Model Train Journal

Ad in a Jan. 94 Model Railroader. They were going to make 500 and cost $2,500 each. Did they make them? Did they sell? Just curious.
Also in this issue is a feature on a 26" x 60 " HO layout with hand laid track and switches. Plus he researched it and it's represents a area of the Erie.
I've been wanting to comment on large finished complex layouts, I figure these guys must work on them 40 hours a week for years and work on them like their on a job with a employer. I've been working on mine off and on for years and it's far from done. And mine isn't real big.

The engine was part of the 'Smithsonian Collection" and they were hand made brass by Kohs. Two rail only. K-4 complements the Dreyfus Hudson and there were matching brass cars as well (20th Century for NYC and Broadway Limited for PRR). I saw the 20th Century cars on display at CarRail. These were the most detailed passenger cars I have ever seen, full interiors and not just injected molded plastic inserts.

v8vega wrote:Ad in a Jan. 94 Model Railroader. They were going to make 500 and cost $2,500 each. Did they make them? Did they sell?

There's one on ebay for $995 buy-it-now: Lionel 6-18028 Smithsonian PRR Pennsylvania 4-6-2 #3768 1993 RARE #87 of 300

chuck wrote:The engine was part of the 'Smithsonian Collection" and they were hand made brass by Kohs. Two rail only. K-4 complements the Dreyfus Hudson

There are at least two of the Dreyfus Hudsons on ebay right now: Unrunning for $1,026 buy-it-now and another with a minimum bid of $2,565

and there were matching brass cars as well (20th Century for NYC and Broadway Limited for PRR). I saw the 20th Century cars on display at CarRail. These were the most detailed passenger cars I have ever seen, full interiors and not just injected molded plastic inserts.

My understanding --I don't really know for sure-- is that the hudson was made in 2 and 3-rail versions, but the NYC passenger cars were only made as 2-rail versions. The passenger cars are not as common the hudsons, but they do show up on ebay from time-to-time. The cars are spectacular and have full-width diaphragms; unfortunately, the diaphragm material deteriorates over time and there is no easy way to replace them.

I don't know if there was a 3-rail version of the K4 - I've only seen 2-rail versions-- and I don't know if the Broadway cars were actually produced or not.

Chris Webster wrote:

v8vega wrote:Ad in a Jan. 94 Model Railroader. They were going to make 500 and cost $2,500 each. Did they make them? Did they sell?

There's one on ebay for $995 buy-it-now: Lionel 6-18028 Smithsonian PRR Pennsylvania 4-6-2 #3768 1993 RARE #87 of 300

chuck wrote:The engine was part of the 'Smithsonian Collection" and they were hand made brass by Kohs. Two rail only. K-4 complements the Dreyfus Hudson

There are at least two of the Dreyfus Hudsons on ebay right now: Unrunning for $1,026 buy-it-now and another with a minimum bid of $2,565

and there were matching brass cars as well (20th Century for NYC and Broadway Limited for PRR). I saw the 20th Century cars on display at CarRail. These were the most detailed passenger cars I have ever seen, full interiors and not just injected molded plastic inserts.

My understanding --I don't really know for sure-- is that the hudson was made in 2 and 3-rail versions, but the NYC passenger cars were only made as 2-rail versions. The passenger cars are not as common the hudsons, but they do show up on ebay from time-to-time. The cars are spectacular and have full-width diaphragms; unfortunately, the diaphragm material deteriorates over time and there is no easy way to replace them.

I don't know if there was a 3-rail version of the K4 - I've only seen 2-rail versions-- and I don't know if the Broadway cars were actually produced or not.

The Smithsonian locos and cars were imported by Fine Arts Models (Gary Kohs)

The Hudson locos were done in both 2 and 3 rail. The 20th Century cars were all 2 rail.

I have never seen a Smithsonian K4 done in 3 rail.

The Broadway cars were done, but their floor plans were reversed (left to right) from the prototype cars.

That last per Ed Rappe!

I have rarely seen them (Broadway Limited cars) for sale. That makes me think there were far fewer of them made than the NYC 20th Century cars!