Kato Trainfest announcement! YAS!

[skytop35]

I'm kinda interested in this train ... 

I skimmed through this thread and did not see much info on this train, so I apologize if this was covered - what is the history on this train?

How long did this set run in these (per Kato, post 1952) colors? I understand that initially the train was pulled by FM diesels. When did the FP7s some on? A friend of mine said sometimes the FP7s ran with E8B units.

At some point the set was painted in UP colors? (1955? 1957?).

The Wiki says this train ran its last run in 1961.

Mark

The FP7's arrived in 1950 and the super domes in 1952. The post 52 paint scheme would be black roof, orange car sides with maroon window band edged in thin black stripes. 

In 1955 the paint scheme changed to the UP yellow and gray. Of coarse this took awhile but by 1957 most cars were repainted (except maybe some cars used in mail and express service)

And yes the FP7's ran with E8's, both A's and B's. Not sure when they started mixing and matching as I'm not near my resources at the moment. I've seen photos of FP7's in orange,maroon and black coupled to E8's in yellow and gray. After 1960 it was pretty much all yellow and gray. Motive power could be just about anything from the passenger pool at this point. Yellow and gray E7's and even yellow and gray Erie-Built B-units! (The A units were usually pulling commuter trains by the 60's until scrapped)

The Olympian was discontinued in1961 but a remnant remained from Chicago to Deer Lodge. This was further shortened to Aberdeen,SD. Again this is off the top of my head at the moment.

Kato hasn't come out with an exact consist yet, so we will have to wait and see. I'd only be guessing at this point.

[Paradise275]

Looking at the train running in the video, it would appear to be fairly long with at least 4 (revenue producing) baggage cars on the front end. Perhaps Kato will make a 10 car set with a 4 car add on like they did for the Broadway Limited. 14 cars would make a nice train with an A-B-A  loco set.

Rick

[Mark5]

Bill,

Thanks - much appreciated!

Mark

[skytop35]

You're welcome Mark.

One other thing about the poster Kato produced announcing the Olympian. I think the photo showing the FP7 was a poor choice. It illustrates the FP7 but the FM Erie Built B unit behind it will just confuse people. Also I don't believe that the train in the photo is the Olympian. It looks more like The Souix or MidWest Hi to me. I've seen it somewhere before and will have to dig into my book collection and try to find it when I get the chance.

[jmlaboda - RIP]

Here is a prototype consist of the MILW Olympian Hiawatha back in 1953 (sorry, exact date not known)... how close Kato will come to this is hard to say but I am looking forward to seeing what they do offer.  While I have no need nor want for this train I am sure it will be a huge splash for some.  Wonder if they might do a UP-painted version and the Super Dome, 10-6 and Skytop observation car in CN paint (could be done in either green and black or gray and black)...

Mail and Express 1208
Baggage Express 1336
Baggage Dormitory 1309
Coach 480
Coach 481
Coach 482
Tap Lounge “Tip Top Grill” 164
Touralux Tourist 14-section sleeper Mt. St. Helens
Touralux Tourist 14-section sleeper Mt. Tacoma
Diner 122
Super Dome Lounge 53
8-duplex roomette, 6-roomette, 4-double bedroom sleeper Yellowstone River
10-roomette, 6-double bedroom sleeper Lake Coeur d’Alene
10-roomette, 6-double bedroom sleeper Lake Pend Oreille
Skytop 8-double bedroom sleeper lounge-observation Gold Creek

[skytop35]

Jerry, that looks like a summer or holiday consist.

This would be my guess for the basic Olympian. A ten car set would make a nice train. I'd like to see an add on set to swell the consist more but we'll have to wait and see what Kato announces. I'm excited !

Mail and Express 1208
Baggage Express 1336
Baggage Dormitory 1309
Coach 481
Coach 482
Touralux Tourist 14-section sleeper Mt. St. Helens
Diner 122
Super Dome Lounge 53
10-roomette, 6-double bedroom sleeper Lake Pend Oreille
Skytop 8-double bedroom sleeper lounge-observation Gold Creek

[OldEastRR]

Odds are KATO will have a four-car add on set. I wonder if they'll what they did for the BL, have cars that are not in the set. For the Hi they break out the Tourist sleepers and 10-6s as a two-two four pack, or something like that. With four coaches and the grill car in the set, and a 8-6-4 and the signature Hi cars filling it out.
They might also have a 7 car basic set, then add-on  packs like they did for the Amtrak sets.

[u18b]

And they will probably place the Creek car and the dome car in two different sets. So that the average person will buy both.

