Brass Car Sides
Brass Sides - NP "North Coast Limited" GN "Empire Builder"

48-Seat Vista Dome Leg-rest Coach
Walthers Part # 173-20, p. 140 Walthers 2012 HO Scale Reference
HO scale, $31.75, currently in stock at Walthers

 
Photo-etched brass sides for streamlined passenger cars. Window openings and grab iron holes are etched through, with additional etched details on the surface. Undecorated kit requires Con-Cor streamlined Budd Dome Coach (sold separately) for an overlay conversion. Comes with instructions.
 
In mid-1954, the Northern Pacific Railway added two 46-seat dome coaches to each of its five consists of the "North Coast Limited." The Great Northern followed suit a year later by including three externally identical cars in each of its five "Empire Builder" consists, with a 16th car as a spare. An additional dome coach was received by the NP in 1957. During the off-season, the "Empire Builder" operated over at least part of its route with only two dome coaches, and the "Western Star" received a dome coach between St. Paul and Seattle. Amtrak purchased all of these cars and operated them on at one time or another on a great number of its trains outside the Northeast Corridor.
 
Car numbers and ownership for the NP, GN, CB&Q and SP&S were: North Coast Limited: NP 549-556, CB&Q 557-558, SP&S 559 Empire Builder: GN 1320-1331, SP&S 1332, CB&Q 1333-1335