I started in O scale with an interest in the Milwaukee Road and Great Northern "lines west" electric operations. This led me to learn about the Great Northern's
Fast Mail, which was the primary mail train between Chicago and Seattle. At some point Pete mentioned that the Santa Fe also had a
Fast Mail, which was the equivalent train between Chicago and Los Angeles. Years went by and modeling interests expanded, such that I one day found myself in possession of enough Santa head-end equipment to imagine putting together a decent ATSF
Fast Mail. A lot of mail storage cars are needed, for which a mix of baggage cars and express boxcars will fill the bill. Beyond that, two cars are essential: an RPO (at least one) and a rider car. Those landed on the interchange track not too long ago. So here at last is the first revenue run of the consist:
https://dl.dropbox.com/scl/fi/bwif8gnizbk47xp71gcsd/On-the-Highline.jpg?rlkey=o8g6svf9n3yx48qyl4tg2cpqsThe maiden run started out with eighteen cars behind the big 4-8-4, but three refused to cooperate and were set out. These three plus additional cars will all eventually be brought into service, which will bring the train length to over twenty. Not bad for O-scale, perhaps, but I have read that at one point the
Fast Mail time-table showed thirty-three cars regularly in the consist, at least for part of the journey.
More later
Jim
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… no biggie in n scale, HO gets a little tuff, 1/4 scale? And run em 65mph?
