I read my Atlas news release tonight and found this model on there. It is a 10-1-1 Pullman. It is an HO model... but... very attractive in that NP 'Butter-knife Pine Tree' scheme. Three car names: Chief Black Bear Chief Many Horns Chief Standing Buffalo I would love to see these done in N scale by Micro-Trains. It would look nice behind some of the Intermountain F3's like these...
It would be nice to have another choice for heavyweight Pullman equipment other than just Micro-Trains. Wheels of Time has been doing some stuff which is also in the realm of possibility for future expansion of their model line of heavyweights. I'm not even considering the ConCor/Rivarossi models in this conversation because the Micro-Trains and WOT models are superior. The concern is that there could be too many participants and none of them sell enough to justify a continual supply of these models. Since Micro-trains has been expanding their line over the past two years... I'm guessing they are the best choice. Atlas might be too late for this party... but... if they do these models in N scale I would be interested in getting some.
I have a small amount HO stuff... mainly HOn3. It's not a scale I would likely create a layout due to the space constraints. I would probably run what little I have on a club layout instead. I like your photo of the steam engine with the two heavyweight car consist. It is probably a realistic consist for a local passenger train in an out of the way corner of Montana.
The Atlas HO cars are originally from Branchline. Atlas purchased the tooling and remaining inventory of Branchline's freight and passenger car line, some time ago. (I'm not good with dates.)
Concor no longer has the RR models to work their misguided magic on... they are a part of Hornby's efforts now. Been some talk that they want to do N-scale passenger cars but no movement in that direction yet. Supposedly they want to start anew with better detailing but will have to withhold judgement until cars actually start being produced... if they ever start being produced.
Atlas did once upon a time market some N scale heavyweight passenger. Although if my memory serves me right they were made for them by another company possibly Rivarrossi. However they were nice cars in the 70 foot range.
Such a sexy paint scheme. I was planning to create my own 9 unit train using MTL heavyweights. Got the decals ready.
They were 80' cars which were later marketed by Concor/Rivarossi... the combine, Pullman, ATSF diner and ATSF observation car. Concor/Rivarossi added the baggage which was partially based on the combine and the coach. I often see folks still using the RR cars for projects but honestly, at least as far as the coach goes I am surprised that modelers are not choosing to use the MT coach instead. Way better detail to start with and with a little extra work a truly fine model more suitable for many things!!! To me, just having steps and proper details alone at the bottoms of the vestibules would lead me to use the newer stuff (by MT and Wheels) even if it does cost me more... the quality is just that much greater!!!
The venerable Atlas First Generation passenger cars. Later marked by Rivarossi (some via Con-Cor) and then by Arnold. A complete list and photos on the A1G site (shameless plug)... http://www.irwinsjournal.com/a1g/ then pull-down or scroll down to the bottom - Passenger Cars / 2600 series... The Lima production of N Scale passenger cars around the same time was sold by AHM. The most recent marketer of these, or similar, was Model Power.