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MBTA Kawasaki BTC-4/CTC-4 Double Deck Car

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The Railroad Depot will be offering an HO Scale model of the MBTA's Kawasaki BTC-4 (Blind Trailer Coach) and CTC-4 (Control Trailer Coach) that were built for the (T) starting in 1990. The BTC's are numbered 700-781 and the CTC's are numbered 1700-1724. 33 BTC-5's (rest room equipped and numbered 900-932) started arriving in 2005. These cars are double deck with a medium level loading area, they seat 175-185 depending on configuration and with a trap at the side doors are capable of loading from low or high level platforms.

The model project started with a super detailed F40PH about ten years back, followed by a train of 6 horizon cars in the 4 number series in 1990. If you've seen this train at the shows we attend, you'll get an idea of the level of detail and authenticity we hope to impart to the Kawasaki's.

The bi-level cars could be considered a large "kit bash". They are constructed by hand from parts of other passenger cars (mid roof, side steps, coupler pocket and wheel sets from horizon cars; bottom chassis from a Bachman foreign CNRwy. car) custom laser cut styrene sides, laser cut gray acrylic flush fitting windows, resin cast HVAC roof units incorporating etched stainless fans and grills, one piece resin cast car ends; multicoat floquil finish, custom graphics by Micro-scale, and the use of products not usually associated with model trains.

With the impending retirement of many classes of (T) single deck equipment, we'll see the Kawasaki taking on a more important role in Boston's transit picture. As the car is specific to Boston's (T), its appeal outside of New England is limited only to those who formerly lived in Boston. As such, this will be a run limited to a total number of 150, dictated also in part by the limited number of parts we could obtain that go into this car.

If you are seriously interested, contact us so you can be made aware of the project's progress. As we near completion of Prototype II, we will be posting images to the website. Visit our display at New England train shows to see the model first hand. We're excited about it and we know you will be also.

As a side note, we are also offering custom painted F40PH diesels in both new and old paint schemes. A single engine can pull a prototypical 6-7 car train of bi-levels with no problem due to the needle point, almost friction-free axles of the cars.

Keep current with the project's progress by visiting our "Newsletter" section. If you have friends who are also commuter rail modelers, let them know about these cars. Limited availability can't be stressed strongly enough.