Creating Lackawanna Milk Train

RRRR Fan:

Bob Bahrs wrote a couple of softcover books pertaining specifically to Lackawanna milk train operations. Chock full of excellent pictures, they would probably be your most useful assets for this project of yours. The books were published by Bob Liljestrand, proprietor of Bob's Photos and are carried by many dealers. I own a selection of titles published by Mr. Liljestrand and they offer the reader a great deal at a very reasonable cost. Do an Internet search for his books and you should be able to find them easily. 

As far as an accurate O scale DL&W caboose is concerned, I believe Weaver released one in brass. The Lionel model is not an accurate Lackawanna model but you can still model DL&W milk operations without a caboose. That said, beginning your project by researching the Bahrs books I mentioned will get you off to a solid start. 

Good luck,

Bob

The weaver brass caboose is the only accurate dlw caboose.   They did it in 2 versions for your time period.   There were 8 versions made in total by weaver

Are the wood sided brass cabeese hard to find?

RaritanRiverRailroadFan4 posted:

Are the wood sided brass cabeese hard to find?

Yes.

Hot Water posted:

RaritanRiverRailroadFan4 posted:

Are the wood sided brass cabeese hard to find?

Yes.

Well thank you Lionel for making a Lackawanna steam engine and not produce a caboose to go with it. Guess I'll have to see what 2017 brings.

RaritanRiverRailroadFan4 posted:

Hot Water posted:

RaritanRiverRailroadFan4 posted:

Are the wood sided brass cabeese hard to find?

Yes.

Well thank you Lionel for making a Lackawanna steam engine and not produce a caboose to go with it. Guess I'll have to see what 2017 brings.

Since the DL&W caboose is pretty specific to ONLY the DL&W, I would not expect Lionel nor MTH to offer one. Weaver made correct DL&W cabooses since they also produced the DL&W Pocono 4-8-4 model steam locomotives.

Besides, just because Lionel offers a steam locomotive decorated for DL&W, does NOT mean that the model is a CORRECT DL&W steam model.

What are you going to use for insulated cars?  John in Lansing, ILL

Do not forget that DL&W 565 still exists in Steamtown. Maybe is isn't exactly like the prototype to a tee but it still is a correct model in my opinion. So the lionel model of 565 is somewhat accurate.

RaritanRiverRailroadFan4 posted:

Do not forget that DL&W 565 still exists in Steamtown. Maybe is isn't exactly like the prototype to a tee but it still is a correct model in my opinion. So the lionel model of 565 is somewhat accurate.

Well, if "somewhat accurate" is good enough for you, just use any caboose lettered for the Lackawanna.

I love the look of "milk trains" and the solid mail and express trains that used to be common.  In my opinion, an older heavyweight passenger car looks better than a caboose at the end of one of these trains.  These so-called "rider coaches" while primarily meant to accommodate the crew, often were open to passengers.  As a kid, my parents and I would ride New York Central No. 9 from Newark NY to Rochester.  The train was not in the public timetable but made all the local stops along the way.  If you showed up and bought a ticket, you could ride.

Joe S

Joe S posted:

I love the look of "milk trains" and the solid mail and express trains that used to be common.  In my opinion, an older heavyweight passenger car looks better than a caboose at the end of one of these trains.  These so-called "rider coaches" while primarily meant to accommodate the crew, often were open to passengers.  As a kid, my parents and I would ride New York Central No. 9 from Newark NY to Rochester.  The train was not in the public timetable but made all the local stops along the way.  If you showed up and bought a ticket, you could ride.

Joe S

A very accurate description of most other railroad milk/express/mail train operations. However, the DL&W really didn't operate "silos" milk trains, as they generally had the milk car/cars on the head end of the train. In the M&E electrified territory, the milk car/cars were added on to the rear of the MU electric train.

I could use a coach. I think MTH makes some woodsided coaches from the 19th century era. Problem is there isn't a Lackawanna coach. However I could always use the CNJ coach they sell.

RaritanRiverRailroadFan4 posted:

I could use a coach. I think MTH makes some woodsided coaches from the 19th century era. Problem is there isn't a Lackawanna coach. However I could always use the CNJ coach they sell.

