Selecting historically accurate train set

[cbrady2]

So I am looking for a neat train set to put under my tree but since I am sort of a history buff  and I like things related to the history where I live near, I chose the Union Pacific RR. My plan is to have something that will give me the idea that I am looking at a passenger train chugging through a light snow covered evening in the Sierra Mountains in the town of Truckee near Lake Tahoe CA. Thats the feeling I want to have when I get the right train and passenger cars to put under my tree. I am tring to find out the best way to set myself up with the most historically accurate train set  that mimics the Overland Flyer/Limited (Union Pacific) between the years of 1890-1906 with the correct types of cars and steam engine they would have used on a good weather but light snow condition in the Sierra Mountains. I've done some extensive research on what the train and cars might have looked like. My guess is that the train and cars would have been much like the 'O' gauge 'Williams #00325 The Greyhound Starter Set' this would be my cheapest best route but the problem is that the passenger cars wouldn't have been the two tone grey which wouldn't have come out until 1946. The Pullman Heavy Cars would have also been made out of wood. I figure I may have to buy other olive green unrelated wooden Pullmans that have other names on it, strip the names and rename it to the accurate logos and names of the time. I have pictures of two Steam Engines that I see where used such as the Black, 'Baldwin 4-6-0 steam locomotive', a 'Mike 2-8-2', or the 'Prairie 2-6-2'. Any advice tips, sets, ideas, best cheapest price sets either 'O' or 'HO' will help me and where I can find them with the best price. Thank you!

[Trainman203]

Train sets in themselves aren't usually made to be very historically accurate, though some are better than others. 

You can get a nice 1900 era passenger train by separate item purchase though.  Consider the 52" driver 4-6-0 or the baldwin 4-4-0 for motive power.  These would have been very new engines in 1900.  The 2-6-0 is too modern for you by 20-plus years.

Then consider the 1860s open platform wood passenger cars.  These would have been pretty old in 1900 but still in service in places.   

You then need to get the appropriate power supply and track.

This is more work than a train set but will mostly depict the imagery you seek.

[Trainman203]

The choices I listed actually somewhat resemble the Greyhound train set. However, UP never did a 4-6-0 up in the Greyhound scheme that I know of.  I believe that the Greyhound scheme is from no earlier than the 1940s.

The cars in the Greyhound set are heavyweight steel cars that really came into use maybe around 1910 and later.  Cars that would be really great for you are the now unavailable Roundhouse Palace Car series, beautiful 1900 period  truss rod  full length passenger cars, the kind in all the Teddy Roosevelt train photos.  Check the on line auctions. I have two of them, wonderful pieces.

2-8-2's are too modern for the period you describe.  The Bachmann 2-6-2 is not prototypical,  it is a USRA 0-6-0 with odd pony and trailing trucks stuck on.  And in any case it is, like the Bachmann 2-8-2, a ca 1918 design.

[cbrady2]

Trainman, thank you for your reply. It helped me settle hours of research. Interesting facts you provided. What I did find though was old photographs and postcards of the Overland Limited and Flyer around the time. Then I compared it with what I can find online on aution or store. Great tips with the old passenger cars and I may just have to shift into a more recent post-1910 era and get the heavyweight Pullmans with the Olive Green with no lables and the steam locomotives you suggested. I wonder why Bachman doesn't focus between the years of 1880-1920. I thought those years were a beautiful time for trains. Here are the postcards and photographs of the trains I may use as a guide to purchase. Although there are slight differences between whats out there I can buy and maybe modify to match and what is on the images. What do you suggest in tips for decaling and painting? Would model paint work? I don't want to do a crappy job although I studied art studio in college but I am always open to an experience professional opinion. Thank you again!

[Trainman203]

Bachman is coming out with a USRA 4-6-2 that will go beautifully with the heavyweight cars they already have out.

[cbrady2]

Well I can't post the images here but I can attach the links to videos and the images I found online. They are too larg in size not matter how much I modify them. But you get the idea. I wonmt go crazy and change the tracks and sizes and little things but I just to get the general look and idea of that time. Here are the links to the images:
1. http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/video/overland-limited-stock-video-footage/185488072
2. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overland_Route_(Union_Pacific_Railroad)
3. https://goo.gl/images/az8xtU
4. https://goo.gl/images/yoajU7

[Trainman203]

The video is really cool, very early film with a diamond stacked 4-4-0 very late in its life.  The cars are wood truss rod cars similar to the Roundhouse Palace Cars.  They may be open platform though, the train speed and film quality make it hard to tell. This film can't be much later than 1900.

The 4-6-2 is an early Santa Fe pacific, immediately pre-USRA.  The first two cars are like Bachmann heavyweights.  The rest look like wood truss rod cars like the Roundhouse Palace cars, these two coexisted a pretty long time.  This photo is probably in the teens sometimes.

The last picture is probably no older than the 30s with a lignite burner ( forward extended smokebox) 4-8-2 with "Harriman " steel cars unique to the Harriman Roads ..... SP, UP, IC, and Central of Georgia. Roundhouse, again, until fairly recently offered 60' shorty versions of these cars.  A competitor of the Bach Man is about to offer full length accurate models of these cars.  Some of these 4-8-2s were done Greyhound along with several 4-8-4s.

More than you ever wanted to know for certain........

[cbrady2]

No sir, right there you're speaking my language! Thank you for all your help. I believe I now have a good mindset for what I looking for. This is a great forum!

[Trainman203]

Let us see what you end up doing.