Model Railroading > MTH N&W Pow'tan Arrow passenger train - diesel power?

I bought the "Pow'tan Arrow" (correct Virginia pronunciation) set last weekend. I seem to remember that typical power was two GP9 units painted in a somewhat matching tuscan red.

Would the original black (steam lettering), blue (spelled out), black (spelled out) or black (NW) units be appropriate for this train?

Do any manufacturers offer the tuscan paint scheme? I have not found any in my searches.

It does look pretty good with Athearns tuscan red SD40-2 but that's not quite right for this train. I don't have the atlas C30-7 handy, but its also not appropriate.

Many thanks
Michael

Michael;

I would wait for Athearn to release a GP-9 Red Bird. The N&WHS may also bo working with Athearn to have a custom run done.

NSTopHat

NSTopHat Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Michael;
>
> I would wait for Athearn to release a GP-9 Red
> Bird. The N&WHS may also bo working with Athearn
> to have a custom run done.
>
> NSTopHat

That would be a nice fit for my passenger interests as well eventhough I have the J too.

RailThunder Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> NSTopHat Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Michael;
> >
> > I would wait for Athearn to release a GP-9 Red
> > Bird. The N&WHS may also bo working with
> Athearn
> > to have a custom run done.
> >
> > NSTopHat
>
> That would be a nice fit for my passenger
> interests as well eventhough I have the J too.


For a brief time around 1958, the Arrow ran with leased ACL(?) E units.

Unfortnatly, by the time diesels show up, the cars had lost their skirting. So, protypical operation with diesels would require their removal.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/17/12 21:05 by ATSF3751.

ATSF3751 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
>
> For a brief time around 1958, the Arrow ran with
> leased ACL(?) E units.
>
> Unfortnatly, by the time diesels show up, the cars
> had lost their skirting. So, protypical operation
> with diesels would require their removal.

IIRC the ACL units were E7's. I do know that N&W also leased some RF&P E8's, which were re-lettered for N&W. The N&WHS did a run of these in two road numbers many years ago. The ACL units were not re-lettered.

NSTopHat

If you're going to model the Powhatan Arrow as a GP powered train, you can drop off the observation car and add a few head end cars as the train underwent major changes in 1958. The obs cars were sold Saudi Arabia.

No manufacturer has tackled the N&W GP9's so far.

The N&W had two batches of passenger GP9's.

The first batch were six phase II units (4 -36" fans) and numbered in 762 series. They were painted in the N&W's original black scheme. I can't tell you when they were renumbered to 500-505 and painted N&W maroon, but it had to be about the time when the second batch of passenger GP9's were arriving.

The second batch of passenger GP9's were phase III units (2 - 48" fans) and numbered 506-521. They were delivered in the N&W Maroon passenger scheme.

When N&W adopted the blue scheme all the passenger units and passenger cars became blue.

By the time the "NW" black scheme became the new corporate look, the "redbirds" were long out of passenger service. Some of the N&W GP9's did continue to pull commuter trains in Chicago during the early 1970's.

The N&W's passenger GP9's are like no other GP9. Instead of having either the air reservoirs running perpendicular to frame like most GP7/9/18's, the fuel/water tank looked like the tank and air reservoir found on the GP20. The sill of the locomotive had the same five slots as a GP20.

Other than the one of a kind fuel/water tank detail, the N&W passenger GP9's are pretty standard.