Most won't care.    I'd want the whole train.   In fact, I really hope they sell the locos separately.  I'd sell them if I have to buy them since I'll be pulling mine with an EP-2. 

[Point353]

Here is a prototype consist of the MILW Olympian Hiawatha back in 1953 (sorry, exact date not known)... how close Kato will come to this is hard to say but I am looking forward to seeing what they do offer.  While I have no need nor want for this train I am sure it will be a huge splash for some.  Wonder if they might do a UP-painted version and the Super Dome, 10-6 and Skytop observation car in CN paint (could be done in either green and black or gray and black)...

Mail and Express 1208
Baggage Express 1336
Baggage Dormitory 1309
Coach 480
Coach 481
Coach 482
Tap Lounge “Tip Top Grill” 164
Touralux Tourist 14-section sleeper Mt. St. Helens
Touralux Tourist 14-section sleeper Mt. Tacoma
Diner 122
Super Dome Lounge 53
8-duplex roomette, 6-roomette, 4-double bedroom sleeper Yellowstone River
10-roomette, 6-double bedroom sleeper Lake Coeur d’Alene
10-roomette, 6-double bedroom sleeper Lake Pend Oreille
Skytop 8-double bedroom sleeper lounge-observation Gold Creek

That 15-car consist matches what Railway Classics released for their N scale model of the 1952 Olympian Hiawatha:
https://www.brasstrains.com/classic/Product/Detail/047768/N-Scale-Brass-Railway-Classics-1952-Milwaukee-Olympian-Hiawatha-15-Car-Set
The set was divided into a 10-car basic set (as two groups of 5 cars), a 4-car add-on set and the superdome car.
(Note that car #7 is described as a "40 Seat Coach" when it is actually a 40 seat dining car.)

[skytop35]

And they will probably place the Creek car and the dome car in two different sets. So that the average person will buy both.

Most won't car.   I'd want the whole train.   In fact, I really hope they sell the locos separately.  I'd sell them if I have to buy them since I'll be pulling mine with an EP-2.

The large passenger sets up to this point didn't come with the locomotives so I wouldn't fret it much at this point.

[nickelplate759]

Besides FP7s and electrics, what power would be likely to have pulled the 1952-1955 scheme Olympian Hi?

George

[u18b]

The fun part for me is that around 1949 or 50, (a little earlier than Kato is modeling)
You had the following scenario.

Olympian Hi left Chicago pulled by Erie builts.
Then, when they got to electrification the boxcab electrics took over.
When they arrived at the gap at night, the big steam took over. 
When the train got to Othello, an EP-2 took over and took the train the rest of the way to the coast. 

The EP-2s ran into the 50s.
Little Joes took over for the old box cabs.
And the FP7s were also used.

[sd45elect2000]

Sadly the life of the Erie built engines on West coast runs was very short 1947-1950. Maybe Kato made the right choice by doing the FP-7 post 1952 trains.

The coach touralux cars were removed in late 1948 and another car making it possible to split the five three unit sets into ten two unit sets with the purchase of four more late model Erie builts. It's confusing..

Sometimes an F-7 Hudson pulled the train to Minneapolis from Chicago, sometimes the E-7s were used between Chicago and Minneapolis.  Lots of opportunity for locomotive variety on this one!

As Bill said , the engines in the Western Ave. passenger pool , including the Erie built were painted UP yellow in 1955, by 1957 the rest of the fleet was painted. The train only lasted 4 years in UP yellow.

I bought the Railway Classics sets for the 1948 train, the one with the light grey roofs and no superdome, that scheme only lasted 3 years 1947-1950.

 The entire lifespan of the Olympian Hiawatha was 14 years......

Randy

[Cajonpassfan]

[quote author=sd45elect2000 link=topic=40437.msg500660#msg500660 date=

Sometimes an F-7 Hudson pulled the train to Minneapolis from Chicago, sometimes the E-7s were used between Chicago and Minneapolis.  Lots of opportunity for locomotive variety...

Randy
[/quote]

Oh boy, what a sight that would be...
Otto K., drooling over the idea of an 84" drivered Hudson

[nkalanaga]

Ron:  And, according to Noel Holley, the Little Joes were taken off passenger service in 1958, leaving the semi-streamlined boxcabs (EP-1A, E22 and E23) on the Olympian until diesels replaced them the next year.  They were converted from freight motors in 1953, and worked along with the Little Joes, although usually getting the mail trains until they were discontinued in 1955(?).  So a boxcab would be suitable for the both the Kato paint and the later UP yellow.