Who Knew? – A Pennsylvania ‘Fleet’ Executive Line Update

Who Knew?

Just a few weeks ago I announced the next in my Executive Line Series trains, the Pennsylvania Railroad.  I figured that since the Penn Central took the existing car #120 named ‘Pennsylvania’ and put their logo and name on it, it would be an easy thing to offer that option and thus more variety to the Executive Line Series.

What was I thinking!?  Who knew that only TWO people model the Penn Central?!

There must still be lots of animosity, and I get it. ‘They’ took two classic railroads, the Pennsylvania and the New York Central, and merged them and then bankrupted them in just a few short years.  And, it was a bankruptcy that shook the nation to its core at the time.

Okay, I hear you.  The Burlington Northern merger, although taking away our great northwest railroads, was not the same, as it did not end up in bankruptcy.  The ache of the ill-fated Penn Central merger must continue to ripple in our hearts and minds.

With pre-orders telling this tale, I decided to add the third car to the Pennsylvania ‘Fleet’ set.  You will see now that the Pennsylvania car #120 is also offered in that much-loved railroad name, ‘Pennsylvania’.

I sure hope it isn’t confusing to have a car name that is the same as the railroad name.  But, I did not ‘make this up’, folks.  All you Pennsy fans know the car actually existed.  Seems odd to the rest of us, but hey, what do we know?

And, again, who knew only two people modeled Penn Central?

Lowell Smith

A native of Portland, Oregon, Lowell Smith married his church choir sweetheart Barb in 1978. After a lifetime of rail-fanning, Lowell and Barb ventured out in 1992 to launch a new business in Portland, Oregon. Read more

6 Comments

  1. ricksurber5732 on July 24, 2018 at 12:27 pm

    Lowell, are you still doing the Penn Central buisiness car I ordered? Also are you going to be at the convention in K. C. In August? I’m still interested in any leftover Spokane Portland Seattle cars you still have. Can’t wait to start ordering your new run cars, Texas Special, Frisco, ACL. Hope to see you in August at K. C.. Rick

  2. Todd Treaster on July 28, 2018 at 12:56 am

    I pulled this car many times. It is owned by Bennett Levin and is awesome. He has E8s to go with it plus a few other cars.

    • Lowell Smith on August 1, 2018 at 7:42 am

      Thanks Todd, I love your stories and wish you would write a book! ‘From the cab’, or whatever. Just encouraging you Buff!

  3. Pat McKinney on November 17, 2018 at 6:54 pm

    Lowell, Since you are doing three PRR business car and one tuscan PC business car, are there plans to do any NYC business carrs in two tone gray? You can do the same thing with the two tone gray NYC car that you did with the PRR car,leave the car two tone gray and letter it Penn Central but no logos. The Penn Central Historical Society did a very good article in their POST magazine on PC business cars showing the different variations. All of the late PC cars made up the Conrail Blue Business Car train and the later Executive Green train

    • Lowell Smith on December 1, 2018 at 9:06 pm

      Thanks Pat. I am heading down that path!

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