Triang Transcontinental Railways

[Tony57]

Hi

I just wondering how many on this forum run transcontinental stock on their layouts, as I would like to hear from others as to what they like about it

What I like about it is the operating elements like the bottom drop hopper wagons, the opening doors on a number of freight cars, flat beds with movable retaining pins along the side, the tipping log wagon that can be unloaded whist the train is moving.

I also like the fact that dummy double cab locos were made so double or triple header looking trains could  be run, the same as the F7 class with both dummy a units and b units. The Budd RDC-2 is the same both powered and non powered units were made.

 

[LCDR]

 I am sure I have already answered the same question recently, but however, YES I do have quite a few Tri-ang Transcontinental items. My favourite is the Baltic tank (based on the New Zealand W class) of which I have five (BUT am still looking for a maroon one) . The action accessories were indeed a lot of fun. I think they look best running on Series 3 track which gives them a nice vintage appearance, and is very nostalgic. My second favourite TTC loco is the Bo-Bo switcher.  I use these  on a seperate layout (temporary) to my more modern UK stuff.

[Buz]

 Hi Tony57

Train "no other words required"

Mind you Hiawatha  is my personal favorite.

Just like the other ranges diesles are just coloured boxes on wheels.

I will grab my coat on the way out.

regards John

[Ruffnut Thorston]

I too have a soft spot for the R.56 4-6-4 "Balric" Tank Loco.

 

There is/ was some good film on-line of a "Real One" in New Zealand....

 

Tri-ang.....Trains Last Longer! ;)

[81F]

 I used to have two silver coaches (may be still at my parents). I never ran them much because they looked slightly odd being pulled by a GWR loco!

Just watch the observation car if you have any low tunnels. First time round my original layout it got wedged under mine!

[Ruffnut Thorston]

The silver coaches....First Series T.C.  (Transcontinental) Series Passenger Cars.

There were 3 types.

 

Coach.

 

Vista Dome Coach (the same as the above, but the roof has an observation dome...the one that got stuck?

 

Observation Car. This has a glazed observation area on the "back" end.

 

Baggage Car. Luggage and parcels car with two sliding doors each side

 

Later ones were made with red doors and a red stripe.

 

Also available in Blue, with yellow lining. (A bit like the "Victorian Railways" in Australia!)

 

The Second Series from, I think, 1962 were different models.....

 

 

 

 

[Tony57]

 Hi

There are four Transcontinental coaches Passinger car, Observation Car, Vista Car, Baggage Car. Available in Triang Railways Silver, Red and Silver and Blue liveries. These are just shells with no internal seating except for tiny seats in glazed area of observation car and in vista section.

Series two again four Coacheswith full interiors,  Passinger car, Diner car, Kitchen/Baggage Car Observation car, available in 19 different liveries many made for American, Canadian and Austrailian markets as well as UK market.

Personnally I am still looking for 6 series 2 coaches, that are a complete 4 coach train in two tone green either Triang Railways or Transcontinental, a R4430 Bright silver and red Transcontinental Diner and a R4471 Bright silver and black CN diner. 

[81F]

The silver coaches....First Series T.C.  (Transcontinental) Series Passenger Cars.

There were 3 types.

 

Coach.

 

Vista Dome Coach (the same as the above, but the roof has an observation dome...the one that got stuck?

 

Observation Car. This has a glazed observation area on the "back" end.

 

Baggage Car. Luggage and parcels car with two sliding doors each side

 

Later ones were made with red doors and a red stripe.

 

Also available in Blue, with yellow lining. (A bit like the "Victorian Railways" in Australia!)

 

The Second Series from, I think, 1962 were different models.....

 

 

 

 

The coaches were the same as the two at the bottom of the set illustrated here http://www.vectis.co.uk/AuctionImages/338/366_l.jpg I got them as part of a lot of second hand triang from my grandparents neighbour in about 1976/77.

[LCDR]

/media/tinymce_upload/83efba14894c45ec681eeeced828b574.jpg

Second Edition Catalogue 1956 Plain silver finish.

 /media/tinymce_upload/12552bf9658108d7f7a832d7f35c5b45.jpg

 

Fifth Edition Catalogue 1959 Red & Silver or Blue with yellow lining.

/media/tinymce_upload/1268f6ebc4bd7693c78c831971082814.jpg

Seventh Edition Catalogue 1961, New style body with two tone green finish. Green Vista Dome and Baggage Car also available.

