Brickworld Chicago Bound

Well, not me anyway. My New Haven Coach-Smoker is finally lettered up and on the way to Illinois to join a New Haven passenger consist. I look forward to seeing photos of the full train. I must say the New Haven heralds over the trucks seem a tad small for 1:48...

Canadian National MB-63-A Mail Express 7810

The class of MB-63-A lightweight mail express cars were Canadian built with half destined for service on US Subsidiaries. The 15' Mail Apartment was specially fitted to meet the requirements of the US Postal Service. CN 7810 was a signature car of Train 16/17 running between Portland, Maine and Montreal, Quebec and the postal contracts it served were a large if not majority source of the revenue for its run. Unlike the other cars I've built. This one retains the pre-1954 single tone green. While the car did eventually receive the sharp 3-tone scheme, it wasn't until after the line had been dieselized. Also of note in this class is Central Vermont 35, which I'd partially built once before. There's some minor differences including the single window in the mail apartment, 3 vs 4 windows on the large doors, and some underside details. All lettering on this one is printed by Tommy Armstrong. With that my cars for Train 16/17 are done AND Brickfair, NE D-28.

Canadian National PB-79-A Air-conditioned Coach-Smoker

Second in a series of lightweight coaches built by CC&F in 1954, these cars quickly became signature cars of the Central Vermont Ambassador and Grand Trunk (New England) Train 16/17. Needs more accurate trucks than the Osgood-Bradley stand-ins, but otherwise ready for build. Full interior and underside.