Continuing Rapido’s introduction into the market of highly detailed commuter equipment, we are proud to introduce the all-new Budd ‘Gallery’ Commuter Cars in HO scale!

With the conclusion of World War II and the shift towards increased commuting from the newly established suburbs and downtown jobs, railroads were looking for ways to replace their fleets with modern equipment following the war. With the need to haul more passengers per car, and with the length of cars maxed out, Pullman and Budd developed what would quickly be called the “gallery car.” Using a standard passenger car chassis design, the height of the car was extended to the maximum clearance permitted and cantilevered walkways were placed above the standard passenger car (similar to luggage racks) with additional seating added on an upper level. The open space between the upper levels allowed a single conductor to check all tickets, and also gave the cars their nickname - The Gallery Car. With wide center doors and stairs to each of the 4 rows of gallery seating, these cars proved immensely popular in carrying more passengers and reducing loading time at stations.

The first examples of these cars built by Budd would be delivered to the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad in 1950 with an order of 30 coaches. The first cab cars would be developed for the Milwaukee Road with an order of 8 (along with 32 regular coaches) in 1961. Over 350 cars in total would be built by Budd, with the final examples rolling off the line in 1978. Since then other manufacturers have continued to use the overall concept of the gallery car for the design and construction of new vehicles, some of which have displaced many of the earliest cars built by Budd as well as Pullman.

While the Milwaukee Road and Rock Island fleets were built with Head End Power (HEP), the original Burlington cars were equipped for steam heat. Starting in 1973, the Burlington Northern started a program to convert the original CBQ fleet to include HEP. This resulted in the cars losing their steam heat in favor of electric heat and the original incandescent lights was replaced with fluorescent lights.

All remaining gallery cars from the Burlington, Rock Island, Milwaukee Road and Chicago & North Western would go on to form the backbone for Metra, the new regional commuter operator in the Chicago area, starting in 1984. Many of the original Budd-built cars, as well as some Pullman examples, continue to provide service today.

The Rapido Trains HO scale Budd Gallery Commuter Car features:

Designed from original blueprints, design drawings and field measurements.
Track-powered flicker-free interior lighting compatible with DC and DCC layouts.
Free-rolling, highly-detailed trucks with metal wheelsets.
Minimum 22” radius curves recommended.
Full underbody including HEP conduit and equipment.
Complete interior including actual “gallery” seating.
Accurate painting and lettering, both inside and out.
Correctly-colored tinted windows.
Metal side grab irons and sprung diaphragms.
Controllable cab car lighting in both DC and DCC, including headlights, marker lights, as well as ditch lights and strobe lights (when applicable)