Request for magazine info, RMC PRR X58 from 5/80

[bsoplinger]

I'm looking to find out if the "Protofile 9: Pennsylvania X58 plugdoor boxcar" article in this issue has plans/drawings/useful enough info to actually model a PRR X58 boxcar or if it only has photos.

Can anyone out there with this in their back issue stash take a look for me and tell me the answer?

Thanks
Brian

[Chris333]

I got it. Whatcha need?

[bsoplinger]

I got it. Whatcha need?

Umm, pretty much what I asked....

If the "Protofile 9: Pennsylvania X58 plugdoor boxcar" article has plans/drawings/useful enough info to actually model a PRR X58 boxcar.

[Chris333]

There are no drawings at all. Just 2 pages, 1 page is 4 proto photos. The other page is text on how to model one in HO scale.

[rswinnerton]

If you need detail shots, there's one less than a mile from my place, still in CR lettering with little grafitti.. Let me know if you need and if you need shots, what of. Kris (Conrail6055) and I are in good with the MOW supervisor and could get shots as needed.
Russ
www.thecrhs.org

[bsoplinger]

What Dick at Fine N-Scale really needs are drawings. After all its hard to make a model otherwise. It is a real PIA to go with photos and hand taken measurements, but that may be what we end up being able to supply to get our X58 boxcars.

[Bob Bufkin]

Check this site.  Don't know how accurate it is but does have diagrams of PRR cars.
http://prr.railfan.net/diagrams/PRRdiagrams.html?sel=box&sz=sm&fr=

[Chris333]

I have a good collection of RMC and MR, but the index only lists the issue mentioned. If you guys hear of another issue with drawings let me know.

[bsoplinger]

Check this site.  Don't know how accurate it is but does have diagrams of PRR cars.
http://prr.railfan.net/diagrams/PRRdiagrams.html?sel=box&sz=sm&fr=

The drawing for the X58 at the PRR railfan site is one full rib short on both sides of the door. Basically it looks like a X65 PC drawing instead of the X58 PRR drawing. So its not useful at all.

Brian

[ai5629]

I put the emails I received below on the first X58 thread.  I sounds like plans are available, but you would have to dig for them in the Pennsylvania state archives in Harrisburg.  One could contact Gene Ritacco at the web site listed below, and ask some questions.  I thought someone else posted a reply that said these drawings are 25 a piece, and they don't know which to get.  I would think you would need the roof, ends, door, and sides.  Maybe the underframe too.  If someone lived close, and they were willing to do the research, we could do a fund for the drawings and compensate him for his research and procurement of the papers?  We could send our donations to an honest agency, like the Conrail Historical Society.  Any volunteers?  I live in Pittsburgh, so I cannot do it.  I am willing to donate to the cause though!  Thanks.

Jeff 


An email to me:
Hi Jeff,

I have a drawing database on my website that lists 100 x58 drawings. 
Click on "PRR Documents" then "Drawing Search." Maybe what you need 
is there. The 1960 to 1970 timeframe has about 2000 drawings.

Regards,

Greg Ritacco

http://www.prrfastexpressservice.com/


And I got this one on the PRR modeler's group:

Jeff;

You first need to talk to Gene, but he is a businessman who invested a lot of
time in R&D, so you may have to work on an arrangement. Does he not want to
do the car in N? Obviously, he has done far more work on this car than you
want to do yourself, and you would have to go to considerable lengths to get
a set of plans. The PRRT&HS does not have them in their archives, and you
would have to go to the State Archives at Harrisburg and dig......

Elden

Thanks.

Jeff

[rswinnerton]

I put the emails I received below on the first X58 thread.  I sounds like plans are available, but you would have to dig for them in the Pennsylvania state archives in Harrisburg.  One could contact Gene Ritacco at the web site listed below, and ask some questions.  I thought someone else posted a reply that said these drawings are 25 a piece, and they don't know which to get.  I would think you would need the roof, ends, door, and sides.  Maybe the underframe too.  If someone lived close, and they were willing to do the research, we could do a fund for the drawings and compensate him for his research and procurement of the papers?  We could send our donations to an honest agency, like the Conrail Historical Society.  Any volunteers?  I live in Pittsburgh, so I cannot do it.  I am willing to donate to the cause though!  Thanks.

Jeff 


An email to me:
Hi Jeff,

I have a drawing database on my website that lists 100 x58 drawings. 
Click on "PRR Documents" then "Drawing Search." Maybe what you need 
is there. The 1960 to 1970 timeframe has about 2000 drawings.

Regards,

Greg Ritacco

http://www.prrfastexpressservice.com/


And I got this one on the PRR modeler's group:

Jeff;

You first need to talk to Gene, but he is a businessman who invested a lot of
time in R&D, so you may have to work on an arrangement. Does he not want to
do the car in N? Obviously, he has done far more work on this car than you
want to do yourself, and you would have to go to considerable lengths to get
a set of plans. The PRRT&HS does not have them in their archives, and you
would have to go to the State Archives at Harrisburg and dig......

Elden

Thanks.

Jeff

I live in Marysville, right across the river from Harrisburg.. I've got plenty of time to dig through Pennsylvania's attic.
Let me know how I can help.
Russ
www.thecrhs.org

[John]

what bout these

http://prr.railfan.net/diagrams/PRRdiagrams.html?diag=x58b.gif&sel=all&sz=sm&fr=

[3rdrail]

what bout these

http://prr.railfan.net/diagrams/PRRdiagrams.html?diag=x58b.gif&sel=all&sz=sm&fr=

Count the ribs on the diagram and then count those on the photo. Some got left off the drawing. 

[bsoplinger]

To recap so far:

The otherwise excellent prr railfan site has drawings scanned in that say PRR X58, but they could be for a PC X65, regardless, they are one rib short on each side of the door, so are no good for what we want. It also says that RMC has 'drawings' in the 5/80 issue, but it is only pictures so that won't work as a reference either.

I personally have a scan of the LVRR X58 lettering diagram. Useful, but only so much as there are no dimensions listed (other than on the lettering).

Using the link from Greg in the quote there, to his prrfastexpressservice site, I find that the PA state archive lists about 100 total drawings for X58, X58b, X58d, etc. Unfortunately they have names on them that don't mean too much too me. The cost of drawings, when done by the staff, is 15 per drawing for PA residents and 25 for non-residents.

I personally would be willing to dish out for a half dozen drawings and I can get them sent to my mother who lives in PA to get the price down. Makes an excuse to visit her, which she'll just love. Of course if folks want to pitch in to a drawing fund, the more the merrier But, and this is the kicker, I have no idea what would be good drawings to get and the 'names' of the drawings aren't self descriptive to me.

So, Russ, if you are willing, use the link for the prrfastexpressservice site and get the list of drawings and print that out before you head out to the archive. Then look and find drawings that seem to be useful. Ie., a closeup of the cushioned coupler might be interesting but is hardly needed for our model as we'll just be using MT or Accumate couplers. OTOH a full broadside drawing with dimensions would be wonderful.

I think we'd want:
broadside with full dimensioning
end dimensions useful but probably can be used without
roof (ditto on dimensions)
door (ditto on dimensions)
undercarrage (ditto on dimensions)

If the broadside drawing doesn't have dimensions, then a roof, end and undercarrage set with dimensions would be good enough also.

Brian

[Chris333]

I know this isn't what you want to hear, but..   Back when I wanted a model of a Erie Dunmore caboose there were no scale drawings. So I purchase a HO scale highly detailed resin kit. I still have the kit and haven't put it together. Just used it to measure and scale down to N and Z.