Large Scale Central

B&O Streamliner

General Discussion
#1

Hey gang,

I’m a stickler for accuracy. I own the b&O ABA Anniversary set. Due to rarity and price, I’ve been unable to assemble a complete LGB B&O streamline passenger set. I model the Western Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh) region. I’ve done research, but I can’t find any indication the B&O ever ran with any streamline passenger cars except those that flew the B&O name. I know the B&O was in competition for passenger traffic with PRR and NYC, but PRR & NYC LGB streamliners are far more common and easier to acquire. Would this be a fauxpas to run a B&O ABA with PRR or NYC streamline passenger cars?

#2

Can’t you paint a PRR or NYC in blue/grey and add new decals? It’s not that hard.

#3

Hello Jay

I agree with Pete if you can’t find one, sometimes they don’t make them, you will have to make it yourself. you could always alter history a bit and your RR could have a “what if” moment where you could run a PRR or NYC with your B+O.

Happy RRing

#4

There is a set on ebay right now.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LGB-Baltimore-and-Ohio-3-car-set-LNIB-former-Display-items-/291365970692?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item43d6c3e304

#5

I saw that set, and they rarely come up (that’s what spurred my question) but I can’t easy shell out $1300 so I’m considering other options. Thanks for the feedback!

#6

The prollem with the LGB F unit’s is they are too large to use with USA streamliners. (In MHO).

I had a set of the Santa Fe’s and sold them off because they just didn’t look right to me.

I can’t say how Aristo’s would look behind the set, having not seen them.

#7

Very complicated!! You can envision a Columbian and a Cincinnatian, as a streamline consist, but after the pictures were taken, all the cars got mixed up. There are lots of pictures available of heavyweights that got a "streamlining " treatment, even welded sides. (Most would scare the cat.) The B&O ran a mixed bag of cars on every train, except for the sadly short-lived Daylight Speedliner.

The Detroit section of a train was sometimes pulled by a NYC loco, but I forgot the name of that train. The B&O and the NYC negotiated a merger @ 1961, but it did not happen. As a youngster, I can remember different road-name cars in consists leaving the D.C. Union Station, but again, I can not recall the names. I do know that the B&O bought some streamline/smoothside cars from the Central and the C&O, that probably ran for a short time before being repainted, and that the Shenandoah carried a Santa Fe sleeper. I have a load of old pictures, so I’ll do some research

#8

Very complicated!! You can envision a Columbian and a Cincinnatian, as a streamline consist, but after the pictures were taken, all the cars got mixed up. There are lots of pictures available of heavyweights that got a "streamlining " treatment, even welded sides. (Most would scare the cat.) The B&O ran a mixed bag of cars on every train, except for the sadly short-lived Daylight Speedliner.

The Detroit section of a train was sometimes pulled by a NYC loco, but I forgot the name of that train. The B&O and the NYC negotiated a merger @ 1961, but it did not happen. As a youngster, I can remember different road-name cars in consists leaving the D.C. Union Station, but again, I can not recall the names. I do know that the B&O bought some streamline/smoothside cars from the Central and the C&O, that probably ran for a short time before being repainted, and that the Shenandoah carried a Santa Fe sleeper. I have a load of old pictures, so I’ll do some research

#9

As I mentioned earlier, I have both sets of B&O streamliners and heavyweights by Aristo that i pull behind the B&O LGB ABA set. They both look good in my view, as the LGB locos seem to be closer to 1:29 than 1:22.5 in scale, perhaps 1:24. I also have a USA B&O ABA loco set that I run as well. I don’t see much difference between the locos, other than the LGB’s are a bit wider. I did install Kadees on all the cars in order to pull them up closer together in order to look better. I agree with Pete and Todd. Painting other versions might be your best option if the eBay offering is too expensive for you. Actually, they do seem a bit pricy, even as collectibles. But collectible items are what they are.

#10

I wasn’t aware of what Ed shared either. But it does give you a little more latitude in what you pull behind the LGB’s and still be prototypical. May make things easier for you too.

#11

Jay, unfortunately you are caught between “being a stickler” and “not wanting to spend a lot of money”…

If you are really a stickler, man up and raid the cookie jar ha ha!

All in fun.

Greg

#12

Jay

I agree with what the others suggested on a repaint. I do know that if you decide to run PRR or NYC cars in the B&O consist that you certainly do not want a dome car as neither RR ever owned one due to catenary clearance issues. To the best of my knowledge the only N.E. RR that had domes was the B&O.

You could get away with running Amtrak in the mix of your gonna go post 1971 era. That I have seen on the Capitol Limited.

#13

Great info David, I never knew that about the dome cars.

#14

Rich Niemeyer said:

As I mentioned earlier, I have both sets of B&O streamliners and heavyweights by Aristo that i pull behind the B&O LGB ABA set. They both look good in my view, as the LGB locos seem to be closer to 1:29 than 1:22.5 in scale, perhaps 1:24. I also have a USA B&O ABA loco set that I run as well. I don’t see much difference between the locos, other than the LGB’s are a bit wider. I did install Kadees on all the cars in order to pull them up closer together in order to look better. I agree with Pete and Todd. Painting other versions might be your best option if the eBay offering is too expensive for you. Actually, they do seem a bit pricy, even as collectibles. But collectible items are what they are.

If I recall my history correctly, the LGB Streamliners were close to 1:27. I could be wrong, HJ keeps a list. :slight_smile:

#15

I model the period 1930-1950. What’s more accurate; streamline or heavyweight? Can they be combined and still be accurate? LGB made passenger coaches for many American railroads (besides the streamline series). What time period these best represent, 1870s-1900s? When were they phased out? (LGB #3280, 3281, 32843 for example).

#16

Streamline cars were introduced shortly after (or about the same time) as streamline diesels, in the 1930’s. So either heavyweights or streamliners would be appropriate for that time frame. Many films of trains during WWII showed heavyweight cars, and they remained in service years later.

The wooden passenger cars would be late 19th century cars, since wooden cars were eventually banned from mainline railroads for passenger safety reasons in the early 1900’s.

#17

Steve Featherkile said:

If I recall my history correctly, the LGB Streamliners were close to 1:27. I could be wrong, HJ keeps a list. :slight_smile:

I believe you are real close Steve …I don’t own any streamliners but I do have their Amfleet cars and I scaled them out somewhere between 1:26 and 1:27 however the Amfleet cars are still to short like many of the models manufactured but I personally could care less. Actually I consider the LGB cars smoothsides and not streamliners but they are basically the same category IMO.

#18

David Russell said:

Jay

I agree with what the others suggested on a repaint. I do know that if you decide to run PRR or NYC cars in the B&O consist that you certainly do not want a dome car as neither RR ever owned one due to catenary clearance issues. To the best of my knowledge the only N.E. RR that had domes was the B&O.

You could get away with running Amtrak in the mix of your gonna go post 1971 era. That I have seen on the Capitol Limited.

In my best Darth Vader voice

Dave, there was another… Dome car in the NE

(http://www.trainweb.org/dhvm/images/dhrr_passenger/Raymond-Dumas/36-02.jpg)

#19

Mark,

In my best emperor of the dark side voice.

“Do your homework Mark and you will search out to find this car was leased from the CP”

http://railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=39323

#20

Owned vs leased, still had them in service on the NE line from NYC to Montreal there Johnny rivet counter, Don’t recall them electric lines on the D&H only a few tunnels, then again I don’t model before the 60’s and all their power at that time was going diesel