Model Railroading > SP 10610 Automat

I recently completeD an HO scale model of an SP Automat. This car, was part of the last group of Automats converted by SP from obsolete pre-war sleepers. While I am no longer modeling SP, I find these cars to be an historic and fascinating part of rail passenger history. This particular car 10610, had one of the more colorful interiors of the Automat fleet. Pink walls, multi-colored chairs, and even turquoise/blue window panel curtains. Unlike the first group of Automats in which SP essentially went cheap by leaving most of the bulkheads intact, the designers added more windows, and removed all walls (except the center where the vending machines were located) and to create a more friendly environment in the last series 10604-10616.

It is my understanding the vending machine fare became only slightly better with the passage of time. (One car argue that point...when you start at zero, there is usually only one direction to go) As one reporter for the Fresno newspaper commented after someone asked him what he recommended after competing a trip of the San Joaquin Daylight, he said "I would recommend the candy bars and beer." Point taken.

The model is a Walthers 6-6-4, modified with custom cut sides from Laser Horizons. The owner of Laser Horizons is open to creating an smooth side car if the modeler provides dimensions. I'm pretty sure he will do more of the Automat side if asked especially since He now has the dimensions. Sides are styrene and are pre-drilled. I added .030 shims to bring it up to the correct width for the Walthers car. Simply remove the existing sides and apply. I painted the sides, roof, and ends separately, and applied decals prior to final installation. He charges around $22 for a set. A bargain. I used tables and chairs from Palace Car. Seat backs were rounded to replicate those in 10610. They were sprayed with multiple colors, (with some colors not normally found in nature,) to complete the effect. The walls are pink and I applied blue curtains to the window side panels (they are photo shopped pictures applied to self stick paper). I searched for HO scale toasters for the tables but discovered (shocking!!) none are made. Thought about replicating them...they are tiny in HO scale....forgetabouit.(Automats had toasters on each table which complemented the Serv-your-self atmosphere.) The underbody is standard Walthers with appliances scrounged from other cars in my box-o-stuff, with some modified to replicate underbody items particular to these cars.

No frozen food was injured in the creation of this historic piece of rolling stock. :)

I just added a photo of the sides by themselves in photo 3.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 01/28/15 15:53 by ATSF3751.

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How did you make those vestibule steps in the down position which is so SP in the 60s?

10602 and 10603 were assigned to the San Joaquin. Perhaps Notch16 can explain why.

WAF Wrote:
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> How did you make those vestibule steps in the down
> position which is so SP in the 60s?


Those are modified Walthers fixed position steps from a MILW Hiawatha coach.

Nice modeling.

Now to really show off your modeling skills, how about depicting the disgruntled looks on a few passengers after they ate what was served in the automat car?

WAF, as far as I know, the Automat concept was tried out on the San Joaquin Daylights first. The first car, SP 10600, was made from a 77-foot Tavern Car, and kept the center bar and one full set of banquettes, placing the vending machines at the other end. The second car, SP 10601, was made from a 79-foot Tavern, and in this car, the banquettes from the Tavern were retained, but the vending machines replaced the bar at the center of the car. SP 10600 required the windows to be frosted and ultimately blanked at the vending machine end, but SP 10601 was already configured with a blank center section.

SP 10601 had a noticeable sag as a Tavern Car, and this got worse as the heavy vending machines were installed. This may have had some influence on the decision to use surplus Sleeping Cars for the remainder of the fleet, or may simply have been that the conversion of surplus Daylight lounge and parlor equipment made better Chair Cars.

SP 10602 and 10603 were the first cars built from former 6-6-4 Sleeping cars, and the interior partitions were retained. Holes were cut into the bedroom bulkheads for internal windows, and the upper berths were removed from the section areas. Otherwise, the interior felt very much like the 6-6-4 it had always been, and exterior windows remained in original positions; the upper berth windows at the sections, the lavatory windows on either side of the sections, and the roomette windows were blanked. Subsequent cars were opened up inside, and extra windows added to the former aisle side. Two wider windows likely taken from the roomette section replaced two of the bedroom side square windows. This can all be seen on ATSF3751's model.

That the San Joaquin Daylight was used to test ideas maybe makes sense in terms of trying something on a day-only route with adequate frequency, but not as subject to patron objections as might be the more traditional patronage of the Coast route. Don't know; that's hypothesis. SP did claim that this option is "what our passengers are telling us they want." I don't remember saying anything. But as a kid, I did like the Litton Industries microwaves and the chance to get a 50-50 bar and sit in an old Pullman section.

