International Passenger Train Consists (CNR/B&M/NH/CVR/PRR/CPR/D&H/RUT/NYC/...)

[CNR5529]

Interesting information everyone, keep it coming! @bbussey, do you have any pictures of your consist? What motive power would be typically assigned in NH territory? I believe CNR Northerns were normally used for the final leg into Montreal, typically 6173 which was qualified for operation in the US.

For the Alouette consist, it appears that a B&M baggage mail car was also used at times, cut in between the CPR baggage car and CPR baggage smoker.

I recently found some photos online of the Red Wing, which was involved in a wreck in 1954. The consist appears to be:
B&M E7 3820
B&M HW RPO 3100
B&M HW Baggage 3213
CPR LW Coach 2173
B&M HW 12-2 Pullman Sleeper Butler University
CPR HW Solarium Sleeper Cape George

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bmrrhs/17017060157

@SandyEggoJake I never even thought of your other border! I wonder if any cars or trains ever bridged the three countries on a regular basis?

[SandyEggoJake]

SandyEggoJake I never even thought of your other border! I wonder if any cars or trains ever bridged the three countries on a regular basis?

@CNR5529

Well, it is known the SP (and the SD&A), the UP and the ATSF  trains coming into and out-of California were part of "Pullman circuits" where the cars often came from the midwest on one railroad and returned on another railroad. But it is thought this method was not used for trains heading east of Chicago and Memphis or west from Chicago to Portland or Seattle (NP, GN, CB&Q, DRGW, MP).  So I'd say it is doubtful such occurred in the US ever, but especially "on a regular basis". 

But since Pullman assignment records are based on Pullman lines, not railroads, it makes it difficult, often impossible, to track individual car assignments.  To add insult to injury, it seems Pullman car codes were not used in assignment records. Making sense of it is like trying to solve an open set of simultaneous equations: multiple solutions possible.

[Lenny53]

a B&M coach (heavyweight, or Osgood Bradley)

You just gave me a reason to acquire a Rapido Osgood Bradley car.

[jmlaboda]

For the Alouette consist, it appears that a B&M baggage mail car was also used at times, cut in between the CPR baggage car and CPR baggage smoker.

Most roads did not interchange RPOs on run-throughs instead changing the RPOs at the closest terminal to the interchange point, sometimes taking a bit of time to get the RPOs changed.  Not sure but I think that this was discussed in the past on the BM_RR List, now at IO Groups.  When I get a chance I can check to see if there are any messages about this but I have some things I have to do first.  Will report back later...

[jmlaboda]

I recently found some photos online of the Red Wing, which was involved in a wreck in 1954.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bmrrhs/16602031374

This is one time I am glad that our old friend Puddy isn't with us any more... had he seen this shot I think he would have been heart-broke.  CNR5529, thanks for sharing the link... some good photos in that collection!!!

[jmlaboda]

A quick follow up...

RPOs from the U.S. did operate on both sides of the roads with the U.S. RPOs being locked and sealed at the border even though they proceeded to Montreal.  Returning from Montreal they would be manned and working as soon as they left Montreal.  Cars from both countries were involved in the operation.

[CNR5529]

had he seen this shot I think he would have been heart-broke.

When I built my Cape solarium car, I deliberately chose a car name that was different from Pudd's (in fact I did the same with my other CPR cars as well). Turns out the car I built was the very car in that wreck. D'oh!

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[bbussey]

Interesting information everyone, keep it coming! @bbussey, do you have any pictures of your consist? What motive power would be typically assigned in NH territory? I believe CNR Northerns were normally used for the final leg into Montreal, typically 6173 which was qualified for operation in the US.

I’ve designated the two Life-Like PA NH green/orange units to pull the consist in non-electrified territory and one of the scratchbuilt EP-3 units will pull it in electrified territory. I have cars 1-6 and 11 done, still working on cars 7-10. I will post pics later of what I have.

[bbussey]

Some quickie cellphone pics of my Montréaler consist.



Car #1 - New Haven 5574, turtleroof baggage.  Scratchbuilt, Wheels of Time trucks.



Car #2 - New Haven 3263, heavyweight RPO.  Pecos River Brass model modified and repainted.



Car #3 - New Haven 8261, Pullman Bradley Light Weight coach.  Stock Rapido model.



Car #4 - New Haven 8208, Pullman Bradley Light Weight coach.  Stock Rapido model.



Car #5 - New Haven 8525, Pullman Bradley Light Weight smoker.  Kitbashed Rapido model, as I outlined in the NSR article.  This is the Forest Green variation with skirts.  This is supposed to be NH 8515, the Pullman Green version with skirts, but I can't locate it at the moment.  I kitbashed four cars into smokers, so other than the body color and lack of skirts, they are identical.



Car #6 - Pennsylvania 4400, heavyweight D-series diner.  Modified Micro-Trains model, with the missing stirrups added under the service door and the truck bolster offsets reversed so that they pivot under the service doors and aren't impeded by the stirrups.  Couplers also moved inward to remove the gap between coupled cars.  Still have to add the safety bars across the service doors.



Car #9 - Pennsylvania 8449 "Silver Rapids" Budd 10-6 fluted sleeper.  The Kato CZ sleeper has been kitbashed to represent the lone Pennsy car in the fleet after it returned to regular pool duty from dedicated CZ service.  All the construction is done, just need to paint the roof and underbody black and add grab irons and decals.



Car #11 - Canadian National 2024 "Chaleur Bay" 10-5 lightweight sleeper.  Stock Rapido model.  The model behind is the one that was replaced, which was Athabasca etched brass sides and the American Limited core kit, with further enhancements.  It became expendable once Rapido released a fully-accurate model decorated for the same prototype.

Car #7 is New Haven 553 "Pine Tree State" and originally was to be built from the old ESM State series complete kit, but I changed direction and etched new sides that will be applied to a Walthers 10-6 donor car with the sides milled down.

Car #8 is New Haven 749 "Orchard Gardens" 8-5 heavyweight and will be kitbashed from a Micro-Trains model and probably etched brass sides.  It will be in the two-tone gray Pullman scheme.

Car #10 is Boston & Maine 34 "Salisbury Beach" and will use the nickel etched ESM sides grafted to a donor Walthers 10-6 model with milled-down sides.

Motive power will be the stock Life-Like PAs decorated in the as-built green/orange scheme with silver pinstripes in the non-electrified territory, and my scratchbuilt EP-3 electric in the electrified zone whenever I get it complete (hopefully in time for Salt Lake City in June).  It will be in the classic green scheme with imitation gold stripes and feature the American Cancer Society ads on the diagonally-opposed lower right panels, "Give to the ACS" and "Fight Cancer".  The EP-3 will be New Haven 357, which happens to be the birthday of a good friend who succumbed to cancer ten years ago, so the model is in tribute to him.
 

[CNR5529]

That is awesome, thanks for posting Bryan! I'll have to get to work on a number of those cars.

Also, sorry to hear about the loss of you friend. I couldn't think of a better way to pay tribute to someone.