Determining the Content of the Fleet

This is part 2 of the "Determining the Basic Fleet Series". In part 1 I estimated that 16 cars would be required to fill the layout. Now the question is:

Just Which 16 Cars Should I Model Anyway?

Browsing though the history books of the San Diego Electric Railway and seeing the variety of cars, it is so easy to just want them all!

But that's not practical.

So what is practical? Build models that are commercially available now. Scratch build later.

So using that parameter, here is my breakdown of the 16 cars:

QTY	Make	Model
3	Pacific Traction	400 Series Class 5
3	Andrew Chier	Unannounced project
3	Bachmann	Birney
3	Suydam	Niles
3	TBD	PCC
1	NJ Custom/Orion	3rd Ave Railway 400 Series

Suydam Niles, Pacific Traction 400, WP PCC, Orion 3rd Ave Car, Ken Kidder Birney

You know, seeing this list, suddenly building a fleet doesn't seem like too huge of a project. 

This actually feels downright doable.

Yes Sir! Downright doable!

Dandy

Onward Roll the 400's!

New project! With one of the Niles cars wrapping up, I need to model one more car before I get to the layout. Big, roomy, and modern, the San Diego 400 series Class 5's were a favorite with San Diegans. 

50 of these 1924 vintage cars were ordered from the American Car Co. Numbered 400 - 449, they ran until the end of the San Diego Electric railway in 1949. Originally delivered with the one pantograph, a trolley pole had to be added when the pantographs had a way of collapsing, stranding the car. By 1925 the pantographs were replaced entirely with trolley poles because the pantographs also had a way of pulling down the overhead!

Other than the builders photo, this photo of  426 is the only clear portrait of a 400 car in its original golden yellow and mahogany paint scheme I can find. So this is the car I'm going to model. Fortunately for me...

Pacific Traction imported models of the San Diego 400's in 1969. Ive been collecting them for decades and now have about a half dozen of them. The above car I believe is the first car I purchased back in the early 80's. So finally, after all these years, its time to give it the treatment! Its going the feature the yellow and brown paint scheme, the Diablo mechanism from Hollywood Foundry, Fred Gurzeler floor, full details and decals, DCC decoder, and lighting - the works! Yes sir! The works!

Dandy