As I recall, the Lackawanna coaches were also different than what any other railroad used (think 'Boonton Line coaches'), and the CNJ coaches were also "different", as was the Erie (Stilwell Coaches). End result; no examples manufactured in O Scale 3-Rail.

That's too bad. Seems I run into a dead end with every option I have. What about in Scranton with the CNJ and Lackawanna. Would DL&W ever of borrowed a CNJ coach? Assuming milk runs were even in that area. 

RaritanRiverRailroadFan4 posted:

That's too bad. Seems I run into a dead end with every option I have. What about in Scranton with the CNJ and Lackawanna. Would DL&W ever of borrowed a CNJ coach?

Nope.

Assuming milk runs were even in that area. 

This is honestly my last chance. If this isn't going to work then I'll disregard realism altogether. If I have to, I'll remove the rubber things on the sides of the car.

RaritanRiverRailroadFan4 posted:

This is honestly my last chance. If this isn't going to work then I'll disregard realism altogether. 

That is a U.S. Postal Service "Railway Post Office" car anyway, and probably would not have been on a "milk train".

Hot Water posted:

RaritanRiverRailroadFan4 posted:

This is honestly my last chance. If this isn't going to work then I'll disregard realism altogether. 

That is a U.S. Postal Service "Railway Post Office" car anyway, and probably would not have been on a "milk train".

I read that Mail cars as well as passenger cars could've  been on the train. 

Or even the regular coach version of this car. Like I said, I'd rip off those rubber things on the sides of the car if I have to. I forget what you call them. So "rubber things" for now.

RaritanRiverRailroadFan4 posted:

Or even the regular coach version of this car.

Much better idea.

Like I said, I'd rip off those rubber things on the sides of the car if I have to.

If you are referring to the rubber diaphragms on the ENDS of the car, i.e. NOT the "sides", most passenger cars tend to look better with those still intact.

I forget what you call them. So "rubber things" for now.

Another option would be one of the Atlas passenger cars.  They offered them in Lackawanna.  They are definitely not Boonton cars, but they're better than nothing.  Also, Golden Gate is offering their Harriman cars in Lackawanna.  Again, not necessarily prototypical, but a reasonable stand-in.

Of course when it comes to the actual milk cars, I would buy Lionel's latest cars. Maybe some MTH models too. How many did the average milk train have? Maybe 6 or 7?

RaritanRiverRailroadFan4 posted:

Of course when it comes to the actual milk cars, I would buy Lionel's latest cars. Maybe some MTH models too. How many did the average milk train have? Maybe 6 or 7?

As I have stated a few times already, the DL&W basically did NOT operator "milk trains".

RaritanRiverRailroadFan4 posted:

That's too bad. Seems I run into a dead end with every option I have. What about in Scranton with the CNJ and Lackawanna. Would DL&W ever of borrowed a CNJ coach? Assuming milk runs were even in that area. 

Doesn't/didn't Atlas O make  60' Lackawanna coaches a few years back?

Peter

Maybe spending a little time doing a little research would be useful.

Try: http://users.rcn.com/jimdu4/Mi...ins/modelingmilk.htm

I did do research. I'm honestly quite confused. But I'll take a look into some DL&W books that feature milk trains. Thank you all for commenting. I'll update this post in the future when the actual train is assembled and so forth. 

It all will depend on what you prefer. Most of the folks suggestions have been valuable providing information about whether or not a particular model is accurate or even close to the prototype. It looks like a real problem to assemble a Lackawanna milk that was a close representation of the "real thing".

But perhaps you would be happy with an approximation--a wood side caboose lettered Lackawanna, some milk refers and an old heavy sided coach pulled by that Lionel engine you mentioned.

I love the LIRR. In HO you can find accurate models of their equipment. While some was from the PRR there were many differences. Because of a variety of age and health related factors I've moved to traditional sized O. Almost without exception the models offered lettered for the LIRR vary from somewhat close to "well even though its a fantasy paint scheme it does say Long Island". I'm  having a grand time with my too short (and wrong version) RDCs from MTH and my K-Line Greenport Scoot where one engine is scale and the other a small traditional model.

This has gotten lengthy but I truly believe you need to think about your choices. Does true to prototype matter? Or will you be happy with a milk train that looks like it could have been running years ago.

Scotie