Hemi, For the Trainworx cars stay away from the 1990-00's and for the Blueford the UP(MP) cars. Unless you want to model after merger stuff. You're thinking the WP/Rio Grande Ford Fast right? That's my guess anyway. Gonna have ta save my beer money, BN,SF and GT, Oh My!! 2slim
A recent issue of the Prospector covered this, didn't it? I know DT&I, N&W and other eastern road cars were used, but I wasn't sure if these were close. And yes, you are absolutely correct, WP/D&RGW era.
Thrall & Pullman-Standard were the ones correct for D&RGW-owned cars... FWIW, cars in Ford service were 4-door cars, while GM and Chrysler service were 8-door cars. As cool as 8-door cars are, I need 4-door varieties. And the latest Trainworx and Buford Shops release are gonna kill the wallet. I have a couple old-school Roco 86' cars in ATSF--I wonder how correct they are? You know the type, the ones with rapidos? They may be repainted into DT&I or C&O/B&O.
While the FF used the 4 door cars, IIRC, the FF may have included or been combined with the GM ARRO which used the 8 door cars. I have an excellent article at home from one of the magazines which covers both trains. Apparently the actual FF ran from around 1967 - 1982 when the Milpitas CA auto assembly plant closed down. But the D&RGW hauled auto parts after 1982 and it looks like people still refer to those trains as the FAST, althought this may be just a carry over and not a correct name anylonger.
You are correct, auto business (parts or assembled autos) was lucrative for the 'Grande. When #179 vanished with the Milpitas plant, there certainly was other auto freight on time-sensitive schedules. Set-up Ford autos continued to head over Rio Grande rails as #179, but changed to 149 when the origin changed to KC. This business was mainly set-up autos, but some parts were handled, as parts were needed at dealerships nationwide. In my issue of The Prospector, there's no mention of combining the ARRO (archrival UP train) with 179. The thing that struck me as odd was that the 179 was received from the Rock Island until it lost the contract in the 70's. From the train's inception in the mid 60's, the Ford contract rotated every 90 days from RI/D&RGW or all-UP routing to SLC. From Denver, it headed up the Moffat to SLC. I have always heard of 179 being a Tennessee Pass train.
Hi all, If you are in the Denver area November 11-12 for the GTE, you can come and run the 179 or 279 on our n-scale modules. Or you can run 100+ car unit coal trains with 2x2x2 power, or the CZ, or .... Just make sure to bring your walking shoes as we are planning to bring enough modules for about 11 scale miles (about 400 linear feet) of 2-track mains.
View attachment 2011 denver show.pdf Here is a schematic of what we are planning to take. It only shows the mainlines and sidings. It does not include yard tracks, house tracks, industrial tracks, or such. Each module is 30" wide x 72" long. Corner mods are about 60" square. There are also a few oddballs mixed in. (modules that is!) I will try to find some pics from past shows. Thanks.
Rod, How in the world are you transporting the club layout to Denver? Several years ago when I went to the GTE the layout was amazingly HUGE. Ben
Hi Ben, We will rent a 26' truck with a lift, use an 18' trailer, and use a cargo van to haul the monster. As well as the trains! BTW, you guys will be welcome to run trains if you are there.
