I'd like to build a set of CDTX Commuters but have no idea where to start. They are not the same as the Superliners, two sets of double doors instead of one single door, or the Bi-Level Commuters SP had, windows are wrong. Any ideas? Then there's the paint/decals.:mwacko:
They are not the same as superliners for they are not. They have a different builder. Just saw in latest MR that someone is actually making a model of this now. Don't remember who but they do look good. Not sure if they are in N scale or not. Also for some FYI, the doors on corridor trains such as the surfliner, capitols, san jauquins, and the NEC (amfleet I) all can be opened by one operator somewhere in the train. All other cars (amfleet II's etc...) have to be opened manually due to the length of different platforms and also due to number of people available to open doors. Middle of night usually just one person opening doors.
Rub it in why don't youerr: I have tried to ask for a Z layout but the CFO looked at the price of a loco and said "Hell NO!" The N ones are painfull enough, even on eBay. Just like the Look Model's versions at $120+ each car.:thumbs_down:
I'll try to get some pics this week if I see any, there are some superliners in amtrak california scheme running on the capitols.
Don't know if this might show anything useful [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uA78cnGfJSc"]YouTube- Amtrak California[/ame] Also this one shows one too about 2 minutes in [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDLCUOJrYys"]YouTube- Amtrak #6 - Part 16[/ame]
The answer is found here... http://unionstationproducts.com/amtrak.html Union Station Products is selling the sides in N. I haven't gotten any (yet) but you might be able to fudge with the AMB core kit. You'll need to find decals. If someone wanted to talk to Highball Graphics about them, it might happen. These are also good for the Surfliners.
You also can carefully repaint some Superliner coaches, they have been running a handful of rebuilt superliner cars on select trains. Also remember that they run P42's in the "wave" scheme daily along with the F59PHI's and there's a couple of the GE widecab units still on the roster too. So not every train you have to model has to be the California cars with the F59PHI's.
The superliners that Amtrak California are running are rebuilt ones being leased to them. They paid for the rebuilds that were done in Beechgrove, IN and then leased them from Amtrak. They also run some on the Surfliner. Not sure about the San Joaquins though.
Look Model makes them in brass ... http://www.lookmodel.jp/b-cdtx.html other Amtrak cars: http://www.lookmodel.jp/amtrakcars.html more here: Look Model Blog
More important than the CDTX units, that was all from HOME!! My Grandmother's house is just up the street from the Martinez station. Whenever I get room for a real layout I'd like to have a LDE of the Port Chicago/Benicia area. I'm also getting parts together for at least one SP Rotary Plow. I just got a stack of pictures from the CA Railroad Museum Library but they are the earlier ones.
Thanks for the info in this thread guys!! I really want one of these trains. Great that someone is making the car sides. I could possibly actually accomplish that project.
Yeah I'm wondering why Z-scalers got first dibs on the "Caltrak" trains, and not us N-scalers (or even HO scalers)
Several years ago I saw a set of the Amtrack CA cars in HO in the local train shop. I am not sure who made them, but they were not brass, so only N scale was left out of the party. As for the Superliners on Capitol Corridor, they are Phase 3 coach units only. I used to ride this to work for years and saw every different car and locomotive used. There are actually 2 different coaches being used from two different companies. I can not remember the names, it has been a few years. But for motive power they do have: Dash 8-32's in the new paint scheme Atlas has produced P 42 in Phase 5 paint from Kato FP59's but not in the Athearn paint scheme, they have the same paint colors as the coaches.
