Early Piggyback Project 1953-1957

[Pacific Limited]

Here it is, my since “locked” thread on OGR I started back in 2015; I’ve since finished many cars and plan on sharing my progress.

I’m actually looking forward to sharing this effort since it’s cool stuff and has been a challenge to get done. Really my train has gotten way too long and I need to trim it down substantially.

Some recent shots of some of the cars in early TTX fashion … mid 50s with all those different trailers, ragtops, all that fun.

Early TOFC 1950s piggyback for forum discussion by Erik C Lindgren Fine Art, on Flickr


Early TOFC 1950s piggyback for forum discussion by Erik C Lindgren Fine Art, on Flickr

IMG_8629 by Erik C Lindgren Fine Art, on Flickr

[Pacific Limited]

All my content is still up on OGR, I was locked out of this thread maybe 2 years ago, I posted an update and returned to answer a question and found it locked. I asked for a release and was told you cannot unlock threads. It was wildly popular, And now I’m completely locked out of OGR so I can’t post updates until I get things figured out. I like OGR, I just at the moment can’t use it. I’m trying to fix that but it’s got to wait till after Christmas. Either way I want to keep this thread going so here it is. I can finally get some updates shared. Most of the 2 rail guys on OGR look here so I think they will like it!

Some pieces from my original post back in 2015:

TOFC (Trailer on Flat Car), Piggyback, Intermodal, whatever it may be called- this post is bits and pieces from other posts here in one spot. I will make it the next official project for me with high hopes of an ops session at the Rockymountain Train Show on March 7/8.

I do think am getting closer to pulling off that early block of TOFC Piggyback cars I've always wanted to do since I was kid. There is something about those 20'-35' piggyback trailers being pulled by steam and early diesel that makes it so unique.







The pioneers such as the North Shore in Chicagoland and Chicago Great Western paved the way for other roads such as the D&RGW in 1940 to begin using TOFC preceding PRR; it was the PRR that pioneered the intermodal unit train of today.

The first goal was to imitate the variety of trailers, length and height and style. This is western piggybacking not unlike the freight trains themselves. We have lost that today with all the unit and standardization. Character is one of the great highlights of early piggyback 1940's-mid-1950's.

[Pacific Limited]

I’ll start off with Custom decal work

There is almost a complete absence of western private carriers in decal form. I do a great deal of custom artwork for Key and DVP; its a natural to grab some reference and produce some western private carriers for the train.

Rio Grande Motorway Inc.
Ringsby Truck Lines of Denver
DC Denver Chicago Express

I use CS from Adobe all vector art and print on an ALPS or Kinkos where I don't need white or opacity.

[up148]

Nice thread Erik. Because of your truck and trailer modeling I bought some nice models...........still haven't done anything with them.......but I have them. Trucks and trains just seem to go together in that great era of transportation. Unfortunately, trucks took over and trains had to scramble for larger loads......but what a great era and you captured it magnificently.