Need help with PRR Heavyweight ID

Your car is a "Rugged Rails" toy and doesn't represent or resemble any prototype PRR passenger car.  Just enjoy it as an attractive toy. 

Bob Bartizek's answer above is spot on - but since you seem to be interested PRR passenger cars I'll provide some info. Bob replied while I was still keying my reply!!

The MTH car is a downsized model loosely based on a non-air conditioned Pullman heavyweight sleeping car.  Pullman heavyweight sleepers were built  into the 1930.  Beginning in the mid 1930's Pullman retrofitted air conditioning to a large percentage of the heavyweight sleeper fleet. Air conditioned Pullman heavyweights can be spotted by bulbous ducts extending from the center section down to the car side.  Heavyweight sleepers were largely displaced by lightweight streamlined cars by the mid 1950's but some survived into the 1960's largely to handle seasonal surge traffic.

PRR's paint scheme for passenger cars change several times between the 1930's and the Penn Central merger in 1968.  A fantastic book published by the PRRT&HS documents these changes in detail year by year as they went into effect.  The title is Pennsylvania Railroad Passenger Car Painting and Lettering by Charles Blardone and Peter Tilp.  I'll provide a brief overview of the changing postwar Tuscan red scheme.  In 1947 the PRR adopted a 3 stripe scheme for its steel passenger car roster.  PENNSYLVANIA was centered on the letter board with one stripe above and 2 stripes below the window area.  Gold leaf was used for lettering and stripes .  In 1952 Dulux Gold (a mustard yellow color) replaced gold leaf as the standard for stripes lettering.  In 1963 PENNSYLVANIA on the letter board was dropped in favor of a pair of PRR keystone emblems on the car sides and the 2 stripes below the windows was replaced by one. While the dates above set the starting year for a new standard, the changes were implemented over a span of time as cars passed through shops.

To the best of my knowledge none of the PRR's few remaining heavyweight sleepers were repainted in the 1963 keystone decal scheme. 

Hope this helps.

Ed Rappe

Hi Bob and Ed,

Thanks for your replies.  While it's too bad the car doesn't have a specific prototype it does certainly have fine play value as a toy and I'm happy with that.

Ed, I did see the book you recommended and hope to own it someday when it won't be a distraction from writing my dissertation! (Bad time to pick up an addictive hobby :-). So, in the meantime, I appreciate very much your summary of passinger car paint schemes and dates.  I kind of figured that the transition to new paint wouldn't necessarily be immediate, and you confirmed that.

Thanks again for the information,

Tomlinson Run Railroad