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Howdy.Maybe you can help us out. I have searched high and low, attempted to contact the GM&O historical society with no luck and exhausted all my resources. Do you or anyone have a picture of a standard heavyweight observation/business car in the two tone red scheme? All I can find are the green ones. Did those run with the red cars or where they later? Any help would be appreciated.Joe
So, would the Chicago have run with it's vestibule in the red scheme? ... Or is just marking out Observation Chicago be good enough?
I checked my GM&O photo files and have not come across any business cars in red and maroon... only Pullman green. There were several motor car trailers in red and maroon, including the 390 posted above, but these are quite a bit different than heavyweight observation cars. The 390 was built in 1930 as part of New Orleans Great Northern's "St Tammany Special". GM&O did have a few 12-1 and 10-1-2 sleepers that would be good candidates for this set. Plan 3585A cars "Lake Melville" and "Lake Selby" lasted into the 1960's in red and maroon, with "Lake Selby" being converted into coach 2207 in August 1961. Three plan 3585 10-1-2's "Lake Vista", "Lake Wilson" and "Lake Pearl" were all sold in December 1948. Plan 3410 12-1 sleepers included "McCall" and "McCaulley", both of which were rebuilt into coaches in August 1956 and Dec 1955. Better options would be plan 3410A 12-1's "Orange State" "Trinity" and "East Lexington" with all 3 being rebuilt into coaches in 1960-61. Even after conversion to coaches, the exteriors remained mostly the same.One thing to remember with GM&O, is that the two ends of the railroad were quite different. The former Alton trackage north of St Louis was mostly EMD, with passenger trains being operated up to Amtrak behind E7s, one E8, and passenger f-units. South of St Louis was mostly Alco (3 PAs and 3 DL105s, and 2 Baldwin DR 6-4-2000s) with passenger service ending in late 1958. The south end also had the unique "Rebel" trainsets between St Louis and New Orleans. Both ends of the railroad had several motor car runs at various times, too. I'll be glad to help with any GM&O info I have. If I don't know, I can put you in touch with those that do. It's one of my top railroads, and I look forward to the heavyweight set being discussed.Tony Howe
Thank you for the information...good stuff here. So...everyone has nibbled around the issue...would it then be ok to offer one of the Green Observation/Business cars with the set we are pre-ordering?ThanksJoe
I know I don't speak for everybody, but I am MUCH more likely to buy any car (or set, or runner pack) that is accurately painted over one that is incorrectly painted to "match". It would save me having to strip the inaccurate color off and repaint it. That said, you have my sympathies, as I am sure there are collectors and modelers who just can't abide a passenger train with cars in more than one scheme, regardless of prototype accuracy, or lack thereof. So no matter what you do, you won't please everyone.