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There were a series of posts on Walthers and JC heavyweight passenger car kits under the Atwater/All Nation locomotive thread  and I thought folks new to O scale 2 rail might be interested in learning about some of the fine older models that can be found at O scale shows and swap meets. 

As far as heavyweight passenger cars kits, in my opinion the highest standard was set by Ralph Brown's American Standard  Car Company.  His side rivet detail,  belt rail, window sash representations were orders of magnitude better than the stamped steel sides by Walthers or JC.  As best as I can tell from my incomplete collection of old ASC catalogs, Ralph designed and produced kits for at least 56 different prototypes.  He also produced a wide selection of streamline car kits in O scale under the American Lightweight Car Company brand.  Due to health issues the ASC line was sold to an individual in Knoxville TN who intended to continue production under the Pullman Scale Car Manufacturing Co. brand.     PSCMC Catalog 1 dated 1995 listed  59 kits including 3 one piece resin body kits.  While I've seen hundreds of ASC kits and built up models at O scale show, I've not seen a PSCMC kit.  Attempts by a friend to order catalogs, kits and parts from the PSCMC's Knoxville P.O. box address were unsuccessful. Below are three examples of built up ASC kits -

 

The first is a PRR M70 RPO.  The one piece sides are cast in urethane, the floor and roof are wood.  Trucks are PRR prototype from PSC.IMG_1727

 Below is an ASC PRR P70 air conditioned coach built by Ted Stepek.  The kit came with a urethane roof and sides and rides on Walthers trucks.   Back in the 1980's correct curved PRR passenger car steps were not yet available so it was offered using Walthers castings.  Some day when I may replace the steps and trucks with brass ones from PSC.  Meanwhile I enjoy running it as is. 

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Next up is ASC's very nice model of a Pullman plan 3992 13 chair parlor buffet lounge.  It is interesting to note that Ralph Brown used prototype Pullman floor plan numbers for his ASC kit numbers.  ASC and the later PCMC catalogs featured drawings of the car sides and interior seating/partition arrangements.  Most kits were available in as built non-air configuration, or with air duct and related underbody details for the air conditioning upgrades applied to many heavyweights starting in the mid-1930's.  Most Pullman built parlor cars had clearstory roof decks that were wider than used on sleeping cars.  AC roof ducts retrofitted to the parlor cars had steeper and sharply angled contours, making the cars easier to identify in old films/videos. IMG_1725

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Last edited by Keystoned Ed
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Next up are two photos of my one and only Joe Fischer custom built car - a Pullman plan 4036 8 section 5 double bedroom heavyweight sleeper.  This is one of several floor plan re-builts heavyweights  sometimes referred to as "Betterment" cars.    The first photo is of the car as it looked when purchased it from Mike Hill at a March Chicago O scale show several years ago.  Note the model is of a floor plan where Pullman removed the vestibule at one end of the car in order to add double bedrooms.  As built by Joe it was a great looking model - but painted in a green/gray scheme that predates my railroads time frame.  Joe's as built All Nation 6 wheel trucks were later replaced with better detailed PSC ones.      Recently I contracted with Dan Pantera (Calumet Shops)  to add a few details (like diaphragm damping rods and people) and repaint/rename the car for  service on my circa 1952 PRR railroad. Dan was a little hesitant to repaint a Joe Fischer car in excellent condition, but being more of an SPF than a collector, I persuaded him to take on the job.   

 

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Last edited by Keystoned Ed

Next in the series is a nicely detailed Walthers plan 3521 10 section observation lounge I painted for my late friend Ray Jury.  It holds up nicely when viewed at 2-3' - but if you look closely at the photo where it is coupled to a PSC brass heavyweight you can see that the belt rail, widow sashes, and rivets are not as well detailed.  I still like the car.  IMG_1724IMG_1730

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Last edited by Keystoned Ed

Here are a few shots of the PSC cars I detailed and painted for my string of heavyweights.  Once I worked out the minor shorts due to trucks hitting underbody details they've been reliable performers. I did these cars about 20 years ago - before Sunset 3rd Rail came out with their very nice brass ones, and still later the GGD plastic ones.  As I've said in other posts - in today's O scale market we have a tremendous range of choice.  For those new to O scale attending a major show like the Chicago March show will be real eye opener - and the prices are down.

Inventory-66plan 3410 12 section 1 drawing room  Inventory-67plan 3523c 6 section 3 compartmentInventory-68plan 3979a 8 section 1 DR 2 compartmentInventory-70plan 3958 14 sectionInventory-69plan 3585a 10 section 2 DR 1 comp

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Last edited by Keystoned Ed

Ed,

My attempts (multiple) to order the catalog from Pullman Scale in TN were halfway successful.  On several occasions I sent the $5 for the catalog. I never received the catalog but the clown kept my $5.

At 11 AM today I sent the last 16 Golden Gate correct PRR P70 steps to someone. GGD had hundreds of the correct steps made to replace the incorrect ones on the P70 cars and I sold them over the course of several years. I may still have two steps left so you COULD retrofit one side of your AS P70 with correct steps if you want.

Bob

Thanks for the offer Bob.   When Frank Miller kit bashed a NJCB brass P54 into a BM62 for me that freed up a set of steps that some day may make it under the ASC P70.  Please post a photo of your Pullman Scale Manufacturing Co B&O baggage car - that is truly a rare model. 

