As you say, brass is expensive.  There have been a number of inexpensive HO scale models made throughout the years which would make excellent starting points for your own model.  I would suggest that you consider building your own.  I suspect that the train, or at least the main pieces of rolling stock, are well documented and easy to find plans for.  Plus, if you intend to run the train as a unit, you can power something other than the locomotive, making it vastly easier to keep running and looking good.

I see this question every so often but that set would be a small niche market product. Something to look at and maybe for a diorama.

Full scale plans for the cars were in a Model Railroader magazine some years ago as I still have the articles. A variety of locos where used as you well know

MR Feb 1995. Wayne Wesolowski

Narrow Gauge & Short Line Gazette  p 42

Rich

.......... was available from AHM around mid-60's. Was a 4 truck car. Can't remember the manufacturers...

and quite pricey also.

Rich

Found This on Line!

O Lionel    http://lionelllc.wordpress.com/2011/10/18/new-product-spotlight-the-lincoln-funeral-train/

HO AHM    http://www.tycoforums.com/tyco/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=7435

The train engine and some of the other cars changed along the trip. In fact there were several variations of the train.

Regards

John

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I understand the educational benefits of trying to build one on my own, but I'm pretty new at this and I'm not sure I'm up to the task just yet.  Still, it's an option that I'll research more, who know, maybe there's an "artiste" lurking inside me.  Thanks for your reply.

I'm pretty new at this and I'm not sure I'm up to the task just yet.

Nonsense!  Want to know how you get to be up to the task?  You do it!  The hardest part of a project like that is believing that you can do it.  Once that is taken care of, everything else is child's play.  Combine confidence with a reasonable amount of prototype data, and you're nearly finished before you even start.

As I see it, you need three distinct things:

1. A locomotive - If you know which locomotive you want to model, and have decent data, the Civil War era Americans were pretty simple, so it's not that difficult to build or modify one.  Starting points might include models by Bachmann, Tyco/Mantua, or AMH/Pocher.
2. A tender - Even if you end up completely scratch building a locomotive, a tender is incredibly simple.  It's basically a box with curved corners.  If you're kitbashing an engine, the tender will probably work more or less as-is.
3. A variety of coaches - Most coaches of the era had very simple bodies.  Sides can be built up from scribed or flat styrene (depending on the style).  If you have accurate scale drawings of the cars, it's not that difficult to make your own sides.  The roofs were usually fairly simple as well, basically a curved surface, sometimes with a monitor or clerestory.

When you figure that you have a good couple years to build it, it doesn't seem like a major challenge.  Try it - you'll be amazed at the freedom that you get when you are no longer restricted by what you can buy.

I have to admit Mr. Rickman, you'll turn me into decent railroad hobbyist yet!  I'll give it a try and see what happens.  I certainly have plenty of historical data to go on and you never know, I may just give you a nudge now and then for some advice.  I think I'll enjoy this more than I thought.  Thanks for the push.   ....Rob

Thanks for all your input and encouragement, I've submitted questions in other forums before (other than RR'ing) and never gotten the kind of response I've gotten here.  I've been a long time model railroad enthusiast but never had the time to dig in, this will be my first.  I'm sure there'll be bumps, failures and successes but I guess that's what it's all about, it's not the arrival it's the getting there.  So I think I've found a home and lots of friends.  Thank you all once again.   ...Rob

I may just give you a nudge now and then for some advice.

Please do!  I don't know whether you have or not, but keep an eye on my scratch building articles as well.  Even though they're about a locomotive 50 years newer that the ones you're thinking about, the basic techniques are the same regardless of subject.  And of course I will be more than happy to help in any way I can.  19^th century steam, and especially early 19^th century locomotives, are a particular passion of mine, and I have a little information and knowledge about some of them.