ModelRailroadForums.com is a free
Model Railroad Discussion Forum and
photo gallery. We cover all scales and sizes of model railroads. Online since 2002, it's one of the oldest and largest model railroad forums on the web. Whether you're a master model railroader or just getting started, you'll find something of interest here.
Anybody know when the last steam was run on the GN Empire Builder? Even just the year would be nice. I am assuming that only the early all green cars were pulled by the S1 and S2 class Northerns, or did they get to pull some of the Empire Builder color cars before they got bumped by the diesels? Thanks Mike
The diesel powered Empire Builder was introduced in 1947. This is when the Green & Orange paint scheme first showed up. Thats not to say that steam never worked on the EB after that, but it was not very likely.
Dan
The streamliner was exclusively diesel powered, unless as Josh states, there had to be a rescue. The E units lasted only a short while for the flatter segments of the run. They were fast enough but could not handle the mountains, and were quickly replaced by F units. More traction motors per engine!
As to your original question, the
Heavyweight EB, whose cars were later used in the Oriental Limited was typically pulled by the P-2 mountains and S-2 Northerns. The S-1's were used more in freight service, but they did turn up in passenger trains.
Where the heavyweights all green, or green/orange EB colors? Athearn makes a nice heavy weight train in the EB colors, but if its not correct for steam, I wont get it. Thanks Mike
Well if you're looking for accurate cars, the only ones there are were done in brass by Oriental Limited some years ago. That train should be Pullman green...no orange & green heavyweights were in sevice until well after the 1947 train went into service, and the original heavyweight EB was before 1947. I happen to have the heavyweight EB brass cars here at the moment, doing a little debugging for a friend and adding diaphragms to the cars. It's a pretty train. You could do a heavyweight EB with stand ins, and I can probably put you togehter a list of what to buy, but you'll be doing some painting & lettering, and you'll have to get the Champ heavyweight EB decals. Let me know if you're interested.
I figured this much, maybe after the first of the year. Another GN question for you Alan, did any of the S1 class Northerns get the glacier park colors, or did they remain black with a graphite smoke box thru thier lives. I have a late 50's early 60's Tenshodo factory painted one, black version, and the paint is getting tired. I was going to have it stripped and re painted professionaly and debated have it done in the glacier park colors instead of the plain black, unless its not correct. Mike
Not sure! I'll have to ask one of my friends who is the real GN expert, though most photos I have seen of S-1's show them in black/graphite. The S-2's are the ones that got the Glacier Park scheme. I'll look into this (it may take a few days) or you could go over to Yahoo and join the Great Northern list. There are plenty of folks there who will know, though some of the Yahoo discussion groups can be snarky at times. You may get told to "buy this book" but they'll probably also answer your question
Not to say there were no S-1s in GP scheme. The GN used it liberally. In fact I'm getting ready to do a GN mike for a customer in it, but for what a custom painter will charge you to do it, you'll want the scheme to be correct!
The cost to paint it wasnt to bad, the gentlman I use is very reasonable price wise. But if it didnt really happen, then I dont want to waste the money, I will just leave it be for now. I touched up the nicks and scratches so it doesnt look to bad now. Runs good for an old open frame motor. Weighs a ton and pulls like an ox. Thanks for the info. Mike
Mike,
In the Morning Sun book "Great Northern, Steam & Electric in Color" by David H. Hickcox, there is a photo showing S1 #2555 at the Hillyard shops in October 1951 in fresh "Glacier Park" colors.
Dan
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a commision from some of the links and ads shown on this website
(Learn More Here)
