I recently managed to purchase a beautiful n scale brass model of this car from a small manufacturer in Japan. This one "Skagit River" is part of the BNSF Business Fleet. There are a few of these types of cars on BNSF, UP et al. ..all with the large modified window on the end and apparently all modified from their original configuration. They are usually listed as "Track Inspection Cars" I have only seen them standing still. Can anyone tell me how they are used in a real world consist? Are they pushed like a cab car? In some of the consist photos that have been posted with the UP Challenger they seem to be pulled, but these are photos of heritage trains on special runs. I assume they are presently both pushed and pulled? Any info would be appreciated! Steve E.
From an article I read a few years back, I recall that these cars were place on the end of the train. The large picture window at the rear was for special guests (and railroad big-wigs) to view the receding tracks. Notice the row of lights over the window. You can't see it in your picture, but behind that picture window is "stadium" seating: several rows of chairs, each row higher than the last. The stepped side windows allowed viewing to the side and were stepped to match the rows of seating. If I remember correctly, the rest of the car had coach-type seating and possibly a lunch counter. Hope my poor memory helped a little. Anyone else have more info? Darrell, quiet...for now
By and large these cars would be at the rear end of a train and of course pulled. UP, BNSF, CSX, NS - basically every major railroad owns one or more cars of this type. They are usually called Theater Inspection cars or something like that - for the theater tiered seating. The trains are usually operated for management inspection, shippers specials or other reasons. UP, NS and CSX had dedicated locomotives for these trains as well. There additonally some similar cars used for technical inspection of track, usually combined with track geometry sensing equipment and in some cases hotbox simulators (to test hotbox detectors) these usually run in short trains with one locomotive and a support car or two. To see them - go to Youtube and search for BNSF inspection train, office car train, etc... You should find the UP, NS and CSX trains there too.
I havent seen, or know much about those.. But a clue that they were designed, or typically pulled as an observation car is the FRED.
Skagit River #87 does have sensory equipment so it is not just for observation. While there is a Fred, there are also 4 downward pointing spotlights. BNSF has several cars with "stadium" seating.
It appears like there are two configurations. First is an inspection train, with an instrument car and the theater car. The second is an Officer's Special, aka PARTY TRAIN! BNSF uses this to wine and dine VIP customers! :teeth: I've also seen this car on Cajon Pass for employee appreciation specials. http://railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=193999&nseq=1 http://railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=193923&nseq=2 http://railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=188336&nseq=4 http://railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=183487&nseq=9 http://railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=154589&nseq=16 http://railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=145476&nseq=17 http://railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=95413&nseq=25 http://railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=80918&nseq=28
Good question on the gray color...although I have to say that the livery still looks good. Here is a photo of this car in its former livery before the merger and before modification. I now have four of these cars and they sure look good as a consist. Steve E.
