PRR "Sharks"

Dominic, do you mean the four axle freight Sharks, or the six axle passenger Sharks?

Stuart

$ axle freight.  Class BF15 or BF16, I think.

The Weaver offerings. BP20's were Passenger units. In real life ABA sets. There where 9 sets, 27 units. Had maintenance issues and could not be readily MUed with non Baldwin units. 

Most photos I've seen of the Pennsy's freight sharks show them pulling coal and ore trains. Baldwin products were noted for their low-end pulling ability (As well as leaking oil and cooling water like sieves). 

I think they served in coal train served on the New York Central too, operating on the line that connected with the Virginian Rwy. in Deepwater, WV.

There is a photo in Pennsy Power 2 of just such a train at Horse Shoe Curve, when the BF16 was new....so yes they saw service in all manners of freight, with the probable exception of the Trailer Trains, when that service was new. Certain types of work train service would have been a sure thing too.

Dominic

The PRR didn't run dedicated "Merchandise Service" freight trains.   Merchandise Service box cars were mixed in with other cars in PRR freight trains.

The PRR did run a good number of mail and express service "passenger" trains on scheduled routes.  Some PRR mail and express trains included coaches for revenue passengers, dead heading employees, and train crew.  Some mail and express trains carries no revenue passengers and trailed a lone rider coach or a special express service cabin car.  Several hundred X29 PRR express service box cars (Railway Express Agency lettering in addition to PRR lettering) were equipped with passenger train steam and signaling lines for this service.   Merchandise Service X29 box cars did not run in the mail and express trains as they did not have steam and signal lines.

Ed Rappe

Ed,

I never realized that a cabin car might be attached to a passenger / baggage / mail train.  Typically what cabin car would be used or was most popular in this service?

Thanks,

George

The PRR had quite a number of N5 series cabin cars that were lettered for "Passenger Service" and "Assigned to Railway Express Agency". Those special Cabin Cars even had train lined steam heat for when they were on a passenger/express train, in addition to the standard coal stove.

Hot is correct about the passenger service N5's.  You could occasionally find NH cabooses on the tail of mail and express trains over the PRR Middle Division.  I believe they were pooled with PRR cabins in Boston-Pittsburgh service.

Ed Rappe

Thank you Hot Water and Ed.

Would these cabins tend to be N5C's?  Or have gold/yellow cupolas (painted for pool service)?

Thanks,

George

Eastbound Manhattan Limited (around 6:30 AM through Elizabeth, NJ.) would always carry a cabin on the back, with the train running backwards north of Philly.

I do not recall any pictures of BF-16's pulling a complete consist of actual MS cars.  But Pennsy did use such an image in advertising.

Ron

Did a quick search but could not find any O gauge PRR cabins with "Passenger Service" and "Assigned to Railway Express Agency".  Has any been made?  Right now I plan to use one of my GGD P70s at the end of my express.

Ron

I'm glad you looked.  Not surprised to learn none have been made.  But it might be an interesting idea.  There are so many prototypes out there that we never see.

George

Some of those N5C's were repainted into Pullman green before placed into this service, I beleive.

The research I did for the painting & lettering for my PRR Cabin Car model did NOT support that.