BLW/ZT Troop Train Bonus - for Veterans Day

[scottb613]

Hi Rick,

Concur - looks great. First model you’ve made firmly entrenched in the steam era?

I use Brass Trains quite often to help with my modeling. They have some nice pictures - both painted and unpainted.

https://brasstrains.sirv.com/product...6/DSC01243.jpg

Regards,
Scott


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[conductorchris]

Very nice!

[rfranzosa]

Thanks all. It’s been a fun project.


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[rfranzosa]

The bonus can be found at the the BLW forum (www.valleypass.com/forum) under "BLW/ZT Bonus"







The 12th annual Veteran’s (2021) troop train bonus is a new set of nine Stillwell passenger cars.
The Stillwell coaches are best known as the standard commuter coaches for the Erie Railroad through the first half of the 20th century. This set includes 3 Erie Stillwells, 2348, 2355 and 2386.
The same construction was also used for 95 electric MU cars for the ill-fated New York, Westchester & Boston. When the ‘Westchester’ went bankrupt in 1937, 55 of the MUs (#141-195) were reclaimed by the majority owner, NYNH&H. The New Haven rebuilt them in their Readville, MA shops, removing the electrical gear headlights, markers, end windows and center doors, and adding additional seats. These coaches were added to the Boston commuter service fleet and lasted through 1955. This set includes 3 New Haven Stillwells, 155, 158 and 172.
While I don’t know the entire story of the remaining Westchester Stillwells, at least a few were purchased by the government and put in use during WWII. There are photos of some of these cars, stripped of electrical gear, but still retaining headlights, markers, and PRR style porthole windows. These cars are lettered for the United States Maritime Commission. This set includes 3 US Maritime Commission Stillwells, 161, 164 and 167 (renumbered from their original Westchester numbers).

For those of you that are new to our Veteran's day bonus, a little history:
For Veteran's Day 2010, I decided to create a model of the Pullman troop sleeper from WWII, in honor of our veterans, following my son's return from his deployment in Iraq. I pledged that all proceeds I received from this set would be donated to veteran's charities.
The set was listed on the BLW website for $10 and featured 7 locomotives and 10 troop sleepers and 2 kitchen cars. http://www.valleypass.com/Sales/Troop.htm
Every year since on (or about) Veteran's Day, I have added a bonus to this initial set. Now, the set consists of 19 locomotives and 51 cars. The price stays the same and so does my donation pledge.
Thanks to:
Christopher Parker who sent me the photos of the US Maritime Commission Stillwells.
The New Haven Railroad Technical & Historical Association (https://www.nhrhta.org) for the history of the Westchester cars.
I dedicate this to MY special veterans:
my late Father, Corporal John Franzosa - U S Army

my late Father-in-law, Corporal Lawrence Gormally - U S Army

my late Mother-in-law 2nd Lieutenant Nora Gormally - U S Army

my son and daughter-in-law, Majors Benjamin & Ashlie Franzosa - U S Army, currently on active duty.

Rick Franzosa
Veteran's Day 2021

COMPLETE LIST OF TROOP TRAIN SET AND BONUSES
Baltimore and Ohio E6 ( A-B ) #57
Baltimore and Ohio E6A #62
Santa Fe EMD FT ( A-B ) #160
Santa Fe EMD FT ( A-B ) #161
ATSF Freight EMD FT A-B-B-A set
Alco S2 US ARMY #7450
Baldwin DS-4-4-1000 NWSC #5
EMD SW8 US ARMY #2002, #2008
EMD GP7 US Army #1821 & #1823
EMD SW1200 USN #4 &#6
Illinois Central E6A #4001-A & #4001-B
Louisville & Nashville E6A #770 & #775

Troop Sleeper 'Type 1' - #7967 (Blacked out), 7367, 8014, 7363, 8100
Troop Sleeper 'Type 2' - #9645 (Blacked out), 9854, 9949, 9455, 9868
Troop Kitchen - K-100, K-251
Hospital Unit Car 9300, 9303
Medical Kitchen Car
Heavyweight 10-1-2 Sleepers 'Camp Liscum', 'Camp Greene'
Heavyweight 16 Section Tourist Sleepers #4125, #4136
Heavyweight 14 Section Tourist Sleepers 'New Hamburg', 'New Franklin', 'William Gilbert', 'Samuel Morse'
Erie Stillwell Coaches 2348, 2355 and 2386
New Haven Stillwell Coaches 155, 158 and 172
US Maritime Commission Stillwell Coaches 161, 164 and 167

F30 Flat Car
Tanks cars #7010, #7013, #7024
Hopper Car USN #61-03350
Caboose DODX #901
USN 50' 'door and a half' box cars
(#61-06516, #61-04790, # 61-04793, # 61-05174, #61-06909, #61-05178)
Tanks cars DODX #9204, 12107, 11942, 11922, 11812, USAX #9350, 11952
Enjoy!

Rick Franzosa
Gaetan Belanger

2021 (C) Belanger Locomotive Works/ZosaTrains

[jonpd]

Thank you Rick.
And thanks to all those members of your family now and in the past, that have served for our country.

Jon

[hiball 3985]

Thank you Rick. After downloading I can't get the .exe to work .

[slipperman]

Hi Rick,
My thanks to you from this side of the "pond"

Unfortunately, my password doesn't work! I have tested it by successfully unpacking my original Troop Train file and the 2020 version of the Bonus.

I know these things happen, so am looking forward to a fix!

Happy New Year to all at BLW/ZT

Cheers,
Ged

[rfranzosa]

Hi Rick,
My thanks to you from this side of the "pond"

Unfortunately, my password doesn't work! I have tested it by successfully unpacking my original Troop Train file and the 2020 version of the Bonus.

I know these things happen, so am looking forward to a fix!

Happy New Year to all at BLW/ZT

Cheers,
Ged

Hi Ged,

I’m sorry to hear that.

Sending you an IM

Rick


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[rfranzosa]

Two items

1) anyone who had problems with the password, re-download, the issue has been fixed.

2) A donation was made today to the Wounded Warrior Project, and was doubled by the Blue Angel Foundation. All donations made today will be doubled!!

Happy New Year everyone and thanks for your generosity.

Rick


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