Kato Trainfest announcement! YAS!

[wcfn100]

I just saw a Kato flyer for this train. There appears to be a disappearing diner.

They had one of the coaches listed twice.  It's fixed now.

Jason

[Sokramiketes]

There is a 8-6-4 sleeper in that consist but again their use was rare. They weren't really set up to service Waukesha cars. Additional cars would probably be coaches and sleepers. Either the "lake" sleepers or the touralux sleepers.

I just saw a Kato flyer for this train. There appears to be a disappearing diner.

What's considered rare?  When a car was needed, the 8-6-4's were pulled into service often enough.  But yes, for a bare bones train, Kato has the key assigned equipment.  The rest of the cars, especially lounge and 8-6-4, would have been nice to have.

Did all the 8-6-4's have the same Waukesha A/C?  I thought there were two orders, one with round portholes and one with square door windows.

[wcfn100]

After the info posted here and looking online and through the few books I have, I think Kato did do a good job.  I do think having more sleepers than coaches is not atypical (if we're looking at a 1952-1955 train), nor is having the dome only four cars back.  But those things won't keep me from picking up a set.  I'll probably try and pick up another coach or two on the second release.

Thanks Kato.

Did anyone see the new F7B will have a winterization hatch?

Jason

[skytop35]

What's considered rare?  When a car was needed, the 8-6-4's were pulled into service often enough.  But yes, for a bare bones train, Kato has the key assigned equipment.  The rest of the cars, especially lounge and 8-6-4, would have been nice to have.

Did all the 8-6-4's have the same Waukesha A/C?  I thought there were two orders, one with round portholes and one with square door windows.

There were two orders but the initial order was largest (round door windows). The second order was only for two cars, MINNESOTA and ZUMBRO River. (Square door windows). Not near my resources at the moment to look at the air conditioning systems.

[wcfn100]

Can any Milwaukee fans tell me if the 480-497 series coaches differed externally from the 515-534 coaches Kato is doing?


Jason

[skytop35]

Can any Milwaukee fans tell me if the 480-497 series coaches differed externally from the 515-534 coaches Kato is doing?


Jason

 During 1947-48, the Milwaukee Road ordered 72 all new coaches for the Olympian, Twin Cities Hi, Midwest Hi, Chippewa and general passenger pool. Although all were built in the West Milwaukee shops of the railroad, the cars were not identical. While the window arrangements were the same, the cars had two different air conditioning systems. The differences can be noticed on the roofs and also on the underbodies  The Waukesha air conditioning system can be recognized by the crowded underbody containing the air conditioning unit and propane bottle carrier. In contrast, the steam ejector system had a rather plain underbody but extra hatches and vents on the roof.  The cars were originally built with either 48 or 52 seats and numbered #515-551 but some were later re-equipped with 40 leg rest seats and numbered into the 600 series.

[wcfn100]

Thanks Bill.


Jason

[skytop35]

Thanks Bill.

Jason

You're welcome, Jason. I'll try to find a photo I took many years ago showing the two prototype roofs side by side.

[sd45elect2000]

There were two orders but the initial order was largest (round door windows). The second order was only for two cars, MINNESOTA and ZUMBRO River. (Square door windows). Not near my resources at the moment to look at the air conditioning systems.

All of the Pioneer cars had Waukesha Ice engines including the two later cars.

An interesting point is none of the 8-6-4 cars are included in the registry of Hiawatha cars. I do not even think that Jim Scribbins included them in the Hiawatha Story because they were not Hiawatha cars.

Randy

[wcfn100]

All of the Pioneer cars had Waukesha Ice engines including the two later cars.

An interesting point is none of the 8-6-4 cars are included in the registry of Hiawatha cars. I do not even think that Jim Scribbins included them in the Hiawatha Story because they were not Hiawatha cars.

Randy

The Scribbins book lists the cars that were constructed for Hiawatha service.  If a car was built for something else but used in Hiawatha service, it isn't listed.


Jason

[OldEastRR]

Can this set be used to make other MILW trains? The KATO BL was a good base set to make other Pennsy trains by subtracting and adding cars to the basic set.
Is there going to be Unitrack included? Press release doesn't say.

[sd45elect2000]

Coaches can be used for anything.
The baggage dorms and Touralux cars were also used on the Columbian.
The diners could pass for nearly any train including the Pioneer.
Superdomes were also used on the twin cities Hiawatha and later other trans.

[skytop35]

I took this photo in about 1980-81 near Ohio and Kingsbury St. in Chicago from an overpass. The coach in the foreground has the steam ejector air conditioning system while the coach behind it has the Waukesha ICE engine system. These cars had their interiors gutted and were being used for storage by a construction company.

[Point353]

Suppose that Kato did decide to offer an expansion set using the car types already announced, what should be its composition?
For example, perhaps one each of the 10-6 and Touralux sleepers - or should an extra coach, or two, be included?

[wcfn100]

Suppose that Kato did decide to offer an expansion set using the car types already announced, what should be its composition?
For example, perhaps one each of the 10-6 and Touralux sleepers - or should an extra coach, or two, be included?

From what I've been looking at, I'd like two more coaches.  It would put the train to 11 cars and push the dome farther back in the consist and give the train more coaches than sleepers.  All three things seem to be consistent with photos and consists I can find, but I've clearly shown I'm not an expert on this train. 

And thanks Bill for the photo.  Shall we expect a casting? 

Jason