Train models with (near) prototypical cars and consists

 

It is usually difficult to accurately model a passenger train with off-the-shelf cars or components without some re-decaling custom modeling.  I have, however, tried to model several trains staying as close as I can to the prototype using factory made cars, kits, brass car sides and decaling.  I end up with a variety of different manufacturers and kits, but that is the fun of modeling whole trains.  Beautiful examples of car-by-car prototype train modeling in N scale are featured in many issues of the magazine N scale Railroading.  Published modelers set excellent examples of detailing and scratchbuilding that I have not attained.  I will add to this set of trains as I complete them. I have a page of notes on the coupler changes I make to get passenger cars of various brands to couple together.

 

 Amtrak’s Empire Builder Portland connection, mid-late 1990s

 Burlington Pioneer Zephyr, 1934-1960

 Burlington Silver Streak Zephyr, 1940-1950s

 Burlington Twin Cities Zephyr, 1947-1970

 California Zephyr, 1948-1952, Con-cor cars

 California Zephyr, 1948-1952, Kato cars

 California Zephyr, 1952-1964, Con-cor cars

 California Zephyr, 1964-1970, Kato cars

 Chesapeake & Ohio’s George Washington, 1950-c1968

 Chicago & North Western’s commuter trains, 1960-1974

 Chicago & North Western’s Flambeau 400, 1958-1971

 Chicago & North Western’s Twin Cities 400, 1939-1963

 City of Las Vegas Aerotrain, December 1956-September 1957

 City of Las Vegas, 1957-1967

 City of Salina, M10000 articulated train, 1936-1941

 City of San Francisco, 1941-1949

 City of St. Louis, 1958-1969

 Denver and Rio Grande Western’s Royal Gorge, c1965-1967

 Freedom Train, 1947-1949.  Prototype info.

 Golden State (SP and RI), about 1950- about 1954

 Great Northern “Baby streamliner”, 1947-1952

 Great Northern’s heavyweight Empire Builder, 1929-c1939

 Great Northern’s Empire Builder, 1947-1951

 Great Northern’s Empire Builder, 1951-1955

 Great Northern’s Empire Builder, 1955-1967

 Great Northern’s Red River, 1950-1967

 Kansas City Southern trains #9 and 10, 1957-1968

 Northern Pacific North Coast Limited, 1954-1967

 Pennsylvania’s Admiral, 1941-c1949

 Pennsylvania’s Admiral, c1950-c1955

 Pennsylvania’s Broadway Limited, 1949-1967, first string (Kato) cars

 Pennsylvania’s Broadway Limited, 1949-1967, second string (non Kato) cars

 Pennsylvania’s “clocker”, 1936-1950s

 Pennsylvania’s Congressional, c1943-1952

 Rock Island’s Corn Belt Rocket 1947-1960s

 Santa Fe’s El Capitan, 1946-c1953

 Santa Fe’s El Capitan, 1953-1956

 Santa Fe’s high-level El Capitan, 1956-1960s

 Santa Fe RDC trains 80-83 (surf line, LA to San Diego), 1952-1955

 Santa Fe RDC trains 311-312 (Newton to Dodge KS), 1956-1968

 Santa Fe’s Scout, 1936-1948

 First lightweight Santa Fe Super Chief, 1937-1947

 Second lightweight Santa Fe Super Chief, 1938-1947

 Santa Fe Super Chief, 1951-1953, kit cars

 Santa Fe Super Chief, 1951-1954, Kato set

 Santa Fe’s Texas Chief, 1950-1960s

 Santa Fe’s West Texas express, 1955-c1970

 Santa Fe’s Valley Flyer, 1939-1940

 Southern Pacific commuter train (San Francisco peninsula), 1946-1956

 Southern Pacific commuter train, 1956-1960s

 Southern Pacific Morning Daylight, 1940-1954, Kato set

 Southern Pacific Morning Daylight, 1940-1954, brass cars

 Southern Pacific Shasta Daylight, 1949-1955

 Troop train #1, 1942-1947

 Troop train #2, 1944-1947

 

Trains with mostly non-prototypical “stand-in” cars

 Norfolk and Western’s Powhatan Arrow, 1949-1958

 Rock Island’s Rocky Mountain Rocket 1939-c1954