The "Lindbergh Special"

The famous race that gave it its name. In May 1927, a young ex-Army Air Corps pilot, Charles A. Lindbergh, made the first successful non-stop solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean from New York to Paris, and thus became the world’s hero of the hour. Upon his return to the United States (by ship), “Lucky Lindy” was summoned to Washington on June 11 by President Calvin Coolidge for an official welcoming ceremony during which he was promoted to colonel and awarded a medal for his remarkable feat.

In those pre-television days, such events were filmed by news organizations and prints distributed to movie theaters across the country from New York where most news films were processed. Manhattan’s famous theater district usually was first to receive the newsreels, and producers sought to “scoop” the competition by being first on screen with the latest news.

The International News Reel Company engaged the Pennsylvania Railroad to rush their film of the tumultuous Lindbergh reception ceremonies to New York by special train. To gain a “leg up” on their competitors who hired airplanes to fly film to New York for processing, International leased a B60 baggage car and converted it to a rolling film studio where the raw film was processed, edited, and copied en route. This enabled them to rush finished reels directly to theaters when the special arrived at Penn Station.

Reaching speeds as high as 115mph, and averaging nearly 80mph, the famous #460 PRR E6 4-4-2 Altantic made the 215 mile run from Washington DC to New York City in two hours and 56 mintutes, a new record. Ten cannisters of film, processed in-route, were delivered to Broadway Theaters more than one hour before those of all competitors giving birth to the legend of "The Train that beat the planes". Forever known thereafter as the "Lindbergh Special" the legendary #460 remains preserved to this day in the Pennsylvania Railroad Museum in Strasburg, PA.

MRRHQ has recreated this legendary train in exacting detail including a Mantua 357-020 PRR E6 4-4-2 Atlantic Locomotive #460 and two magnificent Con-Cor period correct PRR heavyweight coaches.

Click HERE for a more comprehensive and fascinating look at survivor Pennsy E6 #460, the "Lindbergh Engine".

The Locomotive

Mantua 358-020 PRR E6 4-4-2 Atlantic Locomotive #460

FEATURES:

• New C-9 Mint Condition with Excellent Original Box.
• Test Track run time only.
• MRRHQ Locomotive Works serviced, tested and certified.
• Operating Headlamp and illuminated marker lamps.
• Factory Installed Directional rear tender lighting.
• One-piece boilers, engine covers, cabs and tenders of pressure-cast high impact plastic.
• Steel main and side rods, guides, hand rails, fittings and coupler lift bars.
• Three piece brass bell.
• Many additional fine details.
• Legendary Sagami MC94 Can Motor.
• Superb sealed "Powerdrive" Gearbox.
• Silent, flexible drive and slippage-free oversize knurled drive wheel axles.
• Scale 80" Drivers.
• Easy rolling steel needle point truck axles.
• Upgraded with working front and rear Kadee all-metal Knuckle Couplers.
• Mantua Catalog: One Year Only in 2000.

• SOUNDTRAXX 852204 Standard DCC Decoder Installed.
• SOUNDTRAXX 852204 Standard DCC Decoder w/810160 Keep Alive Installed
• SOUNDTRAXX TSU1100 Digital DCC/Sound Decoder Installed
• SOUNDTRAXX TSU1100 Digital DCC/Sound Decoder w/810160 Keep Alive Installed.

Dimensions: 5 3/4 x 2 1/8 x 1 3/8" Tender 3 3/4 x 1 5/8 x 1 3/8"

The Coaches

Con-Cor Premium 94031 Pre WWII Pennsy 62' "Porthole" Coach 2-Pack

FEATURES:

• Factory Installed DC/DCC Interior Lighting.
• Factory Installed Full Interiors.
• Metal Grab Irons.
• Accurate and abundant Under-Body Detail.
• Razor Sharp Graphics and Tuscan Red and Green Two-Tone Paint Scheme.
• Body Mounted Knuckle Couplers.
• 4-Wheel "Pennsy Style" Trucks with all-metal 36" Wheels.
• Con-Cor Catalog 2009.

Dimensions: 9 1/4" Long x 1 7/8" Tall x 1 1/4" Wide

HO Scale 1:87