I want to model (HO) some SP passenger trains and can't find out what would be correct for the mid 50's. I am thinking that both steam and diesel would have been used, but what about the cars? Would they be heavy weight or streamline? Would both be used in that period? Would they ever have been mixed in the same consist? Kent
By the mid 1950's most of the heavyweight cars on the Espee were about only used on mail trains and local passenger trains. A few heavyweight cars were rebuilt and painted in any of three paint schemes. 1.Dark Olive with a black roof and Delux Gold lettering 2. Daylight 3. Lark/Cascade Two Tone Grey By the early 1960's the cars were being painted in the simulated stainless steel scheme with all head end equipment painted in Southern Pacific Dark Grey with white lettering. The pullman cars can be some of the Walthers passenger cars. 4-4-2, 6-6-4, 10-6 pullmans As for coaches Union Station Products has some coaches in the SP listing that would be OK. Just have to build and paint them. Trains such as the Daylight Trains the Cascade, Lark and City of SF would all have the most up to date equipment as these were premier trains. The Sunset Limited had equipment only for use on that train until about the mid 1960's
I believe the Argonaut, the secondary train on the Sunset Route to New Orleans, remained mostly heavyweight until it was discontinued in 1961. By the late 50s the head end equipment on many trains was a mixed lot of heavyweight and lightweight cars. I have a photo of the Sunset Limited with heavyweight baggage.
