The Rock Island Line is a mighty good road. . .*

The Rock Island or Chicago Rock Island & Pacific (reporting marks: CRI&P / ROCK) started life in 1852 to link Chicago with Rock Island. The Rock Island adopted the all aluminum paint scheme for some of it's heavyweight passenger rolling stock to better match their lightweight rolling stock as these Wheels of Time cars will be. In 1927, the American Car & Foundry constructed nine heavyweight baggage-express cars numbered 4112-4120 with a follow-on order from RI in 1928 for ten more numbered 4121-4130. These cars had the classic lines of the arched roof with the Utility roof ventilators. The "star" by the car number signifies they were equipped for messenger service - facilities for the express agent working onboard. These cars were seen on many RI trains including jointly-operated trains -  such as the destination to the Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal via SP. Wheels of Time will roll out these heavyweight RI baggage-express cars. Multiple car numbers are offered in single and 2-car sets. Pre-Orders are due May 19th.

*The Rock Island Line is a mighty good road. The Rock Island Line is the road to ride… (the chorus from the name sake song - link sung by Johnny Cash)

NP's Mainstreeter

As I eluded to in my earlier post, the Mainstreeter (see photo link below) is Northern Pacific class act for it's secondary passenger train which consist of heavyweight and lightweight cars mixed together. A liberal amount of heavyweight headend cars seems to be common to this train.  NP's Mainstreeter began operation in November 1952 between Chicago and Seattle-Tacoma-Portland. It was really an incarnation of NP's The Alaskan but powered by EMD F-7 diesel locomotives instead of steam. By 1953, NP started to repaint it's  train in the Loewry two-tone green from it's Pine Tree color scheme. In 1964, the Mainstreeter (Train No.1 Westbound) left Chicago Union Station via partner CB&Q at 9:30 am on Sunday and arrived in Seattle at 6:20 am on Wed.  Train No. 2 (Eastbound) left Seattle at 8:30 pm Sunday and arrived in Chicago at 6:30 am on Wed. NP's North Coast Limited, it's first class train, beats the Mainstreeter in overall time by a day. in comparison, NP rival Great Northern's Western Star was an all streamlined train but on a slightly slower schedule than the Mainstreeter. Wheels of Time is pleased to bring you NP's heavyweight baggage-express cars in miniature for this train.  Don't forget Pre-orders due on May 19th - that is just around the corner.

Here is a photo of NP's Mainstreeter with all the heavyweight baggage-express cars on the headend.

Northern Pacific Railway baggage-express cars

The Northern Pacific Railway rostered a number of originally built all-steel heavyweight baggage cars for their passenger trains.  These steel cars were built by Pullman in 1924 which is different from the previous offering from Wheels of Time. They include the classic curve trim ends, Superior brake wheel, clerestory roof and wood doors - all painted in the striking streamlined Loewy Green.  If you are modeling the NP's Mainstreeter or any other local trains, these would fit perfectly your passenger train consist.  Multiple car numbers are offered in single and 2-car sets.  Pre-Orders are due May 19th.

More Heavyweight Car for The Dixie Line!

The Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway started life 1851, but was controlled by L&N for most of it's existence until the merged into L&N (1957).  Known as a bridge carrier through it's 735 mile route in the south - it was the original Dixie Line railway before L&N adopted the motto. NC&St.L field a variety of passenger trains with heavyweight & lightweight equipment mixed together like it's parent road L&N.  Classic named trains were:  The Dixie Flyer, Dixie Limited, The Dixieland, The Georgian (Nashville to Atlanta), City of Memphis (Nashville to Memphis). NC&St.L No. 960 heavyweight baggage-express car became L&N 1355 sometime after the merged into L&N. This 71'-8" as measured inside were lettered in script font - and in this manner over the baggage doors!  Perfect for your NC&St.L - L&N train. Wheels of Time is happy to present this classic Dixie Line car in N-scale.  Pre-orders due on May 19th.

The Old Reliable and The Dixie Line

The Louisville & Nashville Railroad - The Old Reliable and The Dixie Line (after NC&StL merge) -  served the southeast U.S.  L&N was a latecomer to the streamliner era. So here is your chance to run heavyweight baggage-express cars in your consist! L&N ran joint passenger trains with ACL, C&EI, PRR, SAL, SOU, Wabash to name a few - to bring passengers from the Chicago, Florida, New York markets. L&N heavyweight 70-ft baggage-express cars were built by Pressed Steel Car Company and weighed over 67 tons.  They had 125 of these cars in service by 1958. Some were built with clerestory roof and others were built originally with arched roof + Utility ventilators. Wheels of Time will roll out these N-scale L&N baggage-express cars: one with clerestory and one with arched roof in multiple car numbers. Pre-orders due on May 19th.