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Wanted a postwar PRR observation car, since they actually had more of them than the more traditional looking prewar observation cars. Except there wasn't exactly an affordable way to get one. I believe Golden Gate Depot made one included in one of their sets, but it's not like they show up for sale very often, and when they do, they're not exactly cheap (especially since they're usually sold as part of a set).

Figured I'd use the K-line open end "business car" as a starting point. I'm sure it had a prototype, but it sure wasn't from the PRR. Working from photos and car plans (and, of course, squeezing an 85 foot car into a 72 foot space), I designed a replacement end, printed it, and decorated it. If anyone's interested, I'll explain the steps I took along the way, but here she is, just about finished...

20221016_203351

The interior lights have been replaced with LEDs, the drumhead is lighted, and the rear marker lights illuminate (3 mm LEDs). There's also a removable bar that bridges the gap below the coupler, but it's not in place in this photo.

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Last edited by Magicland
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Nice work.  But K-Line did produce this car, complete with the radio antennae.  See link and quote below from the website.

http://www.legacykline.com/ord...mp;p_oem_sku=K-4680C

"K-LINE® has produced the first correct Flat End Observation Car. The A.J. Cassatt Car was one of seven flat end passenger cars built in 1949 and named for selected PRR Presidents. The flat end cars created the particular look associated with the Pennsylvania's fleet of post-war streamliners."

BTW the picture toward the top of the page is incorrect, the picture showing all 4 cars is what it actually looks like.

Last edited by MainLine Steam

Nice work.  But K-Line did produce this car, complete with the radio antennae.  See link and quote below from the website.

http://www.legacykline.com/ord...mp;p_oem_sku=K-4680C

"K-LINE® has produced the first correct Flat End Observation Car. The A.J. Cassatt Car was one of seven flat end passenger cars built in 1949 and named for selected PRR Presidents. The flat end cars created the particular look associated with the Pennsylvania's fleet of post-war streamliners."

BTW the picture toward the top of the page is incorrect, the picture showing all 4 cars is what it Itactually looks like.

Nice try, but K-line wasn't even close to correct. This is just the same flat-end car they used for the Golden State, painted in PRR colors. It's also only 15" (at least in that listing, they may have also made an 18" version). The actual car tapered inward from before the last set of windows. As you can see from mine, there's absolutely no reason they couldn't have actually made a "correct" version, but chose not to.

https://ogrforum.com/...ine%2520PRRSoSL2.jpg

@PGentieu posted:

Lionel made the "Tower View" observation car as part of the 21" car four-pack (6-83022) for the 1948 Broadway Limited.  It was cataloged in the 2016 Volume 2 catalog.

Lionel's "Tower View" is a great looking car (as are the rest of their 21" PRR Broadway cars). However, it seems almost impossible to locate. I couldn't even come across a decent picture of it except in a YouTube video.

The reason I posted, is I wanted others reading this to know, there are off the shelf Flat End PRR cars available.

K-Line did that a lot.  They would make a car "fairly correct" for one RR, and as you said just repaint it for another.  Or worse yet.

The one that drives me "up the wall" is their post war Hiawatha Skytop Obs.  They are "Rapids" cars in Exterior configuration, and the names on them reflect that, however they put in an interior like the "Creek" cars.  Not sure why they did that, "pick a lane".

Also all their domes have flat floors.  The only dome ever built that way, was the original CBQ Dome, which was converted from a standard car to test the idea.  Even then the interior is Way Off.  From a cost/production standpoint it makes sense.

Now after my rant, I have to say their cars are part of what made me decide to go 3R when coming from HO last year.  I think they are gorgeous, especially the shiny cars.  While not prototypically correct they are Beautiful Models/Toys to me.DSCF4433

The great thing about this hobby is there is something for everyone!

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Last edited by MainLine Steam

The reason I posted, is I wanted others reading this to know, there are off the shelf Flat End PRR cars available.

K-Line did that a lot.  They would make a car "fairly correct" for one RR, and as you said just repaint it for another.  Or worse yet.



Now after my rant, I have to say their cars are part of what made me decide to go 3R when coming from HO last year.  I think they are gorgeous, especially the shiny cars.  While not prototypically correct they are Beautiful Models/Toys to me.DSCF4433

The great thing about this hobby is there is something for everyone!

Don't get me wrong, K-line made some really nice stuff, at a time that few others were. I've got an almost complete Golden State set (missing the 2nd dome, though the real Golden State had none, and it had no flat-end observation car, though K-line made one).

Funny thing, PRR's "Alexander Hamilton" observation car did closely resemble the shape of the K-line flat-end observation car, if it had fluting and they put a diaphragm on the end. Of course, nobody seemed to make it that way...

The reason I posted, is I wanted others reading this to know, there are off the shelf Flat End PRR cars available.

K-Line did that a lot.  They would make a car "fairly correct" for one RR, and as you said just repaint it for another.  Or worse yet.

The one that drives me "up the wall" is all their domes have flat floors.  The only dome ever built that way, was the original CBQ Dome, which was converted from a standard car to test the idea.  Even then the interior is Way Off.  From a cost/production standpoint it makes sense.

Now after my rant, I have to say their cars are part of what made me decide to go 3R when coming from HO last year.  I think they are gorgeous, especially the shiny cars.  While not prototypically correct they are Beautiful Models/Toys to me.DSCF4433

The great thing about this hobby is there is something for everyone!

Note that Lionel Scale 21" dome cars do NOT  have flat floors in the dome.

20221029_142721

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@Jan posted:

The PRR business car was purchased from the AT&SF.  I don't know the details but think it was mention in K-Line's description.

GGD did make the flat-end observation.  The only individual car )Manhattan?) was available from the Altoona Railroad Museum.

Jan

Pretty sure that GGD observation was lettered "Mountain View".

Mark

Last edited by PRRrat

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