Delaware and Hudson Railway

I have been playing around a bit with some D&H stuff over the last 4 years or so.  At first I just want to model the Laurentian after it was reequipped as streamliner in the late 1960's with second hand PA's and Rio Grand passenger cars (plus a mishmash of other cars).  I have PA's from Walther's early runs as well as three correct coaches from them.  I also ended up getting several books on the D&H and learned more about the overnight train the Montreal Limited and it's use of NYC/PC sleepers.  I started all of he cars below in the spring and have finally gotten around to finishing them as I needed a break from my 8-5 Pullman build as it is giving me some issues that I will talk about in a future posting.  Here is what I have built so far for my D&H passenger trains.

This is a fun car.  It was originally built for the Eire in the 1920's, the Erie later "streamlined" it and it became part of the EL in the merger. I believe 4 of these went to the D&H to fill the need for coaches. the model is an old Nickle Plate brass import from the 1970's.  It came as a two car set, the other car being an Eire milk car that was later sold the B&M, that will be another posting some time. 

Right up to the start of Amtrak, the D&H used at least two or three heavyweight baggage cars that were not painted in the new colors.  They would get painted later on for excursion service.  This model is a repainted 60' baggage from the Rivarossi series that Walthers distributed a few years ago.  It is not a perfect match, but it is a good stand in for the car. 

This is a New York Central 10-6 sleeper, these were in use right to the end of service in 1971 on the Montreal Limited.  The model is from Walthers. I painted and lettered.  It is not a perfect match to the NYC, I believe the window arrangement is off along the aisle side of the car.  

I believe this side is more correct!

This is a NYC Stream series 6db-Lounge car.  This would provide drinks and a light snack in the evening and coffee and a light breakfast in the morning.  These cars also would be used on the Laurentian as first class space during the day. The lounge would not be serving anything then as the D&H supplied a diner.  The model is a Union Station's styrene sides with the fluting overlay that I applied to a Walthers bud car as a core. This is the first time I have used a set of there sides and I will definitely be using them more in the future.  

Here is the other side of the car with the service door for the kitchen.

The Montreal Limited was a small train, often only four cars.

Much like the D&H, I went to see what I had sitting around that could be put back in service.  This is an Old Rivarossi 1930's coach that I have owned since I was a teenager. (Way back in the 1980s!) I think it makes a reasonable stand in for the AFC built cars that the D&H got from the EL, originally built for the DL&W.  (More alphabet soup).  The car had an interior so that is nice, the trucks however are really poor, so I took a pair of Walther's trucks that I had leftover from other projects and mounted them on the car.  It turned out pretty good. 

The last car is a Walther's coach that represents the cars from the Rio Grand. I have managed to pick up three of these over time so I am in good shape with coaches for the trains.  

I have a former Rio Grand RPO/Baggage brass car sides that I need to build and I need to go back to Union Station Products and order a set of diner sides.  That will complete the Laurentian.  I have the PA's, but they need detail wok to get them to look more D&H!