Amtrak's Empire Builder, HO scale, CIRC layout

My HO scale Empire Builder train makes the rounds on the Central Iowa Railroad Club layout, still under construction as of August 15, 2008. Some areas have permanent scenery, some have temporary scenery for the fair, and others have no scenery at all.

This train represents approximately how the Empire Builder might of looked around 1974, inspired by research and some Pentrex videos I've watched here and there. The locomotives are Stewart F7s (still in need of some added details...) and the cars are by Walthers, except for the two baggage cars, which are by Athearn.

The first is equipped with a track cleaning pad that can be seen in this video. The second is my oldest surviving piece of Amtrak equipment, one I got at Woodcraft Hobby Store on Lake Street in Minneapolis, MN. That was 1985, and I was eight years old at the time...

All of the cars have received significant mechanical upgrades for reliable operation, and the locomotives are DCC equipped (no sound) and fitted with custom LED headlight arrangements where appropriate.

Check out the club's website at:

http://www.centraliowarailroad.com/

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Amtrak
• HO
• scale
• model
• railroad
• empire
• builder

[BlackWolfessUSCM]

That is an amazing setup. I'll have to post a video of my 7 Car Micro Empire Builder that BN Ran (Found a photo of it in a book) when I'm finished. I honestly Love Rainbow Era passenger trains. Their so colorful and rarely modeled in any scale.

[araquan]

@BlackWolfessUSCM You should see what the layout looks like now! And yeah, the rainbow era is fascinating. Since this train was filmed, more cars have been added to my Empire Builder pool- GN, BN, and IC diners; Amtrak and GN versions of the dome-lounge; BN, NP, and SP&S dome coaches (the latter still in orange and green, just like the real SP&S dome when it went to Amtrak); and even a MILW Super Dome. Plans for the future include a NP dome sleeper kitbash and GN (two schemes!) F units.

[Amtrak1194]

This is my favorite amtrak period

the early 70's

[araquan]

@Amtrak1194 It's an interesting period, to be sure. Since this was shot I've added more cars and alternate cars so I can vary the consist quite a bit now. My particular favorites are the SP&S dome coach (the real thing went to Amtrak still in the Builder scheme) and the small fleet of "Great" dome lounges I now have- BN, GN blue, Amtrak Ph. 1, GN blue with Amtrak over-lettering, etc.

[JIMBOSKI58]

Nice Amtrak, Phase I, "rainbow" consist.

[araquan]

@JIMBOSKI58 Thanks! I've got more cars now than what showed up in that video- additional alternate versions of the diner and lounges, sleepers, etc. I can mix it up even more than I could back then! :)

[wsp162]

Ditto the comments regarding the Amtrak "rainbow" period. My first passenger train rides were on the Empire Builder/North Coast Hiawatha out of Seattle in the early 1970's. Nicely done!

[BNforever2009]

nice train. i was born adn raised up in Chgo an d lived on the west side. I was 2 blocks north of the BN's famous racetrack. What made me not concentrate on my school work in grammar school was the BN trains just half a block down from the school and i could see them from the window. I remember seeing the different colors of the early Amtrak trains and those loud and fast E units. This was in the late 60's and early 70's. I was 7 yrs old in "70.

[justkiddin08]

Nice video!!

[skinnyshit8888]

Good one!