ARA 1932 Flat End Boxcar (REA)???

Almost looks like a prr x29 which had similar ends.

curve, they are very close.  I looked into what the differences were a while back.  Here's what Craig Zeni said about them:

The x-29 and the Seaboard express boxcars are of similar height, have similar flat roofs and ends but beyond that the details vary. The Seaboard car is a 1932 ARA design with youngstown doors and a tabbed side sill reflecting the more modern underframe design. I believe [but would have to research] the wheelbase is different, the PRR car having the PRR's own truck design [2D-F8 or 2D-F12] mounted 6 inches closer to the ends of the car.

Look closely at Ed's photo and you'll see that the wheelbases are different. The X29s truck kingpins are 5' from the end; the SAL cars are 5.5', the AAR standard. Doesn't sound like much but that extra 6 inches or lack thereof gives the PRR cars a distinctive look even in HO scale if you're a bit of a freight car geek. The net effect is that the trucks are 12" closer together on a proper X29 which is a bit over 1/8th of an inch.

The 1932 ARA cars can be had from Atlas with the appropriate flat (plate) ends and build up into very nice models. I've done a couple using the excellent Speedwitch decals which appear to be available again.

Craig Zeni

Atlas did offer a X29 car painted in SAL colors (got it) but it lacks the side sill tabs.

SALs ARA 1932 cars (class B6) were numbered 17000-17699 and 18000-18999.  They took some of them and converted them into these ventilated cars, 700-754, right here at their Portsmouth Va shops.

Andy Sperandeo made a video on express cars a while back which included a SAL car (around the 7 minute mark):

http://mrv.trains.com/videos/e...ess-train-car-models

He says these cars showed up in Santa Fe trains and one photo in one of my books shows a car in Milwaukee in 1966.

I made the decals for this car about 15 years ago.  have none left and don't plan on printing more, sorry.

Two other roads had cars like the SAL 1932 ARA cars and Protocraft has decals for them:

Warrior River Terminal Railroad, 20 cars
http://www.protocraft.com/cate...40&Categoryid=20

Louisiana & Arkansas, 150 cars
http://www.protocraft.com/cate...40&Categoryid=20

There are many differences between a 1932 ARA car and the PRR X29. As mentioned the truck spacing and tabs visible at the bottom of the car side. Also there is a difference in the placement of stringers and cross members in the underframe. The side are different in there construction more then just having tabs or not. They used different construction methods which outside of the car resulted in single or double rows of rivets on the carside. 

Pacific Limited made the SAL vented cars in O scale brass.  Pricey, but they are seen occasionally.

The NYC had a similar car.   (oh horrors, the competition!).   I don't know if any of theirs were converted to REA passenger assignments.   Note when assigned to passenger service they have additional grabs and handholds, plus at least on the Pennsy,  they got a stirrup at the door.  

the Pennsy cars in Passenger service also got different trucks with bigger bearings to handle the higher passsenger train speeds without over heating.  This not real noticeable from the sides, unless they changed the style of springs too.

George, I have the Proto-Craft decals and the vents, so all I need now is a car to put them on

Bob Delbridge posted:

George, I have the Proto-Craft decals and the vents, so all I need now is a car to put them on

Paging Brad Andonian. 

Yes-?

Mine are decaled.   I will dig them out tomorrow

in answer to the other post.   I do not know of other ventilated rea cars.   C&o ran. '32 car as rea, but it was not ventilated and had a different roof, end etc.   I can add images of that too ������

Info I found pointed me towards the October 1997 Mainline Modeler by Pay O'Boyle of Pacific Limited.  He states Seaboard cars had a lap seam roof and riveted flat ends.

MM articles from Oct 92, Nov 92, Jan 93, Apr 93, and Dec 93 are also on the ARA 1932 cars so I need to pull those out too.

The Oct 92 article also says SAL had 2,000 of these cars, 17000-17999 and 18000-18999, I'm assuming the data in Paul Faulk's book (17000-17699) may be a typo as the MM article shows cars (6 photos) numbered between 17699-17999.

(I'm going to have to change my "handle" from "Having A Blast Running BPRC" to "Why Did I Choose A Railroad That Used Oddball Equipment?").  Looks like I might have to pick up one of the Rails Unlimited cars as it's probably the only correct car I'll ever see.

George Losse posted:

Two other roads had cars like the SAL 1932 ARA cars and Protocraft has decals for them:

Warrior River Terminal Railroad, 20 cars
http://www.protocraft.com/cate...40&Categoryid=20

Louisiana & Arkansas, 150 cars
http://www.protocraft.com/cate...40&Categoryid=20

There are many differences between a 1932 ARA car and the PRR X29. As mentioned the truck spacing and tabs visible at the bottom of the car side. Also there is a difference in the placement of stringers and cross members in the underframe. The side are different in there construction more then just having tabs or not. They used different construction methods which outside of the car resulted in single or double rows of rivets on the carside. 