/media/tinymce_upload/7918235db94a90d95d4b387ebe52687d.jpg

Eighth Edition 1962, the new body style now in all three liveries.

 

 

[Buz]

 Hi LC&DR

Thank you for the pictures.

Would you be so kind as to give the cat no for the late model blue dome obsevation and dinning car

as I can't read them on the picture you kindly put up.

I want those to finish the blue train not a very original train name but it will do.

The number of the red and silver dome observation would be handy to.

regards John

[LCDR]

 The blue second series cars were R444 Coach, R445 Observation car, R446 Baggage car, R447 Diner.

The silver and red ones were R440, R441, R442 & R443, and the green ones  R335, R336, R337 & 338, all in same order.

[Buz]

 Hi LC&DR

Thanks for that.

regards John

[Jimbo1707820979]

Many thanks, LC for the excellent catalogue illustrations. I will photo and print for my at-leisure delectation (old word, appropriate to the period I hope !)  I have 2 Obs. Coaches R 125, 2 Vista Domes (raised the height of my bridge, no worries) and 3 coaches of which 1 is red and silver. I am working towards converting all to slim wheels.

I find the styling very pleasing and it's a pity Hornby don't reintroduce the range.

Incidentally, does anyone know if the locos can be converted to DCC ? (improbable , I should think)

[Buz]

Many thanks, LC for the excellent catalogue illustrations. I will photo and print for my at-leisure delectation (old word, appropriate to the period I hope !)  I have 2 Obs. Coaches R 125, 2 Vista Domes (raised the height of my bridge, no worries) and 3 coaches of which 1 is red and silver. I am working towards converting all to slim wheels.

I find the styling very pleasing and it's a pity Hornby don't reintroduce the range.

Incidentally, does anyone know if the locos can be converted to DCC ? (improbable , I should think)

Hi jimbopuff

The loco will need a very good overhaul including fitting a neodine magnet and replacing the knurled drive wheels to get it running A1

Then after that have fun fitting the DCC card.

Its a constant reocuring furphy that older loco's can't be fitted with DCC

They can they just need a lot more work and higher cost to do it.

regards John

[Ruffnut Thorston]

The silver coaches....First Series T.C.  (Transcontinental) Series Passenger Cars.

There were 3 types.  (Should have read 4 types! ;) )

 

Coach.

 

Vista Dome Coach (the same as the above, but the roof has an observation dome...the one that got stuck?

 

Observation Car. This has a glazed observation area on the "back" end.

 

Baggage Car. Luggage and parcels car with two sliding doors each side

 

Later ones were made with red doors and a red stripe.

 

Also available in Blue, with yellow lining. (A bit like the "Victorian Railways" in Australia!)

 

The Second Series from, I think, 1962 were different models.....

 

 

 

 

OOPS....my error....not 3, 4 types.

 

Good to see the pictures as well....

[Tony57]

 Hi

Today I brought my 5th Liveried Transcontinetal Budd Rail Car a Chesapeake and Ohio version,it will go well with both of my Transcontinental versions, one has internal lighting the other does not, the canadian national livered one and the ATT Santa Fa version.

Only 2 more liveries to get for the complete set and 4 Dummy units. Reading Lines and Northern Pacific.

Dummy units Reading Lines, Northern Pacific, Chasapeake and Ohio and Santa Fa  

[Tony57]

To day I recieved the last pair of Budd RDC-2 railcars needed for my collection, a powered and non powered of the Reading Lines livery made by Triang for the American ATT company. To make my collection complete all I need to find is a TransAustrailia version which are rare as Hens Teeth. Though the CN Livered one I currenty have needs the two orange door panels replaceing or a replacement unit. 

[werk2do]

Hi all TC enthusiasts! I have started collecting the blue/yellow and silver/red passenger train items - locos and all coach variants covering all the years of production. Some of the stock needs restoring and I was wondering if there is any way I can find out the accurate paint colours, and their availability, here in the UK so that I can attempt the project? I am also guessing that some spare/replacement parts may be necessary too. Any help or guidance that anybody can give me relating to any of these will be gratefully received. Many thanks in advance. Roy

[Rana Temporia]

Roy, before someone points out this is a very old thread………..

I have been repairing and running TC trains since I was a child in the 1970s and they still fascinate me. Paints are very difficult to match on them and believe me I have tried. No two seem to be the same colour and that could be down to variations in the paint or plastic used in the factory, sunlight exposure, damp exposure etc. Often I have had to repaint all the yellow or red on a loco for example. There are now people marketing repro water slide transfers for most locos, check out eBay for some of them, and they are very good. There is also one seller on eBay selling some repro parts such as the front coupling shrouds on the diesels and electrics, and light bulb holders.

