Red, White and Blue for the 4th.

CAPPilot posted:

We have a Bicentennial themed topic on the Real Trains forum, so how about one on the 3-rail forum.

I have all but 5 of my American Freedom Train (AFT) engines and cars on display so I thought I'd post pictures of them.   Between K-Line, Lionel, and MTH there are 21 different cars now.  What was nice to discover was the cars from all three manufacturers had colors that were very close to each other.  First off, lets see the power.

MTH GS-4 #4449 and MTH water tender.  The water tender is actually a fantasy piece since the original was black.

The AFT 4449 never had an auxiliary water tender, black or otherwise.

 

A few glamour shots of my custom Alaska Railroad Bicentennial set that a friend and I had made (we have 2 sets getting done, mine was first) with lots of custom 3D printed parts and all that jazz!

Red White & Blue on the S&Y RR

    Bill T.

WHO made the Pennsy FLAT with the Liberty Bell?

GG1GUYY

Marty Fitzhenry posted:

Nice photo except, that was NOT during the tour of the American Freedom Train. That "black" UP tender was rented for use on the 1977 Amtrak Transcontinental Steam Excursion, which returned 4449 back to Portland, OR. The above photo appears to be taken in New Orleans, where we picked up that auxiliary tender for the long trip west to LA, then north to Portland. The Amtrak trip was run in the spring of 1977, after the Freedom Train was over.  

A guy I work with heard I was into trains and gave me an old AFT set in HO. Needs work but its all there.

The LIRR had several GP's painted for the bicentennial

Norm there are a lot of custom painted ARR shells popping u on e-bay.  I wonder if there from the same person that built yours.

Bill T, I'd also like to know if the Liberty Bell flat is custom or off the shelf?

CAPPilot posted:

We have a Bicentennial themed topic on the Real Trains forum, so how about one on the 3-rail forum.

I have all but 5 of my American Freedom Train (AFT) engines and cars on display so I thought I'd post pictures of them.   Between K-Line, Lionel, and MTH there are 21 different cars now.  What was nice to discover was the cars from all three manufacturers had colors that were very close to each other.  First off, lets see the power.

 

Great and beautiful collection! Thank you for sharing.

And your statement begs the question - Which five are not on display, and why?

Alex

GG1GUYY posted:

WHO made the Pennsy FLAT with the Liberty Bell?

GG1GUYY

It is a Menards Pennsy flatcar that was custom made for the LOTS Valley Forge Convention banquet table gift. Approx 30 or so were made with the custom load for the banquet dinner.

    Bill 

Ingeniero No1 posted:

CAPPilot posted:

I have all but 5 of my American Freedom Train (AFT) engines and cars on display..... 

And your statement begs the question - Which five are not on display, and why?

Alex

Alex,

I've posted pictures of all my cars, but the pictures of the two MTH baggage cars and the K-Line AFT cars 202 through 204 were taken awhile ago.  They are now in storage.  Why? Because I have no more room on the shelves.  I could take down the 3rd Rail Train of Tomorrow set but I like that one too.

Here are some pictures of my models of 1975/76 bicentennial diesel engines.  I plan to use the WP GP-40 as a helper for the steamers to pull all the cars.  I have seen pictures of the this engine in actual AFT helper service, although the steamers did not need helpers.  The diesels were there for advertising or required by the roads for safety.  Maybe someone has a list of all the diesels that were used on the AFT.

Lionel BN U30C

MTH GP40 engines in MKT and WP livery

MTH NW SD45-2

MTH CR GG1

Weaver CR GP-38-2

Happy 4th everyone

The ubiquitous “ STATE OF MAINE “ box car proudly displays the Red White and Blue.

Have a safe and fun 4TH of July!

Richard

Craignor posted:

Happy 4th everyone

                  very NICE Craig !!    really like the two B&O engines !

Here's my contribution for today.

Charlie

My MTH GS-4 no. 4449 in American Freedom Train paint pulling an excursion train for the Fourth of July at the Milwaukee Lionel Railroad Club.

Hot Water posted:

Marty Fitzhenry posted:

Nice photo except, that was NOT during the tour of the American Freedom Train. That "black" UP tender was rented for use on the 1977 Amtrak Transcontinental Steam Excursion, which returned 4449 back to Portland, OR. The above photo appears to be taken in New Orleans, where we picked up that auxiliary tender for the long trip west to LA, then north to Portland. The Amtrak trip was run in the spring of 1977, after the Freedom Train was over.  

It was my senior year of HS and I was lucky enough to ride behind this train.  We boarded in Salinas, CA and the trip terminated in Oakland.  I spent most of the trip riding in a vestibule, leaning out to try and get photos of the locomotive as we rounded turns.  No one said anything and it wasn't until I got home and my Mom told me to look in the mirror that I realized my face was covered with soot.

My first encounter with AFT 4449 was when she was making the trip East a couple years earlier to pick up her train.  A group of friends took me along (didn't yet have a drivers license) to chase the train from Sacramento, CA to Sparks, NV, just outside of Reno.

Both trips gave me a chance to miss a day of school but also memories that have lasted a life time.

I probably have some of those pictures somewhere but after multiple moves, including to another state, I have no idea where they were.

