sleeper.

MP trains 21-22, Aztec Eagle, SA to Laredo to NdeM connection to Mexico City, carried 1 or 2 baggage cars, a baggage RPP, a baggage coach, a coach, a diner lounge and an 8-5 sleeper.

T&P trains 27-28, the Louisiana Daylight between Marshall TX and New Orleans, carried 2 baggage cars, a baggage RPO, a diner coach and 2 coaches.

MP trains 103-116, Little Rock to Alexandria, carried a baggage, a baggage RPO, a coach, a coach grill and a 10-1-2.

MP trains 303-304, the Orlneanean, day Houston- NO train, carried a baggage, a baggage RPO, 2 coaches and a coach grill or coach parlor.

MP trains 309-310, the Houstonian, the night Houston to NO train, carried a baggage, a baggage RPO, 2 coaches and a 8-5 sleeper.

MP trains 315-316, the Pioneer, night train from Houston to Brownsville, carried a water baggage car, 3 baggage cars, a RPO coach, a coach and a 10-1-2 sleeper.

[squirrelhunter]

The above consists were mostly secondary trains that rated 1 F7/GP7/PA for power.

But you can see the need for 10-1-2 sleepers, heavyweight coaches, and baggage RPO cars to model these trains.

[Ike the BN Freak]

Glad to see the round roofs on heavyweight Pullman cars.  I'll have other uses for those as kitbash parts.

Are you talking about the roofs on the MP cars? If so, I wonder if they will come as the drawings or the standard roofs for the cars.

[Tad_T]

If you go to this link:

https://www.condrenrails.com/FSVB/Passenger%20Trains/Missouri-Pacific-Passenger-Trains.htm

And read through/scroll down, there is a lot of information and photos of MP trains 125-126 through Fort Smith, Arkansas.

Full consist photos in Eagle Paint, too.

It would also show you why that MoPac could use that Micro-Trains combine that is supposed to be coming out one of these days.

[squirrelhunter]

Yep- and note the prevalence of the baggage RPO cars- almost every consist has one, even if it doesn't have a full baggage.

[thomasjmdavis]

Yep- and note the prevalence of the baggage RPO cars- almost every consist has one, even if it doesn't have a full baggage.

The income from mail contracts kept a lot of local passenger trains in business long after the passenger revenue no longer justified running a train.  I can't speak for all railroads, but the majority I've studied had more mail-baggage cars than full RPOs in the 1950s.  And earlier, the mail baggage was even more prevalent due to the larger number of short haul postal routes in the days before trucks took over. 

[Tad_T]

These are the Missouri Pacific 10-1-2 and 12-1 Heavyweight Sleepers that had Eagle paint.



The bottom 12-1 is Wentachee.

[johnb]

I want that SP runner pack

[MRLX1020]

Will the Illinois Central 5 car passenger set make it out this month?

I guess we will see.  It's been delayed now for 2 months

[squirrelhunter]

Tad, I thought that list existed somewhere on the MPHS website, but couldn't find it.

[Tad_T]

Will the Illinois Central 5 car passenger set make it out this month?

I guess we will see.  It's been delayed now for 2 months

I called and asked about that.

The lady told me that they were having problems with one of the cars. She said that until it was resolved that they would not be able release the IC 5 pack and that they should really change the release date to TBD.  She didn’t know which car was the issue.

[Tad_T]

Tad, I thought that list existed somewhere on the MPHS website, but couldn't find it.

It’s at the bottom of this page:

http://www.mopac.org/archives/passenger-operations/37-streamlined-car-history

I had edited that list to put in a request letter to send to MTL, along with some other information on MoPac passenger cars to request that they do a MoPac release. 

[gelboy45]

Bump

I see that the Missouri Pacific heavyweight set is still as advertised.  Following discussion previously the GM&O set was changed. Will this bump renew interest in changing the consist?

Of course there may be another set coming too.........

Gerry