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 The 20th Century Limited (Continued)
By John D'Angelo
Modeling the 20th Century Limited using Trainz
Modeling the 20th Century Limited using Trainz is possible, and there are a number of sources for locomotives and passenger cars, which I will illustrate next. In order to cover the full spread of locomotives, both freeware (FW) and payware (PW) locomotives will be included in addition to items available free from the Trainz Download Station (DLS).
4-6-0 #805 DLS Zorronov kuid:267178:1394; Tender:kuid:267178:1402
4-6-0 #807 DLS Zorronov kuid 267178:1413; Tender:kuid:267178:1414
4-6-2 K-11 Pacific FW; Steammachine.com
4-6-2 K5b Pacific PW $10; Virtual-Motive-Division.com
4-6-2 K3d DLS mcguirel kuid2:72938:100103; Tender:kuid:72938:100104
4-6-4 Hudson PW $8; PaulzTrainz
4-6-4 Dreyfuss PW $7; PaulzTrainz
4-8-4 Niagara PW $8; PaulTrainz
B&A; 4-6-2 #595 DLS mcguirel kuid:72938:100105 Tender:kuid 72938:100106
This 4-6-2 locomotive could be used to handle the section of the 20th Century Limited that ran between Boston and Albany.
E8 Diesel #4053 DLS Magicland kuid:58843:23
E8 Diesel #4096 DLS Magicland kuid:58843:27
Electric Transfer Locomotive Created using Trainz Paint Shed.
I made this faux NYC electric locomotive using Trainz Paint Shed because I could not find any NYC electric transfer locomotive models made for trainz. Hopefully someone will build a correct version.
[For many years the Central used its bi-polar T-motors for the New York – Harmon runs on the 20th Century Limited and commuter trains. Later on P-motors from the Cleveland Union Terminal were used and, in the Penn Central years FL9 3rd rail electric/diesel locos were used. Some FL9's are still in service under Metro North and were released in virtual form by Auran for Trainz Classics and now TS2010. – Ed.]
As far as the passenger cars for Trainz models of the 20th Century Limited go, there are a number of choices available. The 20th Century Limited originally had heavyweight Pullman Green Sleepers and then, when the Dreyfuss-designed Hudson went into service, gray smooth-sided cars were introduced.
A Wikipedia article lists a number of typical consists for the 20th Century Limited at different times in its history.
This will give you not only the type and amount of cars in a consist, but also the names and numbers of the cars used. I built two versions of trains, one using the Pullman Green sleepers and the other using the gray smooth-sided cars. Per the information from the Wikipedia article, the Pullman consist in 1938 was as follows:
- MP [Mail postal]
- CS [Combo Sleeper] “Van Twiller”
- PS [Pullman Sleeper] “Centacorra”
- PS [Pullman Sleeper] “Poplar Park”
- PS [Pullman Sleeper] “Poplar Highlands”
- PS [Pullman Sleeper] “Glen Anna”
- DA [Diner] “654”
- DA [Diner] “655”
- PS [Pullman Sleeper] “Poplar Grove”
- PS [Pullman Sleeper] “Macomb House”
- PS [Pullman Sleeper] “Pringle House”
- PSO [Pullman Sleeper/Observation] “Elkhart Valley”
I used brookdl and bendorsey's TOTC (Turn Of The Century) Nameable rolling stock to create the above listed full Pullman consist as seen below, being pulled by Paul Mace's [Paul's Trainz] payware 4-6-4 Hudson.
As you can see, the full consist results in a long passenger train. No wonder the New York Central needed that Hudson locomotive to pull it!
You can do a search of the nameable cars by searching for “TOTC” under the title. The cars were made for TRS2004, but will run with later issues of Trainz.
The next picture illustrates the 20th Century Limited at the end of its reign, being driven by a pair of NYC E8 diesel locomotives hauling grey striped cars. The rolling stock was created by Magicland and can still be downloaded from the DLS. Search under Magicland's kuid identification number of 58843. These items were created very early in Trainz (Trainz Service Pack 3) in May of 2003, so be sure to look through the earliest versions. If you look for kuid:58843:10021, that will be the baggage car, then choose “view pack” to bring up a menu allowing you to download all the passenger cars in the set with one download.
Although the 20th Century Limited and the 20th Century have ended, AMTRAK still has a train that follows the route of the 20th Century Limited to Chicago with the same connection from Boston. The train is named The Lake Shore Limited and it leaves from Pennsylvania Station instead of Grand Central Station, but it does travel up the beautiful Hudson River with the same evening schedule. You can still purchase a compartment and dine on the train, then have a nice sleep. My wife and I recently took the Lake Shore Limited to Chicago, where we transferred to the South West Chief, which took us to Santa Fe, New Mexico. We returned using the same trains, and the Hudson River is as beautiful as it was when I was a child. Even though that wonderful dining car ambiance of the original 20th Century Limited was not there any longer, the staff were great folks and we still enjoyed our trip.
Bon Voyage!
John
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Article and screen shots �2010 John D'Angelo. All rights reserved.
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