The new HO scale Chesapeake & Ohio Pere Marquette streamliner from Walthers features EMD E7A diesel-electric locomotives equipped with SoundTraxx Digital Command Control (DCC) decoders. The passenger car models feature overhead interior lighting. See and hear this detailed HO scale passenger train as it makes a run across the Model Railroader staff’s layout.
Video: Walthers HO scale Pere Marquette passenger train
By Angela Cotey | November 20, 2013
| Last updated on February 11, 2021
Watch this HO scale streamliner in action on the Model Railroader staff's layout
A little late in commenting about this demo, but I have to agree with Andy about the class (indicators) lights coming on; unless this train was running extra on the MR&T. It is one of my peeves about locomotive lights. The biggest is the "directional" lights. Gotta tell ya that when the engine backs up, most of the engineers I knew and worked with did not change the lights. If the headlight was on, it stayed on during the move. The only time the rear light would be on would be when the engine was running backwards (either tender or long hood) for any great distance.
If I were a computer programmer, I could easily make corrections to the decoder so that the light I wanted on, came on and stayed on until I turned it off. The same should apply to number boards, class lights and even the red warning lights that can be either used as a taillight or the air has bled off.
Greg, checking ebay will show you there are painted figures for a few cents each when bought in bulk. Walthers know about this as I showed them at Train Fest. They do not like outsiders "helping" them it seems.
December 4th,2013.
Walthers almost got the train right, except they have overlooked that the C&O would send the Budd Dining-Lounge-Observation cars 1920-1921-1922 to Michigan as part of the consist for the Pere Marquette and the Sportsman trains… I have attempted to budge them on adding the Budd diner observations, as I have about 1/2 the set of Budd blueprints for 1922 (which I once owned as Amtrak 8302), but so far no luck. I think they would have done better to do the Budd "Chessie" as so many American railroads obtained cars out of that train when it was discontinued (or more correctly, never run in revenue service).
Cheers,
Kyle F. McGrogan
Loved the layout and the beautiful train!
It's too bad the white classification lights come on with the illumination of the number boxes. The white class lights indicate a train running extra, without a timetable schedule. As a scheduled first class train, the Pere Marquette would normally run with the class lights turned off. What would be correct (and cool) would be class light function controls that allowed the lights to be either off, lit white, or lit green (to indicate a scheduled train with a following section). I hope some manufacturer gets this right, some day. – Andy
It's a shame Walthers didn't make the original 1948 pre C&O version of the Pere Marquette, a more interesting mix of cars and the great bow wave P-M scheme on E-7s 101 and 102.
One of things that caught my eye was at the start of the review someone, had done the right thing and changed all the vehicles to the appropriate era. Last time I saw a video recorded from this station all vehicles were 2000/10 ish. Your continuity editor deservers a pat on the back and a pay rise.
In reference to Ken, yes Walthers has now done this….. yikes….. another $30 – $ 40 a car. Methinks 2 years and a lot of patience – paint undec figures. I really shouldn't make such comments as it has been 10 years and I have only got about 30 figures done.. not one of my favourite pastimes .. no air brush (except for the primer) only brushes. I'll get there one day. AS Lin Wescott, and most of the early post heads said :Model Railroading is FUN"
Lansing, MI is my home town and I vividly remember this train. Also had the chance to ride to Detroit and back on a shopping trip with my mom and grandmother.
I saw people at the station when the Pere Marquette stopped. Did everyone get off the train? Because there was NO ONE on that train. It is NOW time to add passengers to your cars. Also full end details, Hoses, Steam lines, etc. Please Walthers you can do this.