Thanks Dave! I think the 8 car consist you outlined in the spreadsheet is perfect! I am definitely hoping for W of A, AWP, and L&N cars to be available as add ons. I would like to see the 14/4 sleeper produced. Having both name plates included for the obs car would be really nice, and now that you mention it, that might be an option for all cars to be able to do the non Southern road names. Scott could just sell Southern cars, but in each box include name plates for one or two of the other railroads. I am definitely fine forgoing the full width diaphragms.
In regards to the inclusion of an observation car, the question is, if the car is dropped all together, would people rather have a 70s era consist with black roofs. Obviously the majority of the photos of the train come from these late years. This time period also allows the use of green E8s and you could use the Southern dome car Lionel offered a year or so ago.
I have already placed my order and look forward to whatever the end result is, but these are my thoughts on it.
As a side note, I'm also planning on getting a pair of F units repainted with one as W of A 503 and one as AWP 551 since there are many photos of that pair pulling the train through south Alabama.
