NEWS update 2023, 26th of January

Our shop at Etsy is now online for easier shopping.

Also please take a look at our Shapeways shop. Lots of parts for the American Earlyrailer.

NEWS update 2018, 5th of December

We have still some reservations available on the second run of the Pullman Hotel car “Metropolitan".

Price for kit including trucks and decals $184 + shipping $21.

When the reservations are filled we will start producing the kit and send out emails to those having reservations arranging payment and shipping.

New kit announcement

NEWS update 2018, 24th of April

Dear Customer,

We are proud to announce our third HO kit of the 1870s (60' over body) the Pullman Hotel car “Metropolitan”. This type of early Pullman car has never been released in kit form before.

The prototype model of the Metropolitan is now complete and we now take reservations for the first run. When the reservations are filled we will start making the kits and when everything is ready to ship we will contact you for payment and shipping. Those that already have reserved a kit please email me again to verify that you are still interested.

The kit comprises:

-3D printed roof, trucks, roof details, body ends, platforms, underbody detail, bolsters etc.

-Photo etched brass sides and frame, brass end railings, brake wheels, clerestory sides from 0.4mm brass sheet stock

-Misc. wood and laser board parts

-Screws and hardware

-Laser cut glass

-Stainless steel mesh for clerestory windows

-3 pairs of Miller couplers. Two extra pairs are provided to fit out your other cars.

-Decals in three colors

-Various parts, wire etc

Some features:

-Broken bullnose roof ends.

-Finely detailed platform ends

-Beautiful etched sides

-Drill guide holes for roof ventilators incorporated in roof.

-Photo etched platform railing.

-Interior. Available separately from my Shapeways shop.

Price for kit including trucks and decals $184 + shipping $21. Preferred payment through Paypal.

As before with the Woodruff and Dayton kits to save on shipping the customer has the option to receive the instructions through email in PDF format. The shipping listed above is without the instructions.

The photo etched sides and parts can either be glued or soldered together depending on the preference of the builder. Please note that this is a Craftsman kit requiring previous modeling skills with similar models. The kit is for the intermediate to experienced modeler.

Not included in the kit:

-Wheelsets

-Kadee equivalent coupler. The pocket fits a Kadee No 22 or similar.

-Interior which can be seen in the photos below. Will be available from our Shapeways shop.

-Venetian blinds.  Artwork for venetian blinds will be emailed at the same time as the instructions. They can then be printed at home on a laser or ink jet printer.

-Paint, glue, tools etc

How to order

Please make your reservations via email as soon as possible as we only going to make a limited amount of kits in the first run. A second run can be made if there is demand.

Some history

The 10 section Pullman Hotel car Metropolitan was built by Pullman Car Works (Detroit) 1872. It was among the first Pullmans in Pullmans growing fleet of luxury cars coming forth patterned after the pioneer Pullman aptly named “Pioneer” built 1865. It features a novelty which was a kitchen to furnish the passengers with food and beverages during the journey. In the late 60s Pullman began experimenting with hotel cars providing the luxury of food during travel. The first of this type had the kitchen in the middle of the car which soon was abandoned to the more practical placement with the kitchen at one end.  The Metropolitan is of the later type. The Metropolitan was made to floor plan 33b and has the unusual feature of two doors at the kitchen end. One for the corridor and one for the kitchen. The kitchen end of the car has trapdoors over the steps together with gates which can be seen on one of the photos of the car. These where lifted up when the passengers would disembark.

It had for the time a very luxurious interior together with a richly decorated outside which set the style for rail travel years to come. The car has the very distinct broken bullnose roof ends which later on evolved to the more ordinary bullnose roof.

The Metropolitan has been made famous as in 1876 the Brazilian Emperor Dom Pedro II used and lived in the car during part of his visit to the United States.

Thank you all for the support!

NEWS update 2018, 15th of April

We are happy to show you some work in progress photos of the Metropolitan prototype model. It lacks window glass and some other things still though. The interior will not be included in the kits but will be available from my Shapeway shop. Another goodie are a functioning Miller coupler which will be included in the kits. It enables the cars to be more close coupled than with a Kadee type coupler. There will also be some extra couplers included in the kit for the builder to equipp some of his other cars with. It fits the common Kadee No 5 coupler pocket. Uncoupling is done with a toothpick.     

Yes the car had two doors at one end together with trapdoors. We have been fortunate to have obtained a copy of the original floorplan.