|
I purchased Lionel's 2012 & 2013 Catalog California Zephyr passenger car sets below. These are 70' in O-scale (18") with bodies of extruded aluminum. The windows in the vista domes and sides are tinted. The LED lighted interiors are detailed and have passenger figures. D&RGW Baggage: Silver Antelope Vista Dome Coaches: Silver Bronco & Silver Mustang FLAT-TOP Observation: Silver Sky WP Sleepers: Silver Bay & Silver Canyon CB&Q Sleepers: Silver Cliff & Silver Valley The WP & CB&Q car names above had not been used in Lionel's previous CZ sets, which is good for variety's sake. However, the D&RGW car names above were all used in Lionel's previous 1993 D&RGW set. I wish that they would have used either WP or CB&Q previously unused car names for the 4 car set for the sake of variety. I bought these sight-unseen from TrainWorld in NYC at very good discounted prices (my local hobby shops had already sold out) and their service was fantastic. Based on Lionel's past CZ 60' (15") extruded aluminum sets from 1993 (D&RGW), 2000 (WP), & 2003 (CB&Q), I was expecting the sets to have the polished aluminum bodies (no paint except for black Zephyr Gothic lettering), full skirting (except by trucks), silver painted trucks, Budd-style curved-glass vista domes, and a vista dome observation car. These previous sets have captured the look of the CZ very well: the polished aluminum looks like stainless steel. To my surprise & disappointment, the cars are painted an anemic silver gray, the vista dome coaches have PS-style flat glass, only the VD coaches have the skirting, and the FLAT TOP observation car has no vista dome. On the plus side, the cars have black Zephyr Gothic lettering, tinted dome & side windows, full lighted interiors with figures, silver detailed trucks, and full end diaphragms. The drum head on the observation car is prototypical & lighted. I searched the OGR Forum and found a couple of 2014 threads which had discussed these cars (I should have looked before I ordered them). I discussed the set with Lionel's Mike Reagan at TrainFest. He said that they painted the cars because their new Chinese contractor had a blemish on 135' of extruded aluminum and Lionel did not want to eat the cost. Lionel also decided to omit the vista dome on the observation car due to $140,000 extra cost to get the specialized machine set up & validated. As for the PS-style flat glass domes and truncated skirting, these were due to the specific Lionel designer who is no longer with the firm. He said that to do these cars correctly would have meant another 2-years of delays & Lionel losing $300 on each set. As for diehard CZ fans that now have a ridiculous looking CZ set, he suggested that we sell the sets. Before I do that, I have the following questions for the scratch-builders and kit-bashers in the CBQlist. Are there any water-based model paints that I could brush onto these cars to simulate either stainless steel or metallic silver ? Any solvent-based paints for stainless steel or metallic silver ? I do not have any air-brush equipment and do not want to strip the current paint off of the cars. Do you know anyone that has any experience with kit-bashing aluminum and/or brass models ? I am considering getting the replacement dome parts and modifying the flat-top observation into the signature VD observation. I would like to hire an experienced modeler do this for me. Thanks in advance for your advice & input. Bill H __._,_.___ Posted by: cbq_bill@sbcglobal.net __,_._,___ |