Passengers in passenger cars, yes or no

Heath

New Member
Hi folks,
Just thought I'd get some opinions on if anyone is putting passengers in their passenger cars.
I have the Preiser seated passenger people and was wondering about putting them in my cars.
Then the other question is alot or just a few.
Was concerned that maintenance by lifting off the car turning it over they might fall about on the inside, take off the roof, risk scratching the paint when/if that happens, etc....
Passengers YES or NO
Passengers MANY or FEW
Thanks for your input,
Heath
 

eightyeightfan1

Now I'm AMP'd
I do. Just like drivers in our scale road vehicles, I feel that I need something(or someone) in the seats, to bring life to the railroad. Especially if the "varnish" has clear windows, and an interior.
As far as the Preiser sitting figures, I think you're gonna find that their little scale feet, aren't gonna fit between the seats. You're gonna have to trim the legs off. You could also use standing figures, by cutting the bodies off at the waist.
Super glue works good for keeping the LPB's butts(or, when you standing figures, what left of them) in thier seats.
 

Russ Bellinis

Active Member
I use pike stuff coach seats either as built for coaches or modify them to make lounge seats. I also have the undecorated Prieser seated people set, and paint them and glue them in place. I make sure to remove any paint I've applied to the seat cushion and the seat of the figure, and then I use either Testor's plastic cement or other lacquer based solvent glue to glue the figures in. Since my main passenger train is the Santa Fe Super Chief, I haven't used any of the pike stuff seats without modification, There were no coaches on the Super Chief in 1955.
 
We have a station built by Lynn Austin on the Tule Springs & Western that has a rotating platform, the joints are so well fitted that they can't be seen.
The Platform is full of people, baggage, & some freight. When we have small children visiting we pull a train into the station, blocking their view of the platform . Then , without the kids noticing the, control is activated & the platform rotates to the empty side , we pull the train out-- everybody & everything is gone to their amezment. We tell them "Well they got on the train & left".
Thats how we get people in OUR passenger cars :wave:
 

60103

Pooh Bah
You may find that scale people for your scale don't fit in your passenger cars, especially dome cars. This is because the material is so much thicker than scale. You may want to look for people in the next scale down -- for HO use TT (if you can find them).
And you will find that moulded seats are often too low and you have to amputate lower extremities. (you may find a use for these elsewhere: sticking out from under a car, washing up on a beach...) (apologies for that last :eek: )
 
Yes, add 'em - I've seen more than a few pics in the model RR mags with gleaming name trains totally empty - it's kind of a letdown.
As to how many passengers to add - let history and your prototype (if you have one) be the guide; are you modelling the heyday of the passenger train, or a modern commuter train? If so, fill 'em up. On the other hand, maybe you model the 50's and/or 60's and want to reflect the decline in ridership leading to the end or private railroad passenger trains (this will save you some $$$ in LPP); the same will work for a fledgling Amtrak heritage fleet, or even in an older setting, a single combine with a crew that outnumbers the passengers.
 

Heath

New Member
Thanks for all your input everybody,
The passengers will be placed in the passenger cars in my steam excursion.
I'm trying to recreate the 6218 4-8-4 excursion for a railfan trip back in the 60's when they used to run with the baggage car doors open behind the locomotive.
I bought the Rapido smooth side baggage car in the CN 1954 paint scheme. Just need to buy some of the Preiser photographers and people with movie cameras and have them leaning out the door.
Will have to shoot some new movies too.
Here's a link if anyone is interested, http://www.youtube.com/user/heathmphoto
Sorry for some of the poor quality, some were taken by camera phone due to angles I wanted to get of the runbys.
All movies taken on my friends layout who I much appreciate letting me run on.
Thanks for you input everyone......
 

nkp174

Active Member
I'm torn on the issue. I feel that they usually look better with passengers.

But, if they are frequently sitting in a yards, then I'd recommend no passengers. I think empty passenger trains look better than full passenger cars sitting in the yards.

I'm going to add people to my cars, but I intend to have staging off-line.
 
Top