The early motor bogies with the X04 are difficult to find parts for but the later one is virtually identical to the dock shunter and 90% the same as the blue Pullman, DMU and EMU although the wheels are a smaller diameter on the last three. I have replaced most of the wheels on my TC locos with smooth finer versions from the later dock shunters so that they run better on modern track. The older TC coaches can be a bit of a pain with the small diameter wheels and split axles but the second series run very well and do look good.

It doesn’t seem that long ago that complete TC items were in junk boxes for 50p and I used them as a cheap source of spares for my other Tri-ang locos. If only I’d kept them all!

For the pacific loco the chassis is the same as the Triang Princess. Early versions have a plastic cow catcher moulded on the front, a later version with a chopper coupling has a plastic cow catcher on the front bogie and the next version has a special front bogie with the cow catcher moulded on and a Mk3 coupling. The last version has a different rear pony truck and a flying Scotsman tender in black rather than the bogie version the others have. It also has the later Princess chassis with see through wheels and a smoke unit. I think it also has a light but I’m not sure when that was introduced. The Baltic tank follows a similar life cycle with the final version being maroon. Again, substantially the same chassis with a different rear bogie. Despite the fact that all these locos are so old they are quite easy to find most spare parts for.

[Tony57]

Hi Roy

If I was to start collecting transcontinental again I would go for the Series 2 coaches and rolling stock rather than the Series 1 as all the bogies are fitted with pinpoint axels.

The range transformed from transcontinental range into Canadian National and Pacific branded rolling stock, there was a number of American Railroad Liveried made by Triang for ATT with American Railroad Coupling fitted,

 

[ellocoloco]

On my long term work bench I have a couple of green TC coaches that I'll repaint, rebogie and fit with Kadees one day. I reckon with A/C boxes and tanks on the roof they would go with my Mexican ALCo.

[Rana Temporia]

Ellocoloco, sell off the green ones, you can have a dozen blue or red/silver ones for what you’ll get for them and then you can paint and re-bogie away. I have a couple of the green OH electric locos to go with them and I can’t afford the coaches to make up a set! Both were in a sorry state when I got them and one is finished in the More common orange/green and the other in the rarer two tone green it was originally. One has Jouef pantographs and the other Lima. I need to buy the correct transfers for both to finish them off.

[ellocoloco]

Rana, just had look on Ebay and see what you mean regarding the green ones. There's no chance of me getting anywhere near my two with an airbrush in the near future, I still have plenty of other things to keep me occupied and my focus has wondered from my proposed Mexican short line.

For me, a significant part of the hobby is modifying models to get closer to what I want/need. My last respray was an ESU Class 66 and I have done several Roco and Electrotren locos from new. I am happy to (potentially) decrease the resale value because I am getting enjoyment from that and really don't buy anything that I would consider an investment. Except my Roco 310.23!

[Tony57]

Hi Rana,

the highest price paid for item in my collection is 200 pounds for 5 two tone green Transcontinental coaches, which I brought to go with my 2 tone green TC electric loco with the large gap between Triang Railways (the rare one).

The set of coaches I would like is a series 2 4 car set of Banff or Danff in Canadian Pacific livery.

[Rana Temporia]

Tony

the one I have finished in 2-tone green was that one with the wider spaced words. It was in a junk box and had no pantographs, cowls or working lights and had been painted a very odd overall orange with a yard brush. After I’d stripped the paint off the body wasn’t in that bad a condition but the transfers had come off the sides as had all the original paint, you could still see the places where the transfers had been though. Oddly, some of the transfers are still on the noses! I need to finish both off so may order some transfers off eBay. I also need to slim down the collection of TC red/silver and blue diesels I have, when I get round to it I will see which are in best condition and get rid of the rest. I have full sets of v1 and v2 coaches for both in blue and red/silver but I think my v2 blue set has one coach with a different colour roof. I also have both the blue and red mail coaches to go with them. I really need to get the TC box out and give them a good run!

One of my red/silver single ended diesels cost me the extortionate 10p as a non-runner about 20 years ago, all that was wrong with it was a set of wheels put back in the wrong way round and shorting it out. I have a few with a cracked front nose, it seems to be a common problem with them.

All these decades old locos still running perfectly and almost infinitely repairable! Does this count as eco-modelling?