Model Railroading > Con-Cor Aero Train

The Con-Cor Aero Train will be released this week. They are ready for shipping from Con-Cor. My question how popular are these expected to be? I have not seen much information on them or interest for them. I was thinking of getting one in NYC, just to have.

Jeff Smith
Lakewood, CA
RailMaster Hobbies

At, what, $300 bucks or so, for a 4 car train, I couldn't guess they'd be too popular. .

That is what I was thinking as it was not a popular train anyway. I think I am holding out for the M-10000 which will come out late next month. That is a much better looking train.

Jeff Smith
Lakewood, CA
RailMaster Hobbies

Con-Cor ???? Yea, I bought from them once .......... Lesson learned.

I've seen it in person. . . very nice model. Odd, yes, but very well done.

Con-Cors recent offerings have been quite good...the Zephyr and the Galloping Goose anyway.
Cheers,
Nick

Well, Jeff, I would think the M-1000 would be even less popular as it was much rarer than the Aero Train and only ran on one road (two?) and very early compared to the time period the Aero trains ran?

I'm beginning to think with all this UP stuff that the model railroad industry is catering to padded UP employees. (OK, just kidding.)

UPJeff Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> That is what I was thinking as it was not a
> popular train anyway. I think I am holding out
> for the M-10000 which will come out late next
> month. That is a much better looking train.

Remember, it was UP M-10,000, not UP M-1000, and in 1934 it went on a 12, 625-mile exhibition tour across the US, pausing 68 times for public view including the Century of Progress Exhibition in Chicago, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC (toured by President FDR), hosting nearly 1,000,000 visitors.
I have never seen an exact map of its route or other roads traveled during this tour, but would have to be more than one or two roads. --- --- - --- JLH

Of course, I was referring to the road(s) it ran on in regular service.

highgreengraphics Wrote:
> I have never seen an exact map of its route or
> other roads traveled during this tour, but would
> have to be more than one or two roads. --- --- -
> --- JLH

My Dad's a Rock Island modeler and would love to get this for Chicago Suburban service, but as others have mentioned, the cost is prohibitive, esp. when the cost of additional coaches is added in. In Suburban service, these typically ran with quite long trains, so the cost of one of these sets could easily hit $500, even with discounts.

Yes, Con-Cor is a bit steep, I had to take a very deep breath when I bought the Zephyr and again with the add-on car. Maybe they will make a full SET of add-on cars for the Aerotrain? Even so, that ought to be another 450 bucks. Not long ago, those were close to brass prices. I know, the cost of research, design, and mold tooling, but those molds are still out there. You would think they would thus produce more beyond a limited run at some point, and prices would come down. Beyond the high price, I would have to say that the HO Pioneer Zephyr is an excellent model, better in overall depth and appearance and running qualities than brass. The N scale version has had some problems overheating in the motor section and melting plastic, but no such trouble in HO. If you could combine this with the Broadway Limited plating technology they used on their CZ cars to more simulate stainless steel, you would have a stellar model, but I suppose that would nearly double the price! Anyway, for the M-10000 let's see if they get the yellow right or if it will be that goshawful yellow-orange like AHM-Rivarossi and other European sources did. --- --- - --- JLH

Gee, I just stumbled upon historical photos on a website of UP's M-10000 at Jackson, MICHIGAN of all places in 1934 on the NYC Michigan Central Route! So guess we can add NYC to list of applicable railroads. This is from RRHX - Internet Railroad History Museum of Michigan - Historic Photo Section - Page 63. --- --- - --- JLH

So, it went on a tour... The original Zepyhr train did too. I have a photo of it taken on the New York Central branchline on the north side of Fort Wayne. But that mean I need to buy a $400 copy for my railroad? And how many people model the 1930's. But if you model the NYC, PRR or Rock Island in the 50's, you might be able to justify an Aero train.

(It went east from Chicago on the New York Central mainline to Waterloo, Indiana, south to Fort Wayne, spent some time on display at the PRR station and then went back to Chicago on the PRR mainline.)

highgreengraphics Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Gee, I just stumbled upon historical photos on a
> website of UP's M-10000 at Jackson, MICHIGAN of
> all places in 1934 on the NYC Michigan Central
> Route! So guess we can add NYC to list of
> applicable railroads. This is from RRHX - Internet
> Railroad History Museum of Michigan - Historic
> Photo Section - Page 63. --- --- - --- JLH

UPJeff Wrote:
> I was thinking of getting one in NYC, just to have.

I have a soft spot for this example of 1950's design, as the Varney model was one of the first kits I ever built. However, Varney's ads were a lot better looking than the finished result! Nevertheless, I ordered one of the Con-Cor models, also in NYC.

Ray

p.s. Never saw the prototype...

I, too, have a soft spot for this locomotive and trainset so I bought one in GM demonstrator scheme. I had the good fortune at age 6 or 7 to accompany my father and older brothers to see the Aerotrain at a exhibition in the Chicago area, although I don't know if it was at EMD or elsewhere. I never forgot it and it inspired me to a 35 year career in mechanical engineering for EMD. I have inspected the Aerotrain in the museum at Green Bay and hope to see the one in St. Louis someday. Among the unique features of the prototype are fabricated truck frames, a first for EMD domestically. For what it's worth, EMD still has all the drawings in file for the locomotive, at least they did 3 years ago.

I pre-ordered and got delivery on Christmas Eve day. I only have a primitive layout built for my kids when they were young about 17 years ago. The curves are a minimum of 20" radius, mostly 22". This train needs more weight to successfully negotiate these curves but it runs well otherwise.

Dave