John Rowlen's Detailed Passenger Cars with Preiser 65602 Unpainted Seated People - A growing Collection

Dave, the lighting modules with Yellow LED strips is what I use in heavyweight cars.

The fifth car in the CSX Office Train is the Lionel 2227370 "John W. Smith" StationSounds Dining Car.  (As a footnote: The first CSX Business Train used the name of prominent States in the CSX System for names on the passenger Cars.  That Dining Car was "Ohio".)

"John W, Smith" Dining Car:  This car has the standard sounds included, except Timmy and his mother did not get included. Timmy is on the Rio Grande Ski Train and Amtrak III Train. Because this is a Company Train, perhaps Timmy was left off the sound choices. He is also missing from the first CSX "Ohio" StationSounds Dining Car.

Again, I cut seat backs to add to the Dining Car floor cubes.  Using 1/4 inch plastic strips, I painted them and then cut them into Seat Backs that I glued of the backside of the floor cubes.  I pressed them down to the car floor and centered on the back of the cube, After the glue dried, I filled in the gaps between Seat Back and Cube with a second coat of tan paint. The Seat Backs add to the car's appearance., especially at empty tables.

The conversation and family groupings are used in this car too.  The train trip is a special treat for CSX family and guests.

I added two extra Seats to the Waiting Area since that space is visible through the Dining Car's window.  Two people are talking while waiting for the next Dinner Seating.

Have a good evening.

Sincerely, John Rowlen

John, they are all very nice!  Lots of good ideas!  Are you planning to add dishes, etc onto the tables of the dining cars?  Maybe that detail wouldn't be seen anyway?

Mark,

I thought of that long ago.  I have glued a Coca Cola bottle to a table once or twice.  The idea of a placemat that had plate and silverware on it sounded like something that could be made.  Since the passenger cars are moving, I wonder how far to take the super-detailing before it has diminishing returns or effectiveness.

Started painting a car that arrived this afternoon. It is the Lionel 2027250 Amtrak Vista Vision Dome Car #9463.  It is more difficult to paint because of the camera ribbon that is permanently connected (hopefully) from the Dome Camera to the electronics hidden in the Lower Lounge.  The seats need at least two coats of tan paint.  The desk by the stairs to the Dome and the front storage boxes need to be painted brown.  Notice how easily the tan painted seats are seen compared to the unpainted seats.

I will continue to paint more Preiser 65602 Seated People for this car.

Have a good evening.

Sincerely, John Rowlen

John, I was thinking like you.  It is probably not worth the effort to populate the tables.  I can't see lots of details when the trains are running either.

Mark,

The people are easily seen through the windows, but glasses and plates and silverware would be overkill.  Not that that it would not be fun. I would do that small detail in a stationary building into which I could see.  At some point I have to draw the line on my madness for detail.  Factory painted detail parts are expensive.  That is why I paint my own people. 

Sincerely, John Rowlen

I finished installing Preiser 65602  Seated People that I painted into the Lionel 2027250 Amtrak VistaVision Camera Dome Lounge #9463.  It takes a little more care installing people because of the camera ribbon that runs up from an area under the Dome Floor.

I have a new conversation Group in this car that I have never used in the over two hundred 21" passenger cars I have detailed.  I will include a run-by of the full train once the Amtrak Dining Car returns from Lionel Service. I am listing items on Ebay until that time in both O and HO gauge.

Have a good weekend.

Sincerely, John Rowlen

Over 200 cars!!  Your new combination couple shows the variety that is possible!  I guess I won’t have trouble with combinations for my 11 cars! 😉

Mark,  Have fun with your passenger cars.  There is a good feeling when you finish a car or a set of cars.  I noticed that my paint job on the man's tie could have been trimmed better. That is what happens when I rush.  A Dome car uses many more people than a coach.

Have a great day.

John Rowlen

The Lionel Amtrak F40PH #226 arrived today. I will be testing it tonight. Wish me luck. It would be nice to have an engine to pull my detailed Amtrak III cars. I had to return my three CSX and one Rio Grande ski Train F40PH engines. Roof lift rings were missing and a ditch light burned out after less than an hour. The CSX engines ran at different speeds and pulled each other off the track in a three engine consist.  My minimum curve is O-72.  The traction tires have a lot of traction bite and pull very well. Maybe too well,

Sincerely, John Rowlen

Great thread !!!

Thanks to all posters for sharing !!!

