I'm new to model rr's and just bought the Bachmann Class J...I'm wondering about passenger cars. My LHS doesn't carry very much N&W stuff and I don't know enough yet to feel confident about ordering them without seeing them. I want the layout to be set in the 40's or 50's and want the passenger cars to match that era. What kind of cars would have been used and are they available for purchase (N Scale). I'll try to paint some if I can find the right style. There are 85' listed in Walthers, but these seem more modern...maybe?
N&W had heavyweights and smooth side cars in that era. A major problem right now is that Microscale has discontinued their N scale N&W passenger car decals - and nobody else makes them. You may find a set still in stock at a hobby shop, but without these you are up the creek without a paddle so to speak at the moment.
TLC has a pretty good book out on Norfolk & Western passenger service in the postwar era up to the creation of Amtrak. I don't know if it's still in print, however.
Some info off the top of my head: Smoothside: Kato Diner - pretty close to N&W diner used on Powhatan Arrow. Kato Observation - good stand in for Powhatan Arrow observation. Kato or Concor coach - stand ins for N&W coaches. The Smoothside Rivarossi pullman or the same coming from Walthers will stand in for the N&W versions nicely. N&W did not own any lightweight baggage or other lightweight headend cars prior to 1964. Heavyweight: Rivarossi Coach, Diner, Pullman, and Full Baggage are all close to N&W cars. Lima (Model Power) coach works too. Hellsgate makes a PRR B60 kit which is a design shared by N&W, except N&W used square windows on the doors. They also make an RPO whcih could be used on N&W. http://dougnelson.home.mindspring.com/HellGate/headend.htm This site is a good reference for N scale passenger cars: http://www.trainweb.org/fredatsf I also recommend you get the N&W Hand Book (available from the N&W Historical Society) http://www.nwhs.org/about_nw.html#nw_wilwal http://www.nwhs.org
