1948 Freedom Train

Carl Sowell Feb 18, 2021

  1. Carl Sowell

    Carl Sowell TrainBoard Supporter

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    I would have been 8 years old and this train did not come through El Paso as I can remember. So, 15 years ago I got a wild hair and made my own. Cars are Rivarrosi with MT trucks added and the loco is a LL shell that I placed on a Kato power chassis. Guess what, it runs just like a Kato, oh so smooth. I painted, decaled the entire train. It has a DN163KOA. I forgot to turn on headlight for the vid.. Here is a short YT video of it in action today:



    Thanks for looking!!

    Be well,
    Carl
     
  2. Kurt Moose

    Kurt Moose TrainBoard Member

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    Very nice! (y)

    Great layout too, btw!;)
     
  3. SLSF Freak

    SLSF Freak Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Great lookin' train!!!

    -Mike
     
  4. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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  5. SF Chief

    SF Chief TrainBoard Member

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    Really interesting article on the Freedom Train. Thanks. Rick
     
  6. BNSF FAN

    BNSF FAN TrainBoard Supporter

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    Awesome Carl! (y)(y)(y)
     
  7. r_i_straw

    r_i_straw Mostly N Scale Staff Member

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    Come get your train. It somehow got lost and made it over here.
    [​IMG]
     
  8. Carl Sowell

    Carl Sowell TrainBoard Supporter

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    I have seen that before Russ. Very nice!
     
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  9. Massey

    Massey TrainBoard Member

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    Curious to know what happened to the engine of that train. I'm pretty sure the cars were eventually scrapped, but that engine and any surviving cars should be in a museum somewhere.
     
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  10. JMaurer1

    JMaurer1 TrainBoard Member

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  11. JMaurer1

    JMaurer1 TrainBoard Member

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    ALCO put the well-traveled PA through a complete mechanical remanufacture at the place of its birth in Schenectady, then sold it with a new-locomotive guarantee to the Gulf. Mobile and Ohio Railroad. It became GM&O locomotive number 292.

    As it departed ALCO's plant for the second time, it carried a brass plaque ahead of the cab door on each side to remember its unique place in history. With those commemorative plaques in place, the once-revered locomotive served the railroad on the Rebel passenger train in GM&O standard maroon and orange livery until its retirement in the 1960's as just another old diesel.

    There are no indications that any young girl ever again planted a kiss on the engine's flanks. Unfortunately, no one came forward to save the engine from the scrapper's torch. Only one of the Freedom Train's original cars exists today -- at the Galveston Island Railroad Museum.

    https://www.freedomtrain.org/freedom-train-story-09-epilogue-01.htm
     
  12. Doug Gosha

    Doug Gosha TrainBoard Member

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    Looks great and so do the layouts.

    Doug
     
  13. oa5599

    oa5599 TrainBoard Member

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    Beautiful train and amazing scenery! Love it.
     
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  14. Massey

    Massey TrainBoard Member

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    Things like this is what makes me proud to be an American... Unfortunately these things do not happen any more. We are too caught up in the celebrity, social and sexual BS going on that I am actually embarrassed to be an American. We need to get away from that BS and get back to how things were done in the 40's and 50's The war is only part of what made that generation great, what their Children did was pretty awesome too, they put men in space and landed them on the moon. Now their grand children, and great grandchildren has brought us this mess we are in now. I think I was born in the wrong era...
     
  15. mtntrainman

    mtntrainman TrainBoard Supporter

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    Visiting your clubs layout @ the fairgrounds in Las Cruces NM is definately on my 'bucket list'. (y)
     
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  16. Onizukachan

    Onizukachan TrainBoard Supporter

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  17. Onizukachan

    Onizukachan TrainBoard Supporter

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    You should. Nice folks, great layout.
    Edit. Great folks Great layout.

    So Carl, Reckon someone needs to do the Preamble Express since you have the 47 AFT covered.

    https://www.freedomtrain.org/preamble-express-consist-main.htm
     
    Last edited: Feb 19, 2021
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  18. Carl Sowell

    Carl Sowell TrainBoard Supporter

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    Thanks for the kind comments, Richard.

    As a reminder to anyone, we are at the layout the 3rd Saturday of each month. We have a very short meeting starting at 10:00am and then run trains from 10:30 until 2 or 3. All are welcome to come by, we wear masks and there are only 6 of us. I would suggest you call Fifer Hobby to make sure we are going to operate that day.

    Be well,
    Carl

    BTW Richard that Preamble Express is tweaking my brain. Oops, smell the sawdust burning?
     
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  19. Onizukachan

    Onizukachan TrainBoard Supporter

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    Yep. And Kato has the 951 in UP colors.

    I don’t have the painting skills, but I still might try to cobble together a Preamble. But I have a bunch of TTRAK modules to get operational before I can spend money on more rolling stock.
     
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  20. Carl Sowell

    Carl Sowell TrainBoard Supporter

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    Richard, you have too many modeling skills, to say that. Painting with an air brush is a a piece of cake. BTW, the modules are looking great!

    I have a Kato E8 but it is in SP daylight colors and I don't want to sacrifice it. Tempting though !

    Be well,
    Carl
     
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