B&M Doodlebugs? MEC??

Hi all

I just picked up a nifty little Bachmann N scale EMC Doodlebug, and guess what? Yet again, I find myself with something the B&M had, and it is undecorated in green!!

The photos I have of the B&M units are all black and white. Does anyone know if these were green or red, and what colors were the front and rear stripes?

And while I am at it, did Maine Central have any Doodlebugs?

Any info would be appreciated.

Jonelle

Can't comment on the colors, but one ran on the M&L when I was a kid. It went north through Methuen around 6PM; don't know when in the AM it went south to Lawrence.

I don't know about the B&M's doodlebugs, but the Maine Central had one, the 901. It was built by the St. Louis Car Co. in the early 30's and ran up until about 1949. It ran mostly on the Bangor to Vanceboro run. It had two engines, Ingersoll-Rands, I think. The car itself had a mail and baggage compartment. It hauled a coach behind it. It was unique that it had a 6 wheel truck under the front and a 4 wheel truck on the rear. Maine Central converted it to a tool car for MOW after they quit using it for passenger service. It later was sold to the Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad in the 80's. I helped move this car from Belfast in 1999 and put it in Unity where it is today.
LF

I may have some information that will help you. I have a book called Boston & Maine Trackside writen by Carl R. Byron. On page 27, there are 2 good sized pictures of what the author calles an EMC/Osgood Bradleygas electric car, car #196 and car # 187. To me, it sure looks like the backmann Duddlebug.

In both pictures, the cars are painted in Boston & Maine Red (Maroon) with the front pained in Maroon and Yellow safety strips

Those Trackside books look real nice, but at $45+, sort of pricey. Maroon with maroon and yellow stripes? Wellp, now I am stuck with undecorated green coaches AND doodlebug!!!

I can't win...

EDIT: This website has lots of photos, and I found the maroon scheme. I couldn't link to the image, but the site is http://www.sessions-station.com

I forgot I started this post many moons ago!

Now I have 2 different HO scale models of B&M Doodlebugs, which I think need new homes. Thing is, I MIGHT want to keep one. One is a Walther's model, green and shorter than the Bachmann version, which is maroon.

I did a little looking around, and it seems that the B&M's doodlebugs were from various manufacturers. Can anyone confirm this?

JD

Nell,
All of B&M's passenger equipment, including gas cars were painted Pullman green up until 1940, after that, they were painted maroon. The big problem is, that during the mid to late 30's, the gas cars got yellow safety stripes and I don't know of ANY color photos from that period. I am assuming that the gas cars retained the green color with just the yellow stripes added, because the popular consensus is that B&M bought a lot of second hand coaches from the Pennsylvania RR in 1940 and liked the (maroon) or (Tuscan) color scheme they came in.

A lot of fans might not know, that there is one surviving B&M gas car, B&M 151 became Sperry Rail Service 127 in 1939.

I have a CD for you with 100 images of B&M gas cars covering from the 1920's to the 1950's.

JD, there is a Bob's Photo book which covers B&M passenger equipment in B&W, including some photos of gas-electrics. Years ago, someone (could have been 470, could have been a private individual) reprinted a diagram book showing all the B&M & MEC gas-electrics. I do not have it handy, but I recall some small units from Brill came first, and then several different lengths and body layouts from EMC in the late 1920s.

David,

There are actually 2 B&M Gas Electrics left in existence, the other being 1180 at the St Louis Transportation Museum, albeit a static display and not a running car like SRS 151.

Thanks, I did not know that, is it painted B&M?

bmcdr wrote:Nell,
All of B&M's passenger equipment, including gas cars were painted Pullman green up until 1940, after that, they were painted maroon. The big problem is, that during the mid to late 30's, the gas cars got yellow safety stripes and I don't know of ANY color photos from that period. I am assuming that the gas cars retained the green color with just the yellow stripes added, because the popular consensus is that B&M bought a lot of second hand coaches from the Pennsylvania RR in 1940 and liked the (maroon) or (Tuscan) color scheme they came in.

Assuming that this is indeed one of the gas-electric cars, here is one at Rockingham Jct. painted in Maroon with yellow safety stripes:

http://www.newmarketnhhistoricalsociety ... ategory/23" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I lived in East Candia NH in the late 1940's and rode the Gas Electric Doodlebugs to Manchester and Raymond. I am almost sure they were Tuscan Maroon. The morning train would bring the Mail everyday and we would bring it to the Store Post office..

YES, they were maroon from 1940 on as I stated earlier, but prior to that, ALL B&M passenger equipment was Pullman Green.

I can only find one picture of 1180 in St Louis, wearing a faded dark green. No lettering is visible, but it's listed on the museum's website as B&M 1180. It still has its Winton engine having been sold to St Mary's Railroad in the 40s, and taken out of service in the 50s or 60s.