I found this on Rail Pix.   What tender was this one?  The photo was taken 1977.  I chased the Freedom Train on the east coast.  I have nothing to add about the west coast.

Marty Fitzhenry posted:

I found this on Rail Pix.   What tender was this one?

That is a Southern Railway auxiliary water tender, generally used behind their 4501 on excursions. The reason it is behind 4449 in that photo, after the Freedom Train Tour, the Southern Railway graciously stored 4449 at their Birmingham Steam Shop, over the winter of 1976/1977. As "payment" 4449 hauled two round trip excursions between Birmingham and Chattanooga, prior to the departure westward on the Amtrak Transcontinental Steam Excursion in the spring of 1977.  

You are a wealth of knowledge.  Thank you for the info.  One question, were you ar Rail Fair 99?

You are a wealth of knowledge.  Thank you for the info.  One question, were you at Rail Fair 99?  Do you know this guy?

Marty Fitzhenry posted:

You are a wealth of knowledge.  Thank you for the info.  One question, were you ar Rail Fair 99?

Thanks. Yes. I was at Railfair '81, '91, and '99, plus a few other times we were on display at the California State Railroad Museum during our many travels.

Marty Fitzhenry posted:

You are a wealth of knowledge.  Thank you for the info.  One question, were you at Rail Fair 99?  Do you know this guy?

Yes, sure looks like me.

That was one great week.

Here's an oldie ...

and a newbie.

Marty Fitzhenry posted:

That was one great week.

Maybe from the visitors point of view, but after an excursion with UP 844, the next morning (she re-entered the Museum grounds late that night), she cracked a boiler tube and drained herself with steam and soot all over the concession booths. As a result, the UP Manager of Steam Operations, made the decision to withhold Challenger 3985 from the following days stem excursion, and was run with a couple of diesels. Not "fun times" for the UP Steam Crew.

CAPPilot posted:

K-Line AFT "Pie Car" #202

K-Line AFT "Bar Car" lounge #203

K-Line AFT "Office Car" hospitality car #204

CAPPilot: Very nice collection!

All: I am interested in the K-Line cars, not having seen that style of car in all my eBay wanderings or elsewhere.  My interest is not as an AFT collector but as a "kitbasher" wanting to adapt similar cars for my own evil purposes.  Though long and standard height, the carbody shape, lack of skirting and the window arrangements remind me of a Talgo product and I'd like to transform a batch into a set of "Cascades" cars (sans ludicrous control-cab car) to pull behind my gorgeous MTH FP59PHI.  The AFT cars are not only very collectible, they're also very pricey and I have no desire to butcher anything that falls into either or both categories.

Though MTH came out with a set of low-end cars to match their high-end locomotive, the cars are a real disappointment and just don't cut it.  If K-line used the same pattern for sets in other color schemes, I'd like to acquire a one, here or elsewhere.  This being the repository of all O Gauge knowledge worth knowing, I'm in good hands.  Thanking you in advance, I remain dazed and confused.

Rapid Transit Holmes posted:

CAPPilot posted:

K-Line AFT "Pie Car" #202

K-Line AFT "Bar Car" lounge #203

K-Line AFT "Office Car" hospitality car #204

CAPPilot: Very nice collection!

All: I am interested in the K-Line cars, not having seen that style of car in all my eBay wanderings or elsewhere.  My interest is not as an AFT collector but as a "kitbasher" wanting to adapt similar cars for my own evil purposes.  Though long and standard height, the carbody shape, lack of skirting and the window arrangements remind me of a Talgo product and I'd like to transform a batch into a set of "Cascades" cars (sans ludicrous control-cab car) to pull behind my gorgeous MTH FP59PHI.  The AFT cars are not only very collectible, they're also very pricey and I have no desire to butcher anything that falls into either or both categories.

Though MTH came out with a set of low-end cars to match their high-end locomotive, the cars are a real disappointment and just don't cut it.  If K-line used the same pattern for sets in other color schemes, I'd like to acquire a one, here or elsewhere.  This being the repository of all O Gauge knowledge worth knowing, I'm in good hands.  Thanking you in advance, I remain dazed and confused.

RTH,

First off, please do not mess with the K-Line "AFT crew cars" which are the three above plus "Sleeping Car" # 201.  K-Line made their 17 car set in three groups. Long story short, there were fewer of these four crew cars made than the rest of the set meaning anyone trying to complete the whole set will pay top dollar for these cars.  #205 was in a different group and there are plenty of those.

K-Line specifically made these unique cars for their AFT set and are based on Reading 72' coaches (#201 was actually an 85' Pullman sleeper but K-Line used the Reading car for it).  K-Line worked closely with the Museum of America's Freedom Trains to get these cars right.

K-Line used the same dies for some of their circus cars.  These cars are not scarce but can be hard to find but cheaper than the AFT cars.  Maybe they would be good candidates for your kit bash project.

Just curious, there was a comparison done showing that the Lionel display cars were not as wide as the k-line display cars. Is the same true for the entrance car and sound car and do they look ok with the k-line set or is the difference not that noticeable Thanks Bob

Ron,  Fear not!  I won't be messing with the K-Line's AFT or their circus cars.  After checking pricing, availability and adaptability, I can see that the circus cars are almost as scarce and almost pricey as the AFT cars.  Oh, well.  It was a thought.  Thanks for the information - its better to know.