Does anyone know if this Lionel car is prototypical? I want to make it 2rail and repaint to the Route of Robert E Lee. I know the Seaboard roof is different than the Pennsylvania and Northern Pacific cars.
Replies sorted oldest to newest
If it is any help, that does not look at all like the PRR car I have.
VGN64,
The Lionel car is a model of the PRR X31. The Seaboard car is different. The roof, sides, side sills and ends are different. But the Lionel car is a 40 foot car with a round roof, so if the details are ok with you then go for it.
Smoky Mountain Model Works has said he wants to do the cars as a resin kit but he has released a flat car and is taking orders for a gondola and still no boxcar yet.
http://www.smokymountainmodelworks.com
You be the judge
Attachments
Smoky Mountain's owner has indicated that he is not seeing enough interest in the Seaboard turtleback to proceed (if you are serous about buying one / some, and have not already told him that - please do - or we will never see the kit)
What George said...The number of side panels is also different as well as the ends being different.
The PRR car has a top that is "indented" like the rim on a hat:
The Seaboard cars were truly rounded:
Seaboard had thousands of these cars, single and double door. Folks need to let Jim King at SMMW know they're interested.
Attachments
Max Gray imported "PRR" round roof single and double door box cars without the "indent" roof. . MG model 241was the 40' single door round roof box car, while 242 was the double double door version (251 and 252 were the 50' cars). Max Gray's August 1963 Condensed Reference and Price List has the 40' single door at $9 and the double door car at $9.45. The detail was sparse by today's standards but with some added parts and a nice paint job one would make for a reasonable stand-in until something better comes along. Max Gray (and successor US Hobbies) cars are frequently found at O scale meets with prices below some of today's plastic models.
PS did you notice the color of the wheel face on the SAL car. Back in the friction bearing era wheel faces looked greasy black - not rust colored as on today's cars.