Ok...what was it ???

Yesterday THE Wife had some minor surgery done in Flagstaff (she is fine).She also had another early morning doctors appoint. So there was about a 3 hour window between the two. We ended up at the Flagstaff depot...just watching Intermodals going east and west *yawn*. With a few freights coming thru now and then *GRIN*. Then while we where inside...I felt the rumble of a train...and as usual looked out the window to see what was coming thru. Darn my luck...I was clear to the front of the depot and by the time I hobbled out back it was almost to late !!! I saw these cars rumble past...pulled by a couple Geeps!

http://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/bnsf11.jpg

http://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/bnsf29.jpg

I believe this car and another where up towards the front. I couldnt for sure get their names :tb-sad:

http://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/bnsf31.jpg

http://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/bnsf30a.jpg

All can be seen on this website....

http://www.northeast.railfan.net/rolling25.html

Can anyone shed some light on what this consist was and its purpose? !!:tb-err:


I have some old silver ribside passenger cars and would love to model this train in nscale...especially that last car...with the full width and height tinted window in the back ! It was kewl to see :tb-cool:

I am thinking it may make a really nice 'newer' version of THE Wife's SExcursion train :tb-cool:

.

 

I ended up getting some good pics of all the cars on a BNSF exec train back in 2008 as they creeped by coming out of the Cascade tunnel. I then raced down to Sunset Falls and snapped a couple pics off as they rolled across the bridge over Sunset Falls.
The lighting was perfect as there were a few clouds in the sky at about 2 in the afternoon.

 

So its an "executive train"...some bigwigs private pleasure? :tb-cool:

.

 

I believe that is a BNSF executive train. Sure, a lot of Class I's are kind of stand-offish about passenger rail in business, but a lot of those railroad execs love taking the train as passengers.

That site you linked also has this as a BN car in the green-and-white color scheme.

 

The last car you had pictured with the theatre window is called "Glacier View" it was originally a GN great dome that was part of the Empire Builder.

Funny thing is too is one of the cars that I took pictures of is named "Snoqualmie Pass" which is funny because BN never went across Snoqualmie pass except in case of detouring from Stampede Pass. Snoqualmie Pass was crossed by the MILW.

 

As a side note:

We rushed out to catch it going by. It really wasnt going to fast. THE WIFE saw that last car with the big window in back and said " Wouldnt it be kewl to be sitting in a big ol plush recliner back there...with drink in hand...just staring out the back?"

Then she said.....outloud.

"That thing would make a really awesome SExcursion Train huh?"

Yup...there where tourist standing all around who heard her. :tb-smile:

Yup...heads turned...LMAO ! :tb-biggrin:

.
* I think I am gonna gather all the pics I can of that train...and Model it for THE WIFE !

.

 

I'ma Googling as fast as I can...lol

So far this is what I can find:


"Private Varnish"

Passanger cars that are not in regular service

Not all railroad passenger cars are owned and operated by a railroad company. Some are owned by a person or a group of people. Some are owned and used in a limited manner such as a dinner train. There are other passenger cars that are owned by railroad companies but are not available to the public. All of these passenger cars are "private varnish". These cars may be available for charter. Private Varnish is almost always a beautifully restored car.

Ex-GN full-length dome "Glacier View" on a BNSF director's train.

Inspection/Observation/Theatre car.

*this is gonna make a nice 'updated' version of her SExcursion Train...pulled by GEEPS this time...not a steamer :tb-tongue:
She will retain the older one and the steamer however...:tb-wink:

 

What?! You didn't see me waving? I tried to get your attention. I'll warn you on my return trip to Boston.

 

When they refurbished Glacier View they put a pole and a waterbed in every room LOL....Mike

 

** Puts that on the "To Do List" :tb-wink::tb-cool:
.

 

A lot of those cars wouldn't be that hard to get your hands on. They are just old Santa Fe cars it looks like. The tough ones would be the full domes. I would say it would probably be easiest to get your hands on a few of the full domes out of the Bachmann McKinley Explorer sets and start with those.

 

Bachmann domes are available as singles.

 

You can also find B-mann full domes easily at swap meets too. They are not hard to come by at all.

 

George!! If you hurry you can probably get in on this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/N-Scale-custom-Bachmann-Autotrain-85ft-Full-Dome-2-/150606600781?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item2310da5a4d#ht_500wt_1156

It's a pair of Bachmann full domes and it has just over 2 hours left.

 

Glacier View's window arraingment is a little different than the BMann dome but not impossible. I'd love to build BNSF's exec cars that are built from bi-level commuter cars. They're smoothsided so it's simply cutting out the windows and a door.
A listing of the BNSF business cars. Thanks Jim
http://passcarphotos.info/Indices/BC2b.htm

 

No need to build it yourself. You can buy a brass Glacier View at http://www.lookmodel.jp.

N scale models > BNSF - BNSF Business car #30 GLACIER VIEW - Lookmodel Online Store

 

That brass one is nice...thnxs
But for 170.00 I can kitbash about 20 of em :tb-wink:

.

 

But you'd only need one.:tb-wink:
Seriously though, I have a three of his cars and if you ever have the cash to spare they are worth it, especially the more unusual ones. I was thinking of his El Capitan but luckily for my bank account Kato beat me to it.

If this becomes available again I'll be on it in a flash.
http://www.lookmodel.jp/product/beep-large.html