Well, kids... An idea that I floated around for my project layout was to have a tourist train operation included on the layout (as I had the passenger depot), but had to abandon it as time and money ran out leading up to the 2011 Relay For Life. However... Since I have another ten months, or so, to finish the project, I am seriously thinking of adding the tourist operation. Not only to give the winner more equipment to play with, but becasue it would be a rolling tribute to Minnesota history. There actually WAS a Northern Pacific train named "The Gopher," that ran from the Twin Cities to the "Twin Ports" of Duluth (MN) and Superior (WI). Mine, however, will be painted in the Great Northern "Empire Builder" scheme (as a tribute to J. J. Hill) with each car named for prominant Minnesotans. This is what I'm thinking... * Locomotive - James J. Hill: The "Empire Builder" himself. A fitting name to lead the train. * RPO - Luther Preston: My hometown of Preston, MN was named after Luther, who was a Millwright and the first postmaster in town. * Coach - Henry H. Sibley: First State Governor of Minnesota. * Diner - John S. Pilsbury: Founder of the Pilsbury Company and the 8th Governor of Minnesota. * Coach - Alexandar Ramsey: First Territorial Goveronor and Second State Governor of Minnesota. * Observation - Fr. Louis Hennipan: Fransciscan Priest who exlpored the "new world," including Minnesota. Many landmarks in Minneapolis bear his name. A five-car passenger train is the perfect size, but if I decide to add one more car, it would be another coach named "Josiah Snelling," who was the Army Colonel who designed Fort Snelling, the first permanent settlement in Minnesota. I want the cars to be heavyweights, but I haven't decided on a locomotive. Either a GP-9, like the Osceola & St. Croix Valley Railway, or... being the ALCohaulic that I am, I'm thinking possibly an FA. (I would be willing to also consider either an E or F unit as well, but I'm really leaning towards the FA.) What do you guys think? Any suggestions on the equipment? I'm thinking Athearn Heavyweights, but would you reccomend anything different? Does anyone have a Life-Like FA (or heavyweight cars) they'd be willing to part with for a decent price (or donation)? And, the big question out there... if I supply the paint and decal material, would they be willing to custom paint the train for me? Just wondering. Just a thought for now, but I seriously want to do this. Any comments or suggestions are welcome.
I would go for the FA as well, as I am very partial to Alco cab units. They are gorgeous with the right paint scheme (like the glorious old 1950s CNR green-yellow-and-black passenger scheme). As it happens, there are a lot of former CNR FPA2s and FPA4s running on tourist railroads down in the USA.
Komachi, I think you names sound great! Very plausible. Where in MN are you at? I'm a little overbooked right now, but I might be able to help with the painting after you have the engine picked out.
Mike, Those classic Art Deco lines are also what appeal to me about the ALCio. hood units, especially the grille around the headlight. I was considering doing a Maroon and Gold (the Minnesota "state colors") paint scheme that was along the lines of the D&H or Pennsylvania's schemes, but I think the "Empire Builder" Orange and Green would be a better fit and a fitting tribute to Hill (who resided in St. Paul for much of his life).
I appreciate the offer!!! I thought long and hard about xhich names I wanted to use on the cars, and felt those "founding fathers" and businessmen of Minnesota would be the best ones to represent Minnesota's history. Also, as I noted above, I originally wanted to paint the train in Maroon and Gold, our state colors, but I thought that the Great Northern's "Empire Builder" Orange and Green would be a better fit and would also be a nod to James Jerome Hill's legacy. I also seriously thought of naming the locomotive the William Crooks, after the first locomotive that ran in Minnesota (and was Mr. Hill's personal locomotive), but decided Hill's name was more appropriate, given how he grew a little railroad line that ran from St. Paul to St. Anthony Falls (Minneapolis) into a broad-reaching transcontental railroad. (Not to mention the others that were eventually included in the "Hill Family Lines...")
Oh... Almost forgot to mention, I'm in Preston, a small town near the Iowa Border and about 30 miles south, southeast of Rochester.
