Pike-Sized Passenger Trains

[squirrelhunter]

Don't have a picture but the early 90's Houston to Dallas Texas Eagle connection was a F40PH, a superliner coach, a superliner coach-baggage and sometimes a superliner lounge.. .here's a video of a trip in 1990https://youtu.be/NvbpSe1dWcE?si=ZKH-Y697MUE_Xs5f

[nkalanaga]

From what I've read, the "pool trains" were actually run by the individual railroads, with their equipment.  The "Pool" part was that any of the railroads could sell tickets for any of the trains, rather than one having to buy a GN ticket for the GN train from the GN, or go to UP for the UP train, as was common most places with multiple railroads.

[dougnelson]

Here is a pike-sized PRR mail & express train with a K4 "under the wires" on the corridor at Elizabeth, NJ.  Four express/baggage cars and a PBM70 (same as the Lima & Model Power N scale cars).

[Iain]

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Atlantic and East Carolina, F2, steam generator car, baggage, rpo, coach

[Dave V]

Here is a pike-sized PRR mail & express train with a K4 "under the wires" on the corridor at Elizabeth, NJ.  Four express/baggage cars and a PBM70 (same as the Lima & Model Power N scale cars).

Looks like a B60, X29, B70, X29, and PPBM70. Totally doable in N scale if you have the Hell Gate B60 (which, obviously Doug does!). Speaking of which...any chance Hell Gate Models might do another run of head-end cars? I have 3 B60s and one R50b, but could always use more.(or a BM70k, something I missed the first time).

[delamaize]

From what I've read, the "pool trains" were actually run by the individual railroads, with their equipment.  The "Pool" part was that any of the railroads could sell tickets for any of the trains, rather than one having to buy a GN ticket for the GN train from the GN, or go to UP for the UP train, as was common most places with multiple railroads.

Well you're partially correct. The pool trains were set up to where it didn't matter which railroad you had a ticket from, you could ride the train. But in the case of the pool train that went from Seattle to Portland, and I believe from Seattle to Vancouver BC, the equipment was actually shared also. Or at least everything I have read says this

[nscaler711]

Missouri River Runner/Missouri Mules/Ann Rutledge
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missouri_River_Runner
I dont know the Ann Rutledge consists so I apologize.
Usually consists of 1 locomotive, F40PH, B32-8HW, P40/P42DC now a charger
3 Amfleets, 1 Horizon Cafe car or
3 Horizon coaches and an AmCafe
OR
2 Amfleets and a Horizon Cafe and vis versa.

last few years, you could have seen those consists with the addition of 3+ heritage diners or viewliner baggages Due to UP's axle count rule.

Today Charger, and the Venture cars.
OCCASIONALLY P42s... when the chargers die somewhere.....

Shot I took in 2015... last year 66 was alive. 
https://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=4307652

[nkalanaga]

Mike:  I never saw them, so you may well be right.  Those trains also changed over the years, so it could depend on what year one looks at.

The book I'm looking at right now says the Pool Trains were started in 1925, so they went through a lot of changes, both before and after streamlining.

[Point353]

Here is a pike-sized PRR mail & express train with a K4 "under the wires" on the corridor at Elizabeth, NJ.  Four express/baggage cars and a PBM70 (same as the Lima & Model Power N scale cars).

Didn't the PRR mail & express trains usually have a rider car or cabin/caboose bringing up the rear?

[Dave V]

Didn't the PRR mail & express trains usually have a rider car or cabin/caboose bringing up the rear?

Could be the PBM70 is pinch-hitting for an express-service cabin car on this train.

[reinhardtjh]

Don't have a picture but the early 90's Houston to Dallas Texas Eagle connection was a F40PH, a superliner coach, a superliner coach-baggage and sometimes a superliner lounge.. .here's a video of a trip in 1990https://youtu.be/NvbpSe1dWcE?si=ZKH-Y697MUE_Xs5f

The current Texas Heartland Flyer runs between Fort Worth and Oklahoma City daily past my house is about the same - I think 2 Superliner coaches, a cafe car and then the P42 and a cab car on opposite ends.

[DonSuro]

Jerry Britton's "The Keystone Modeler" has this info:
https://jbritton.pennsyrr.com/index.php/tpm/258-24-hours-at-harrisburg

Don Suro

[delamaize]

Mike:  I never saw them, so you may well be right.  Those trains also changed over the years, so it could depend on what year one looks at.

The book I'm looking at right now says the Pool Trains were started in 1925, so they went through a lot of changes, both before and after streamlining.

Gonna dig this one up again, I was FINALLY able to dig up a consist from a old GN Timetable/switch-list, from 1955.
GN Train 459/460, 1955 "Pool Train" AKA Cascade and Mt. Rainier (Or at least from what I can tell, These were the names.  )

Power:
GN F7A B, or F7A A
Or:
NP A Class Northern
Or:
UP E7
Mail RPO/Baggage
Mail Storage
Coach
Coach
Coach
Parlor/Lounge Or Cafe.

From what I can tell, The Head end was whatever was Available at the origin or terminus, the number of Head end equipment would vairy dependent on the amount of mail being moved. At a minimum, a RPO Baggage was run though.
Each railroad would provide a coach, and the Parlor/Lounge/Cafe was mostly GN.
More Speculation, But from what I'm gathering, the consists before 1955 were basically the same, Only with heavyweights, rather than smooth-side cars.

I have everything, except a UP E7, to model this one also, I'll try to get a picture tomorrow when I'm off duty.

EDIT: as Promiced, pictures:
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[PiperguyUMD]

The WM's trains 9 and 10 between Elkins and Cumberland fit this bill nicely! Usually an RPO or Baggage car and a coach. During the steam era, a Pacific was typical power, but these were replaced by RS3s during the last days of passenger service in the mid 50s





To that end, pretty much any passenger train on the WM - even the commuter trains were only a few cars. 3d printing has really made this kind of modeling a lot of fun!

[mkearns]

@PiperguyUMD Can you tell me more about your Mail-baggage combine? Is that a custom job or a Micro Trains? I like the shorty Atlas passenger cars for small layouts and am looking for a 60’ Mail-baggage combine.