Wow, never really paid attention to the KCS until recently stumbled across some older vintage pics and now am fascinated with their passenger paint schemes and E/F units and the fact they used Vandy tenders. I am everyday reminded of what my Dad always kept saying, to learn something new everyday.
Interesting tidbit, no one makes decals for their steam locomotives. I emailed K4 decals and they are now looking into making decals for them.
Years ago, Con Cor sold a special run set in a brown box with DL-109 power as well as individual cars.
Let me share a name synonymous with KCS transition era modeling; Nick/Nicholas Muff. He has the front section of an F-unit painted KCS in his layout room. He also a number of YouTube videos and articles on the subject. Enjoy, Bob Shaffer
Its founder, Arthur Edward Stilwell, railroader, promoter, author and communer with brownies (pixies), is also fun to read up on. He named Port Arthur, TX and Stilwell, OK after himself, and also founded the Kansas City, Mexico & Orient to build to Topolobompo, Mexico. His schtick was stretching a string on a globe. The closest port to Kansas City is... The closest Pacific port to Kansas City is... He must have been a silver-tongued devil. And yes, they had some interesting steam.
Ah yes! Very cool! My father used to ride the KCS Southern Belle out of Joplin, MO, back in the day. I remember seeing the white KCS Geeps working the yards in Joplin whilst visiting my grandparents in the 1970s. Nice railroad. I, too, happened upon the Con-Cor set that is mentioned above in the thread. It's nice...even though KCS never ran DL-109s, I think it's cool, so it goes on the layout! (That's rule #1 for your model railroad...if you like it, run it.) Good luck with your decals and future projects!