 

 

NC&StL also had five hundred PS 1932 cars with flat ends.  Six were modified for passenger service and 150 for coke service in 1958 (according to Ted Culotta 'The ARA standard box car of 1932' .  These cars also had slightly different truck spacing, with  31' 2 3/4" spacing as opposed to the standard  30' 8 1/2" spacing.

Also according to the Culotta book there were fifty-five cars converted for express service.  One is pictured behind a New Haven PA1 in the  book.

Mainline Modeler ran 6 articles on the ARA 1932 cars:

October 1992

November 1992

January 1993

April 1993

December 1993

October 1997

SAL, L&A, and NC&StL were the big buyers, Nacionales de Mexico was the 4th largest buyer.  A number of RRs ordered lesser numbers, some only got 1.

One of the articles says the ARA 32 design was the most significant design ever and the 1st steel boxcar to be accepted by the RRs as a "standard".  A follow up article says there were more models bought that didn't adhere to the original drawing than did!!!

Seaboards cars were built in the Portsmouth shops from kits supplied by Pullman.

There are so many variations I don't see how a model can be built to cover every RR.  Roofs, ends, doors, even underframes were swapped or even rebuilt later using newer technological designs.

The writer blames the "times" as the reason the car didn't catch on.  In 1929 111,218 cars were ordered, after the stock market crash, only 1,968 cars were ordered in 1933.

Bob Delbridge posted:

One of the articles says the ARA 32 design was the most significant design ever and the 1st steel boxcar to be accepted by the RRs as a "standard".  A follow up article says there were more models bought that didn't adhere to the original drawing than did!!!

That's like the CERA freight trailer - "standard" - that was delivered in 16 variations.....and who knows how many more specific to the road name.  "Standard" seems to be a label associated with a moving target.

Was L&A at the time part of the KCS?

Robbie,

Per your request...   notice the change in the roof walk from the original '32 freight version to the REA.     I am glad to have these; now if I can just locate that elusive L&A car....

Dominic Mazoch posted:

Was L&A at the time part of the KCS?

Dominic, look here:

http://www.protocraft.com/cate...40&Categoryid=20

Nice cars Brad!!!

Thank you Bob.   Stay tuned, a few more might make it to the tracks...

Brad, are these the Pacific Limited brass cars or are they Rails Unlimited resin (or scratchbuilt)?

I tried calling Rails Unlimited yesterday but got their answering machine.  I'm guessing they don't come with trucks or couplers and are unpainted/unlettered?

Bob,

The Rails Unlimited cars are available as a flat kit or a built body which still need details added to it. The masters were done by Lee Turner and offered before from Lee. I have own one of his kits. The bodies that Rails Unlimited sell are without trucks or couplers, and yes they are unpainted. So if you are adding the vent castings to create the express cars, at least you don't have to strip off a factory paint job.

Thanks George.

For the $30 price difference I'll get the $85 kit.

Bob,

my models are brass from pacific limited.   Most any models I post of the 2r forum has been   If you are going to get the rails unlimited model, pay the $30 more and get the built up version.    Save yourself hours of time.

also, you will need to buy details--- stirrups brakes etc and then paint.    Not sure many 3r folks are comfortable with this.

Thanks Brad!  Anybody got a photo of the Rails Unlimited car in kit form?  If it's just the ends, sides, roof, and floor that's simple enough, but if they have to be built-up, then assembled to each other, maybe the extra $30 ain't so bad.

Also, does the kit come with ladders and roof walk, or is it just the shell and floor/underframe?  I know it doesn't come with grabs (they list them separately).

All these add-on essentials will push the price of this car to the $150-200 range.

Your comment above is in range.   Prior to assembly parts will cost about $200

dont forget paint and decals and the time it takes to build paint decal and weather.

when I do a brass boxcar, I figure 5-7 hours in prep,paint decals and weathering alone.

This is why professional built models sell for $350-450 each.

Thanks Brad.  The price doesn't surprise me so much, IF I know ahead of time what I'm going to need.

BradA posted:

Your comment above is in range.   Prior to assembly parts will cost about $200

 

dont forget paint and decals and the time it takes to build paint decal and weather.

 

when I do a brass boxcar, I figure 5-7 hours in prep,paint decals and weathering alone.

Trucks & couplers, too,  

5-7 hours depends on scheme, too.  Single color vs. multiple colors - got to set it aside and like that paint cure a bit, or bake it a bit.  Doing a little steeple cab in my shop right now and it's been a many days long leisurely exercise on painting, and then coming back to paint specific details, and then next up is installing the glass glazing. With luck, I'll get it done and re-assembled this weekend.

OTOH, I have a USH 2-bay hopper that I was taking a torch to last night that should be ready for painting on Friday, gloss on Sat., decals on Sun., and then dull on Mon., and then dry transfers on Tues.  Then trucks & couplers.......

BradA posted:

This is why professional built models sell for $350-450 each.

If I could charge my real hourly rate they'd be a lot more than that price,

Ted Culottas book on the 32 ARA cars will give you more info than you'll know what to do with.