I hope others will build on this thread to share info on O scale heavyweight passenger equipment.  Everything from Scale Craft to GGD is fair game.   Three rail scale guys are most welcome to chime in with posts and pictures but let's save discussion of "Madison cars" for the traditional 3 rail forum

Last edited by Keystoned Ed

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Joe Fischer Burlington #1500 series baggage 

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Oriental Limited #1900 class RPO/Baggage 

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The Advance Flyer 

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ATSF 30' RPO Scout Scheme or just plain two tone gray  

https://youtu.be/AMqUXoBBpIc

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Precision Scale Lake series 10-1-2, behind it PSC 14 section Tourist 

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Pecos River Brass ATSF 6 window RPO, 70' Fishbelly baggage 

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PSC Harriman full RPO 60-P-5

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PSC Harriman D-73 modernized diner 

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PSC 6-3 Betterment Era late 50's 

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PSC modified solarium for use as Burlington House 

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I agree with Bob the 2nd, I just love heavyweight cars and want to join in...

 

Here is a little from my side of the tracks.....

 

Some of these photos suck but grabbed off the iPad.  

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Last edited by Erik C Lindgren

John - PSMC listed in Catalog 1 kit 3305, a model of John Ringling's private business  car.  The window arrangement on the sides is very different from ATSF's Chico.  PSMC also listed interior kits for the car.  If you want to build a business car one route to consider would be to use Joe Fischer's approach to fabricating heavyweight car sides.  In a two part series in 1949 Model Railroader Joe describes in detail how to scratch builds car sides from laminates of Strathmore board. 

Another alternative would be to consider Overland Models brass Ferdinand Magellan (the President's car) as a starting point.  A few years ago I purchased one on eBay from Bill Davis at a huge discount off MSRP.  Apparently OMI had a excess inventory of the model in both 2 and 3 rail versions. The one below is detailed for the Truman era.  A Regan era POTUS car was also offered.

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Last edited by Keystoned Ed

I have two ASCC RPO (friend's interest in RPO cars was infectious) kits, unbuilt....one a lightweight #1006, and an M70 clerestory #1704.    Other RPO (some lightweight) and a few coach combine kits include:  LaBelle, Hawk, Rail Chief, Walhers (several different RPO's), All-Nation,  CSC, Clark Benson ATSF RPO, BC, Kasiner, JC, an aluminum lt. wt. in a slim box with no ID, but not, I think, any of these others, Chester, Robico (1800's), and a Sycamore Hollow "gay 90's" coach.  All unbuilt kits, mostly RPO's.   So somebody used to make O scale kits.

Keystoned Ed posted:

John - PSMC listed in Catalog 1 kit 3305, a model of John Ringling's private business  car.  The window arrangement on the sides is very different from ATSF's Chico.  PSMC also listed interior kits for the car.  If you want to build a business car one route to consider would be to use Joe Fischer's approach to fabricating heavyweight car sides.  In a two part series in 1947 Model Railroader Joe describes in detail how to scratch builds car sides from laminates of Strathmore board. 

Another alternative would be to consider Overland Models brass Ferdinand Magellan (the President's car) as a starting point.  A few years ago I purchased one on eBay from Bill Davis at a huge discount off MSRP.  Apparently OMI had a excess inventory of the model in both 2 and 3 rail versions. The one below is detailed for the Truman era.  A Regan era POTUS car was also offered.

IMG_1731IMG_1733IMG_1734 

Do you think you could post that article for us? I know that I don't have 99% of the vintage magazines, probably not alone there.

El Classico posted:
In a two part series in 1947 Model Railroader Joe describes in detail how to scratch builds car sides from laminates of Strathmore board. 

 

Do you think you could post that article for us? I know that I don't have 99% of the vintage magazines, probably not alone there.

Technically, he can't post them here due to copyright, and Ed's also going to find that's the wrong year.

Article is in Sept and Oct 1949 issues.  I could send you scans....

Keystoned Ed posted:

Thanks Martin, I tried to pull the Joe Fischer MR article year from memory - should have checked first.  I've corrected the earlier post.

I only remember since that year's issues were a cornucopia full of stuff for O scale modelers; just reading through the advertisements and seeing some of the models and names that were being announced is an educational experience.

mwb posted:
El Classico posted:
In a two part series in 1947 Model Railroader Joe describes in detail how to scratch builds car sides from laminates of Strathmore board. 

 

Do you think you could post that article for us? I know that I don't have 99% of the vintage magazines, probably not alone there.

Technically, he can't post them here due to copyright, and Ed's also going to find that's the wrong year.

Article is in Sept and Oct 1949 issues.  I could send you scans....

Please do

Slugger posted:

Very nice thread here!

Hey Martin, any chance I could get a copy of those articles as well?

If you had your e-mail address in your profile, the chances would be pretty good.

Right now they're thinner than a bowl of homeopathic soup made form the shadow of a pigeon that died from starvation,

mwb posted:
Slugger posted:

Very nice thread here!

Hey Martin, any chance I could get a copy of those articles as well?

If you had your e-mail address in your profile, the chances would be pretty good.

Right now they're thinner than a bowl of homeopathic soup made form the shadow of a pigeon that died from starvation,

My bad, thought it was visible. Corrected now!

Slugger posted:
mwb posted:
Slugger posted:

Very nice thread here!

Hey Martin, any chance I could get a copy of those articles as well?

If you had your e-mail address in your profile, the chances would be pretty good.

Right now they're thinner than a bowl of homeopathic soup made form the shadow of a pigeon that died from starvation,

My bad, thought it was visible. Corrected now!

You've got mail,

bob2 posted:

What I meant was, if I could post photos, I would be contributing.  All I am doing now is saying "nice".

Bob, if you have photos on your computer, you should be able to post them, no photo hosting website needed.

All the photos I've posted were either on my pc or came from those I saved to a thumb drive.

The OGR forum has the "Add Attachments" button that allows this to happen.

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