ATSF3751, very nice work! The colorful interiors included vinyl woodgraining on the walls, and what I believe was a variation on the Watermelon Pink wall color of the "French Quarter" lounge car from the Sunset Limited. The more open seating was better received by patrons, and the cars felt more like a cafeteria and less like something very weird, institutional, and almost prison-like as SP 10602 and 10603.

Also good to know about this source of custom sides. Makes a lot of things possible for SP modelers, who still do not have accurate plastic versions of Dormitory, Diner, Coffee Shop, or the 1950-era sleeping cars with SP's unique small window size.

Here's my shot of a similar or identical car to the one modeled above:

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/attachments/fullsize/396000/10610_interior.jpg

Cheers and happy hamburgers in plastic wrap,

~ BZ



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 01/27/15 20:12 by Notch16.

Bob, I understand the history of the car. I don't understand why 10602-03 were assigned to the SJD and stayed assigned to the last day except when the car was BO'ed

Too bad someone doesn't make those steps. Pretty expense to chop you a $35 car, even off of e-bay for steps

<Bob, I understand the history of the car. I don't understand why 10602-03 were assigned to the SJD and stayed assigned to the last day except when the car was BO'ed>

Oh. Okay!

Nope, can't answer that!

To the problem of toasters and napkin holders, always visible in the windows: I have thought to use a square chromed part from a plastic car model kit (which part, I can't offer), chopping it to size and touching up the raw ends with Chrome Silver paint. Alternatively, Evergreen square rod could be fronted with chrome tape or Bare Metal foil, if you wanted to get fussy. Or just pre-painted with Chrome Silver, chopped, and touched up. The napkin holders would of course have white on two sides... SP 10602 is the example here.

~ BZ



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/27/15 16:59 by Notch16.

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Here is the inside of that car.

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Yeow! That 36 cupper (coffee pot) sitting on the table is an accident waiting to happen!
(As an old timer LSA that scares me!)

I "enjoyed" these cars on #99 back in the day.
SR

I remember this car well. SP stocked it with, amongst other things, canned chili beans and cups of strawberry parfait, which I loved because I was a fat kid. Nice modeling! Perhaps you ought to add a dumped-over coffee pot to the interior to make Steve happy.

-E.O.

Very cool. Great looking model!

- Jeff Carlson

Funny how a penny-pinching cafeteria conversion by a railroad looking to shave every last red cent gets so much attention every time it's mentioned! These cars draw lots of replies on TO posts.

The anomalies and weirdnesses of railroading are often more interesting than the straight-ahead. Plus, we love the crusty old SP as much as we love any shining new "Daylight" -- or so it seems!

~ BZ

WAF Wrote:
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> Too bad someone doesn't make those steps. Pretty
> expense to chop you a $35 car, even off of e-bay
> for steps

ATSF3751's modeling posts have shown him to be a pretty smart cookie when it comes to re-use and recycling.

I checked my Walthers Milwaukee cars... they come with the option of "traps closed" or "fixed steps" -- and if you decided to do your COSF MILW car with steps closed, you have the open steps for free.

There's a bit of carving needed, but it's a clever idea. There are also some brass steps available through Precision Scale, but those would be more difficult to modify. These will do nicely in a pinch. And it looks like I have three pair already. :-)

~ BZ

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SP gets all of the flack for Automat cars, but lots of other roads had them - including the "Passenger-friendly" stalwarts, AT&SF & CB&Q.

Notch16 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> WAF Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Too bad someone doesn't make those steps.
> Pretty
> > expense to chop you a $35 car, even off of
> e-bay
> > for steps
>
> ATSF3751's modeling posts have shown him to be a
> pretty smart cookie when it comes to re-use and
> recycling.
>
> I checked my Walthers Milwaukee cars... they come
> with the option of "traps closed" or "fixed steps"
> -- and if you decided to do your COSF MILW car
> with steps closed, you have the open steps for
> free.
>
> There's a bit of carving needed, but it's a clever
> idea. There are also some brass steps available
> through Precision Scale, but those would be more
> difficult to modify. These will do nicely in a
> pinch. And it looks like I have three pair
> already. :-)
>
> ~ BZ


Yes, in my box-o-stuff I have a number of parts. But, one could also modify steps from heavyweight cars, or alternatively, use steps from The Palace Car Company, item number 4003, Rock Island 4 tread fixed steps. I have used those in the past. They cost $5.00 for a pair and are about as difficult to modify as are the Walthers fixed steps. Athabasca scale models makes a beautiful brass kit, but I found it to be way to wide.

Don't forget the awful pizzaburger.

Guess I bought a brass one too soon!

Brian Ehni

Road the SJD on a regular basis when I was attending school in LA and remember these cars as I knew I was saving money compared to a traditional diner. As far as ambiance and the quality of food goes, no comment.