10-11-2011, 08:13 AM
I run passenger trains on the modular set ups where the layout is big enough to run a passenger trains with a full complement of 85 foot cars. I model the Santa Fe in the mid 1950's on the module club layout, so AmTrak is still almost 20 years away from my era. suspect that one reason that modern passenger paint schemes are hard to find is that Walthers has an exclusive licensing agreement with AmTrak to produce their paint schemes and reproduce their trains. Part of the evidience of that agreement is that Horizon does not normally let anyone else distribute Athearn trains, but when Athearn comes out with a model of a modern AmTrak passenger locomotive, those models are offered by Walthers as well as Athearn, and Athearn does not offer modern Amtrak passenger cars. If you want to make a modern AmTrak passenger train, you might use an appropriate Athearn locomotive, but your cars will be Walthers products. When Athearn does come out with a modern passenger train, it is invariably in the livery of some local commuter service, like the New Mexico Rail Runner or the Southern California Coaster out of San Diego.
The problem with Walther for the you guys modeling modern passenger service is that, like most manufacturers, they focus on limited runs of what ever their current production is. They have been producing classic trains in recent years starting with their models of the Santa Fe Super Chief. The latest models are the Santa Fe El Capitan high level cars, but when they focus on older passenger trains, they are not making modern passenger trains, or at least not coming out with new paint schemes on the more modern trains.
If I ever get caught up with my house and other projects around the house to allow me the free time to join the La Mesa club at the San Diego Model Railroad Museum, I will probably model the San Francisco Chief to run on Tehachapi when I go down to operate there, but so far I don't have the time to run down there, so I have not pursued that plan. y home layout will be a relatively small isl featuring the Los Angeles Junction Railway in Vernon, Ca. so there will be no passenger service on my home layout.
The problem with Walther for the you guys modeling modern passenger service is that, like most manufacturers, they focus on limited runs of what ever their current production is. They have been producing classic trains in recent years starting with their models of the Santa Fe Super Chief. The latest models are the Santa Fe El Capitan high level cars, but when they focus on older passenger trains, they are not making modern passenger trains, or at least not coming out with new paint schemes on the more modern trains.
If I ever get caught up with my house and other projects around the house to allow me the free time to join the La Mesa club at the San Diego Model Railroad Museum, I will probably model the San Francisco Chief to run on Tehachapi when I go down to operate there, but so far I don't have the time to run down there, so I have not pursued that plan. y home layout will be a relatively small isl featuring the Los Angeles Junction Railway in Vernon, Ca. so there will be no passenger service on my home layout.