CB&Q Bill

I would think if one was to add dishes and silverware to the tables the easy way would be to make photo copies of a table with the full setting and then print up copies that could be glued to the table tops. At 1/4 inch to the foot scale, the 3D height could not be seen any way. Things like cups, glasses, bottles, and food that have observable height could be glued on top.

Paul Goodness

CB&Q Bill,  Thank you for your comments.

Paul Goodness,  The photocopy table top is a great idea. I would like the prime rib.   A few food varieties would be nice in matching table settings to the people seated at the table.  At least a generic table setting before the meal is served would be nice.  It could be a while before I do this table top.  I still have a full set of NYC Southwestern Limited passenger cars to add people to.

The Lionel 2233712 Amtrak F40PH #226 arrived with a few issues.  There is glue smeared on the rear left truck side frame. A lot of glue.  When I tried to lift the hatch to reach the Run-Program Switch, both roof rings pulled out of the roof.  Usually, these rings stick through the roof hatch to the inside glue spot, but these look like they had been cut short and re-installed. The engine had no plastic bag around the orange Lionel box.  That is a give-a-way that the engine had been opened and was not factory-sealed.  The dealer is trying to see if Lionel will send a good side frame and roof panel.

The engine now runs well after the Kinematic Porch Spring stretched out and stopped jerking at the passenger cars it was pulling,  At first the seven-car train made a swooshing repeated rhythm as it went along. The pulling caused an Amtrak Coach car to jump the track at the same spot in my layout every time.  I oiled the kinematic moving parts and trucks, and ran the passenger train slowly to allow the passenger cars to stretch their kinematic springs.  (I have had to do this with Lionel 86' boxcars.)  Now the engine is running fine and the passenger cars are staying on the track.  My minimum curve is O-72, so curves should not be an issue.

I received a text from Lionel Service on Wednesday that the sparking truck on my Amtrak III StationSounds Dining Car had been repaired and the repair case closed.  I still have not received the car back or a tracking number for it.  Hopefully everything will return to my layout and a video can be posted.

Have a good Memorial Day Weekend.

Sincerely, John Rowlen

Sad there are so many problems.  

O scale table ware is available

Mark, The problems with the new Amtrak III F40 PH #226 is just a continuation of the difficulty I had with 13 other new Lionel F40PH engines. Only one, a Rio Grande Ski Train #283 was perfect, and it was the second one I received. The first had missing parts and broken hoses.

Three of the engines were opened by the dealer (never sent to me) and he found missing parts in factory-sealed boxes. Yellow Paint was smeared on the front nose of another CSX F40PH.  Another had a roof panel above the cab glued at an angle and sticking up.

The dealer for the Amtrak said he would get back to me on Tuesday, May 30th. He did not.  Another employee said today that he would get back to me today, May 31st. He did not.  At $628.00, the engine was not a discounted bargain. I expected a good engine. It was not. Shiny Glue on the rear left truck side frame and loose roof lift rings and a carton missing the plastic bag are only aggravated by the lack of promised communication.

I guess I am expecting too much from Lionel products and Chinese workmanship.  Now I have beautifully detailed passenger cars and no engine to pull them.

Sincerely, John Rowlen

After reading my previous post, and with a good night's sleep, I came to my senses, and I am returning the Lionel 2233712  Amtrak F40PH #226 for a refund.

I have had a good 2233752 CSX #2 lose a ditch light after an hour of run time. There are too many issues with these engines.

I will run my cars with an Atlas O Amtrak F7 ABBBA engine set,

Sincerely, John Rowlen

It is sad it has to be that way.  
I bought a new MTH F3 set last year.  After a short time the gears locked up.  I registered it with MTH and sent it back to the dealer as their new policy states.  In no time he shipped me a new one that I gave some good runtime and it is good.  

Just listed a Custom detailed Lionel 6-83022 Pennsylvania Broadway Limited 4-Pack on Ebay. These cars a highly detailed with the Preiser 65602 Seated People that I painted. I also Custom built the upper-level Seating in the Duplex. There is no Upper Seating in the factory Duplex Pullman. I also lowered the middle six Lower-Level Seats and rotated their direction to conform to a photo I have of a Duplex passenger car behind a GG-1.

Have a good week.

Sincerely, John Rowlen

Decided to pull the Amtrak III passenger cars with my Atlas O F7 Diesels #102 and 105.  The two powered B units are still boxed in storage.

Sincerely, John Rowlen