What's with the groovy P70 coaches by AHM/lima/ModelPower?

[OldEastRR]

Those big trenches that runs down the sides of the RTR car -- is that supposed to be there? In prototype photos I never saw one on that coach.

[bbussey]

First off, the AHM/Lima models are the originals, the Model Power model is a reverse-engineered copy that isn't nearly as good.

The model represents the P70 as built.  You would have to fill in that "trench" as well as the end corner windows and modernize the vestibule doors if you want the more common appearance.  Or, buy the Bachmann model, which represents the prototype in its more common appearance.

[thomasjmdavis]

Pretty good info, plus parts and sides for detailing or modernization, here:
http://prr-parts.com/

I don't have any interest in the company, other than an email exchange 5 or 10 years ago. 

[OldEastRR]

So what was the original intent of putting grooves on the prototypes?

[Lemosteam]

If you look in the softcover book of PRR coaches, you will find that the Lima model is a very accurate representation of a very early P70.  if you look at this page http://www.prr-parts.com/, the first image shows three things that stand out as representing that image in the Lima model- the beltline groove, the small diamond vents in the clerestory, and the size of the window in the vestibule door.  If I am not mistaken there were some grooved cars that survived in some later images in my book, but rare.


Online image from Jeff Faulkner- I did not copy.

This is what the Keystone Details upgrade kits are for, trucks roofs, doors, steps- the only thing I can't remedy is the groove, and some folks use a styrene strip to fill the groove before repainting. The link above sells all of the related underbody parts and some resin roofs.

[OldEastRR]

Thanks for the photos and info. I believe Lima made their model from scale drawings in the August 1963 Model Railroader. The drawings are not only of the P70, but of the MPB70 combine, which Lima also produced (but made too long).
But .... what the heck was that groove in the car side for? Or does anybody know?

[Lemosteam]

Probably just a result of the way the car was constructed.  Don't think there was a purpose, per se..

[thomasjmdavis]

Pure speculation, but I wonder if the top of the panel was recessed so that the beltrail would be a more effective drip edge- so that water would not be drawn into the seam from below.  Also took a look at John H White's Passenger Cars Vol 1, and he states that the trim pieces on the original cars were aluminum (not sure if that would include the "sill" under the window panel)- so also occurs to me it might have something to do with how the joint was constructed with the two metals.  Regardless, the early batches of P70s were among the first all steel cars built, so they were still working out "best practices" in construction.

[chicken45]

I really need to finish my P70 project.

[dougnelson]

You can make your car less groovy by filling the recess with a strip of appropriately sized Evergreen strip styrene.

[OldEastRR]

Oh yeah, the Lima cars get a real make-over. I fill in the "trench", the end windows, and replace the doors. For modernized cars I fill more windows, cut in parts of another Lima car, replace the trucks, fill in the clerestory roof, and now have those nifty new stair sets by Lemostream to add to the mix. For a BM70 I use parts of both Lima car types, plus do other mods for the combine. I've done a few now so I've got the process down  fast and efficient.