my ESPEE MODELERS ARCHIVE

California's Railroad to the U.S. 1861 - 1996

Southern Pacific

Passenger Trains

Triple Articulated Units

This information has been compiled in part from postings to the SP Mailing list.

I had never considered the differences before, simply thinking that all triple units were mostly the same other than smooth or fluted sides. However, doing research for the various passenger train pages revealed important differences between triple sets.

The triple units built for the Coast Daylights had corrugated sides with the kitchen in the center, one end was a diner and the other was a coffee shop.

• Union Station HO or N Scale has a kit for the Coast Daylight Triple Unit.

• Union Station HO or N Scale has a kit for the Shasta Daylight Triple Unit.

The triple units built for the Lark had corrugated sides with the kitchen at one end followed by a diner and then a lounge. These were known and marketed as the "Lark Club"

• Union Station HO or N Scale has a kit for the Lark Club Triple Unit.

The triple units built for the Cascade had smooth sides with the kitchen at one end followed by a diner and then a lounge. These were known and marketed as the "Cascade Club"

• Union Station HO or N Scale has a kit for the Cascade Club Triple Unit.

Models:

• N Scale:
  • Marshall Shops seems to have gone out of business

• HO Scale:
  • Union Station Products

The following magazine articles may be of use:

• Southern Pacific - Triple Unit Diner - 'The Lark' P-S '41: SP 10274-10279, photo
  • NMRA Bulletin April 1973 - Plans, SP Triple Artic. Diner Part #1
  • NMRA Bulletin June 1973 - Plans, SP Triple Artic. Diner Part #2
• Model Railroader October 1948 - Plans for SP 10250 - 10255 Triple Artic. Diner.
• Railroad Model Craftsman January 1969 - Plans, SP Triple Artic. Diner, #10262 - 10267.
• Railroad Model Craftsman August 1969 - Kitbash, SP Triple Artic. Diner, #10262 - 10267.
• Railroad Modeler September 1971 - Kitbash SP triple Artic. Diner.

The following magazine/books may be of use:

• Southern Pacific Passenger Trains Volume.1 Night Trains of the Coast Route - by Ryan/Shine
• Southern Pacific Passenger Trains Volume.2 Day Trains of the Coast Line - by Ryan/Shine
• SPH&TS Trainline Winter 1997 No.54 - The Lightweight Cascade by Jim Lancaster
• SPH&TS Trainline Fall 1999 No.61 - The Shasta Daylight by Jim Lancaster