1947 Penn Line HO Reading Crusader - Restored!

The Saint Canard Midland Railway's East Frankfort Shops are honored to present a completely refurbished and restored 1947 Penn Line Reading Crusader streamlined 4-6-2 locomotive, and matching 1955 Mantua/Tyco aluminum streamliner consist!

The Reading Crusader was the very first product offered by Penn Line, operating out of their tiny shop in 1947. It was a somewhat dubious offerering: The model was nearly perfect, but not of wide appeal. The real Crusader operated a daily schedule on the Reading RR's line between Philadelphia and Jersey City - a short jaunt with a limited demographic. With only two examples built, it was also rare, and rarely seen. The Penn Line company was ostensibly founded on the mission of offering HO models the Pennsylvania Railroad's unique equipment - so then why pick a Reading RR prototype for its introductory offering? Certainly the Crusader was a breathtaking subject worthy of attention. Nonetheless, despite quality and accuracy which was beyond exceptional for its time, production of the Penn Line Reading Crusader ended after just a few months, and none has ever been made since - making it one of the scarcest and most valuable non-brass models ever produced in HO scale.

Our latest commission was oft-delayed, owing to continued optimization of the new shops, ongoing personnel issues, timing conflicts, and the Official STC Angstmobile’s unceasing competition for shop resources. We nonetheless feel the finished product was worth the wait. A summarized scope of work performed follows:

• Locomotive was inspected for “as-delivered” performance characteristics.


• Locomotive, tender, and consist were completely disassembled to the last screw.


• Locomotive chassis and drivetrain were chemically stripped; Aluminum Streamliner superstructures were stripped by hand.


• Locomotive chassis was cleaned, mechanically polished, hand finished, and reassembled. Drivers, trailing truck and tender trucks were sprayed with blue enamel of an appropriate shade.


• Locomotive paintwork was retouched; best achievable color match to blue areas was mixed and applied by hand. Where possible, the original vintage flat-black enamel under / inner coating was retained and only retouched as necessary.


• Streamliner consist mechanicals were 100% mechanically and chemically cleaned. Trucks and running gear were mechanically polished. Superstructures were hand-cleaned and polished, with the exception of Coach “New Hope”.


• Locomotive and Tender bright work was extensively polished with multiple-coats of hand applied cleaner/polish.


• New brass grabs were installed on loco and tender; crystal marker light lenses were added to locomotive markers and observation car ends.


• Observation cars and two coaches were exclusively cleaned and polished by hand with multiple coats. Coach “New Hope” finished with hand-applied polish coat.


• Locomotive and tender scanned into paint shop evaluation for new decals, which were custom designed, color-matched, printed, and applied.


• Locomotive prime mover cleaned, lubed, and tuned.


• Locomotive, tender, and consist reassembled.

Unfortunately in our zeal to finally get started, we neglected to take a sufficient battery of "before" shots; however the train's owner, the Bennett Family of Pennsylvania, will attest that the train was not exactly in the best of shape, and the locomotive especially was in dire need of TLC and a complete chemical bath to remove the multiple layers of enamel strata that encrusted the wheels, running gear, and chassis. Also pursuant to the owner's wishes, the STC devised a few artistic liberties when interpreting the Tyco Streamliners for a Crusader consist. We wished to honor both the heritage of the namesake train and the equipment sourced for its use. Tyco Streamliners were famously available originally with a navy blue letterband and yellow text, whereas the Reading Crusader was purposely designed as a vision in Art-Deco brightwork via plain cars and blue text. The STC felt a "Crusader Blue" letterband adorned with natural “aluminum” lettering would be an excellent compromise, representing both entities while maintaining the design intent of the original consist. As the consist letterboards do not perfectly align with the tender, only the consist was striped. The original Tyco Streamliner font was retained due to its similarity to Reading Garamond – still used on the tender - but subtle difference for uniqueness. The original Tyco Streamliner herald was flanked by diamond glyphs; these were also retained as they match the shape and proportions of the Reading RR’s own diamond logo as therefore imply a sense of purpose and design identity. The letterboard stripes have their origin and terminus in a graceful curve at the ends of each observation car; the radius of this curve mimics the skirting ahead of the 4-6-2’s cab. Lacking photographic evidence for suggestion, the observation drumheads are custom interpretations which we believe are appropriate and in good taste.

Overall we feel these treatments equate to a unique and well-thought approach resulting in an elegant, unified appearance. We sincerely hope you agree!

We took the liberty of naming each car appropriately to honor its owner. The observation cars honor the Bennett Family heads, and dutifully flank the two sons. New Hope, after the Pennsylvania town so-named which is of shared family significance and history, is thus a shared experience and central sentiment for both the family and train itself. Owing to this shared yet neutral theme, New Hope was chosen for an experiment in refinishing and polishing the aluminum via mechanical implements. This offered mixed results; the resultant finish is not as consistent as the other cars’, however it is not unpleasant and in fact is arguably more authentic if homage to working or “weathered” real-life equipment is desired.

The Bennett Family Reading Crusader made its debut in historic downtown Saint Canard on Labor Day weekend 2009, to much cheer and acclaim. The locomotive performed smoothly and steadily, with growling noted at pulsing speeds but subsiding with running time. The 4-6-2 is a true HO heavyweight and applies her full tractive effort with a wonderful pounding uncommon in this scale! The consist trails flawlessly as it glides down the rails as a shimmering ribbon as documented in a series of photographs and video to be posted soon. She departed for home rails on October 5 and arrived on October 7, 2009.

It has been an rare honor and pleasure to overhaul this beautiful train, a penultimate statement of Art Deco design and vintage HO-scale fabrication and craftsmanship. We hope the Bennett Family enjoys their restored Penn Line Reading Crusader for many years to come, and that it stands as a suitable legacy to the pride all us at the STC feel for railroading’s mystique and the friendships it forges.

-Tony Lucio
President & CEO
Saint Canard Midland Railway

Crusader Photo Gallery
Click here for more pics of the restoration and rebuild, and additional staged run-by and glamor shots