Models with possibly no prototype

Any idea who imported it? That might be a clue as to "reality". If it is someone like the late Pat O'Boyle (Pacific Limited), it is probably accurate for something. If it doesn't have a prototype, what did the builder use for plans? Is there a generic set/sets of plans for various cars that builders use? I'm sure the builders have a "file" of plans for things they have built. At least it doesn't have a giraffe sticking it's head out of the roof.

The Hobbyhill tank cars of several years back were said to have no prototype. Same question: what did the builder use to construct them?

Simon

The car looks very similar to the Wabash boxcar offered by Rails Unlimited, albeit with different mix of ends and doors.  But the general proportions, bracing, and door position all look equivalent to the 1 and 3/4 door version of that car.  And since the Rails Unlimited car comes with two different styles of ends, and options for door opening sizes, it seems reasonable to assume that those features were specified per order.  Other roads might have chosen the end featured in your pictures.

Its a Precision Scale import.  I did find a couple photos of cars that match the sides, but nothing with a wood end and bracing under the doors.  A CV car with steel ends and a track slide under the doors, and a MKT with steel ends. I suppose that a car with wood ends could have had the ends replaced at some point, but you would think if they were going to go to the trouble to import something it would have a specific prototype.

big train posted:

The car looks very similar to the Wabash boxcar offered by Rails Unlimited, albeit with different mix of ends and doors.  But the general proportions, bracing, and door position all look equivalent to the 1 and 3/4 door version of that car.  And since the Rails Unlimited car comes with two different styles of ends, and options for door opening sizes, it seems reasonable to assume that those features were specified per order.  Other roads might have chosen the end featured in your pictures.

That's sort of a problem with O scale from my perspective, we have atlas and others painting their stuff for every road there is regardless of whether there was ever one of them in real life. Some modelers prefer to have actual models of the real thing.  I think it might be a difference in perspective, since some modelers model "trains", and while their choice of engines and caboose may be specific, what is in between them is really just a blur. Other modelers don't care if a specific car or engine or whatever really existed, they just like the looks of it. Some people model to model, and every item they incorporate in their layout needs to be a model of something that was real, and still others get even more specific than that, like if a certain model ever ran on their chosen roads rails, what time period, Proto48, etc. 

Looks like a generic OB box to me.  I would paint it SP.  Wouldn't bother me for a second.

From the title I thought you were asking about models with clearly no prototype, like my SP Hudson or my "Log Mallet" or maybe my AC-4 with roller bearing Buckeye trucks.

bob2 posted:

From the title I thought you were asking about models with clearly no prototype, like my SP Hudson or my "Log Mallet" or maybe my AC-4 with roller bearing Buckeye trucks.

No more talk like that or we'll banish you to the three rail forum and make you haul giraffe and aquarium cars all day! 

Simon 

& where the trucks have roller skate wheels and lobster claw couplers.

I have pretty much concluded that with those wood ends, there is just no way to say what it is supposed to be a model of without an actual photo. I wonder of any of the train sheds have the drawing for it in them.

Many of the PSC  wood cars are loosely of SP heritage. Some may say they were crudely done as they are earlier renditions.  The PSC SP Overnights car is a reasonably well done 1937 AAR all steel box car.

SP most certainly had Howe truss single sheathed single door cars but I'm not sure that SP had Howe truss single sheathed double door cars like your and I'm not at the house where my Tony Thompson SP box car books are so I don't have a definitive answer as to what your car in the picture represents, if anything.  You might search SP A-40-  since that would probably be the Espee car class.     I do think somewhere in internet land there is a listing of Espee auto and boxcar classes.

Sadly these cars were offered by PSC with wood or dreadnaught ends only.  Had they offered Murphy ends it would have loosely replicated a 1923 ARA single sheathed car as a very good stand-in for many other roads.

Oh, the Pacific Limited single door SP B-50-14 SP single sheathed wood cars are extremely well done.   Available only in K brakes the are great cars nonetheless.  The only thing lacking would have been newer AB brake versions or a radial roof car.   The PL cars have nicely done brake rigging that replicates the Pacific Electric outside rigged hand brake chain routing.

The only 40 series SP close I found is the A40-2 and it is door and a half and truss rods.  I don't think it was meant to be an SP car.

Turns out this is an MKT car

I've seen similar MKT photos.

New doors on an old boxcar. Maybe there's a prototype photo out there where it has new doors but still had the steel braced wood ends instead of the rebuilt 3-3-3 ?

This GTW, I've also seen similar Canadian Pacific.

Kit info on similar modified door And a half prototypes:

@bob2 posted:

Looks like a generic OB box to me.  I would paint it SP.  Wouldn't bother me for a second.

Well, painting SP might bother me, but I'd be perfectly happy to have it shipped to my location, thank you very much.

@Simon Winter posted:

No more talk like that or we'll banish you to the three rail forum and make you haul giraffe and aquarium cars all day!

Simon

Don't forget those miles of mint cars!

One thing that pops up with prototypes -- "As Built" vs. "As Retired". Some steam locomotives will actually only bear a general resemblance to their as-built configuration at the time of retirement. Railroad shops have been known to modify equipment due to accident or changes in performance needs. Then there are the famous ATSF SD45/SD45-2 B-units that were made from wrecks. Each was a little different. As I recall, there were at least six of them.

Interestingly enough, Burlington Northern had at least one, but used the technique on other cab units that had an "indiscretion". Here's a B30-7 B unit.

SD40-2B

I haven't seen the prototype for this one yet.

Lol! The Weinermobile came thru here about 1-1/2 years ago, but on tires not on rails.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

I haven't seen the prototype for this one yet.

There is a highway version, the "Wienermobile":

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wienermobile

@WITZ 41 posted:

I've seen similar MKT photos.

New doors on an old boxcar. Maybe there's a prototype photo out there where it has new doors but still had the steel braced wood ends instead of the rebuilt 3-3-3 ?

This GTW, I've also seen similar Canadian Pacific.

Kit info on similar modified door And a half prototypes:

There a lot that are similar, but wrong.  The MKT is what it is supposed to be