----- Original Message -----
From: "Larry Doub" <nftrains@n...>
To: <BRHSlist@egroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, November 18, 2000 1:09 AM
Subject: [BRHSlist] Doodlebugs/Gas Electrics
> Hello Every Body,
> First,I wish to wish to be the first to wish you all a HAPPY
> THANKGIVING.
> Second,
> I'm Planning on adding a EMC GAS ELECTIC DOODLEBUG to my
> collection for my layout,
> What was the reason for building these and just how were they used?
> They are a combined passenger/mail car right?
>
Oh, Larry! You're making life difficult! All but one of the Q's EMC cars
were baggage-equipped - some with passenger and/or mail compartments (the
other was pure passenger, and didn't last long). Their role was to replace
remaining branchline steam passenger trains (Their success is probably the
direct cause of all Q 4-4-0s being gone by the mid-thirties [except
exhibition engine #35, which someone would bring up if I didn't mention it).
The Q cars which had no passenger compartment usually hauled a trailer coach
while the car itself handled baggage and mail for the run. Toward the end
of the thirties, a large proportion of the EMC cars were de-engined and
converted to passenger combine trailers, while the rest were largely
converted to diesel. One baggage RPO car (9844) was painted silver with
"ribbon" lettering and assigned to haul the Silver Pendulum in branchline
service.
By the fifties, many branchlines had converted all passenger service to
mixed trains. Remaining EMC cars could be found in crew shuttle service
(Creston,for instance) or used as light switchers or even branchline locos
(for short trains).
If you are looking at the Bachmann car, it doesn't resemble Q cars very
closely - the passenger compartment is larger than usually found on the Q
and uses the arched restroom windows which the Q did not use. In addition,
most Q GEs (before conversion to diesel) used the front radiator and the
"curved ramp) roof radiator . . . and carbody ventilators were tall L-shaped
boxes rather than the stubby Garlands on the Bachmann.
Marshall
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