Of course I've already put a lot of work detailing and accurizing a couple of LL units for ATSF E3s- circa 1957...if the Kato E5 mechanisms are identical to the previous E8 mechanisms, then I'll go ahead and figure a way to mount the LL shells on the Kato mechanisms...this will let me throw in an ATSF E8b unit into the mix with no worries about compatibility on DC However, I'm going to get this set 'as is' for a Kansas City Union station display Respectfully, Bruce
I've been looking for a suitable replacement for running passenger stuff at shows since I sold my Amtrak set. Since the Q is my favorite midwest road, I will get one of these. Beautiful!
Best N scale news in years! I'm in for as many releases as Kato is up for. The E5 is my favorite loco ever, and having a quality Kato release with appropriate cars will be great. Hopefully, this initial release is just to get the loco tooled and some more return out of the original corrugated tooling before expanding into more Q passenger sets.
There used to be a company called Williams Bros. that sold corrugated aluminum sheet in 6X6 inch squares. I laminated pieces to the sides of the Life Like shell after I sliced and diced them to be reassembled with a long letterboard and the small windows.
"The units were originally to have had shovel nose cabs identical to the General Pershing Zephyr Silver Charger 9908 but the unions nixed any more of the dangerous exposed crew location units (ending any chance of RDCs on the Q who could have used them in Chicago and other places)" For some reason the "Q" apparently used 9908 when doing the brochure for the train... http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2f/Silver_Streak_Zephyr.JPG Would have been an interesting unit had it been a shovel nose but I can understand the concerns of the crews about safety as well. A cab end like the 9908 would have been beautiful, though... but then I also love the look of the SAL and SOU St. Louis Car Co. cars... B )
For anyone who is interested, these are the original twelve Kato corrugated car releases: [TABLE="width: 396"] [TR] [TD]Corrugated RPO [/TD] [TD]Silver Sheen [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Corrugated Baggage [/TD] [TD]Silver Chest [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Corrugated Baggage [/TD] [TD]Silver Light [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Corrugated Coach [/TD] [TD]Silver Birch [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Corrugaged Coach [/TD] [TD]Silver Cloud [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Corrugated Observation [/TD] [TD]Silver Fountain [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Corrugated Pullman [/TD] [TD]CZ - Silver Crag [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Corrugated Pullman [/TD] [TD]Silver Prairie [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Corrugated Diner [/TD] [TD]Silver Spoon [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Currugated Slumbercoach [/TD] [TD]Silver Siesta [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Corrugated Dome [/TD] [TD]Silver Island [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Corrugated Dome [/TD] [TD]Silver Vision [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Five of the first six listed form a correct Silver Streak consist according to the following reference: http://www.trainweb.org/fredatsf/streak.htm
Wow, the 9909 Silver Bullet E5 was the first locomotive on the Silver Streak. It was later assigned to the Sam Houston Zephyr to replace the articulated trainset that was destroyed by fire on December 19, 1944. All I would have to change are a few decals on the nose for my train.
Besides the "widow maker" cab, another consideration for switching to the E5 and one that probably would have occured even without the union agreement was that EMD was releasing cab units and the CB&Q, being what could politely be called "frugal," would have been able to capitalize on the economies of scale of buying a mostly "catalog" locomotive. Karl Zimmerman raises this point in, Burlington's Zephyr. I'm not so sure the shovel nose agreement is what kept the CB&Q from running RDCs. The CB&Q already had a fleet of doodlebugs which they used into the 1960s. As for the suburban operations, by the postwar period, they had been refined to a very effecient operation and the first bilevels were introduced in 1950.
I'm really interested in seeing if Kato models the "fender skirts." I'm guessing that they will, which while making the release more iconic, will also limit its date range. Either way, I'm all in.
I think you meant, "clips onto the body." I just reread the thread, and Charlie's post indicated that this release will include the skirts, so that's great. I'm sure they could be easily cut from the shell if somebody wanted a later look. I'm guessing that since the original Kato release of corrugated cars included all of the correct cars, the E5 and Silver Streak have probably been on Kato's list of potential releases for over 10 years. That said, I'm going to go out on a limb and extend a big THANKS CHARLIE!! on that assumption.
The truck skirts are on the trucks on the prototype locos. I am guessing the trucks will have them molded on as attaching them to full detailed side frames would be a challenge to get them thin enough and not have ugly mounting holes. Easier to mold skirted and unskirted side frames. And no,I didn't even dream of getting E5s when I did the Budd cars. The choice was made primarily because the Prewar cars were fairly close to other roads cars. The market for full one road trains really did not develop until after I left. I did have the full set of Silver Streak prototype drawings in my personal collection. Another train could be done with an additional (longer) Coach and the Silver Charger 9908 Shovelnose Power Baggage Car....the General Pershing Zephyr Charlie Vlk
It looks like at least a couple of the cars will be re-release of names already done. I hope this is not so but I am buying it anyway. I am really hoping for a future release with a B unit or E-7's or correct E-8s. I would have to think an E5B would be a must have for any Zephyr fan! I am wondering if this will be like the Amtrak 5 car and engine set.
Well that's interesting. I'll have to go back and look at some of my books to have a better look at the skirted trucks. Anyhow, I'll still extend a thanks Charlie for helping to get Kato aligned to the market for Q passenger equipment, regardless of the extent. That said, come on Charlie, admit that the E5's were at least a "dream"...
I seem to recall that the trucks on the prewar Budd coaches had skirts attached to them also. When Kato modeled them they did so without the skits in place but did include the mounting tabs that were cast into the truck side frames.
Does anyone know when the Burlington dispensed with the truck skirts on the coaches? It had to be fairly early because I can't recall seeing them in pictures, other than early promotional shots from the CB&Q.
Thanks for posting the photos Russell. That makes things pretty clear. Hopefully someday somebody might find a set of those laying around the back of some shop and send them up to Union to be installed on Silver Pilot.
