Need well car suggestions

[bbussey]

Everyone,

I need some suggestions regarding shorter-length smooth-side well cars, from one of the mid-Atlantic or southeast railroads.  Allen Eck has made an exquisite brass model of the Pennsy F25a, which would be the perfect prototype except that 1) Allen already has done it, and 2) ESM has released a ton of Pennsy models as it is.  Any suggestions would be welcome.

The C&O ribbed-side prototype that I have had designed for years is still to be sometime in the future, but it's not feasible cost-wise just yet.

Here's Allen's model, for those who need a refresher and as an example of the type of car I'm looking for:



Something similar to this prototype would be perfect.   It must have these characteristics:

• Length of 35 to 45 feet
• Rides on four-wheel trucks
• Smooth sides (can be riveted)
• Must be based on a prototype from a railroad based in the mid-Atlantic or southeast region

Thanks.

[wcfn100]

Is D&H too far north?

Jason

[Bob Bufkin]

Believe the Reading had some of these cars.  Don't have my color guides handy but sure them had some.

[chessie system fan]

What about the WM car?  There's plans in Mainline Modeler and it's preserved at the B&O museum in Baltimore.

[wcfn100]

What about the WM car?  There's plans in Mainline Modeler and it's preserved at the B&O museum in Baltimore.

That's not a smooth side car is it?

Jason

[chessie system fan]

Ah, I read that wrong.  No rivets equaled "smooth" in my mind.

[GonzoCRFan]

The Reading had 10 of these:

http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1001215

Not sure if it meets the definition of smooth-side, though...plus they weren't transferred to CR according to my Day 1 roster, so being a one-railroad model doesn't help.

Bryan, I think you're stuck with something like the F49s...

http://thecrhs.org/node/8359

They technically weren't Pennsy cars...

[bbussey]

Is D&H too far north?

No it is not.  But I need a photo reference, or at least a class number, so I can see if it's feasible.

The Reading had 10 of these:

http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1001215

Not sure if it meets the definition of smooth-side, though...plus they weren't transferred to CR according to my Day 1 roster, so being a one-railroad model doesn't help.

Bryan, I think you're stuck with something like the F49s...

http://thecrhs.org/node/8359

They technically weren't Pennsy cars...

That Reading prototype looks like turn-of-the-last -century.  I was hoping for something built at least in the 1930s forward.

I like the F49.  But can it really be that the only suitable cars are Pennsy prototypes?  Did every road literally build its own handful of well cars back in the early 20th century?

No other well cars?  Argh.  All right, how about depressed center flats.  40' to 45' foot cars.   I love the New Haven transformer cars, for obvious reasons, but I don't think that's a suitable prototype.

[sirenwerks]

I always liked the 30-something footer that Funero & Camerlengo (sp?) did in HO. If memory serves me well it was rivet-less, but its not from the the Mid Atlantic.

[wcfn100]

No it is not.  But I need a photo reference, or at least a class number, so I can see if it's feasible.

D&H 16160-16164.

Drawings are in one or more of the Cyclopedias from the 40's and (through a web search) there was a modeling article in something called 'The Monogram' in '84.  The photo on the Cyclopedia is very poor so another reference would be needed.

I may have the drawing on CD or the Train Shed volume that has it (if there is one) if you're interested.

Jason

[wcfn100]

Jason

[up1950s]

http://www.antiquesnavigator.com/d-527339/photos-allis-chalmers-well-flat-cars-wloads.html

http://www.postwarlionel.com/cgi-bin/postwar?ITEM=6519

http://southern.railfan.net/shippers/york/york.html (THEY WERE IN PA ALSO !)

(acmx 418 built 1957 I think)


( Here is ACMX 400 that was shown in a Modern Railroads mag in 1957 )
http://southern.railfan.net/shippers/york/allis/acmx400.html

Out of my era , but it is South East
 

[nkalanaga]

I know the Great Northern built their own during WW II.  It wouldn't be surprising if most roads built one or two for a specific purpose then kept  them in general service.

[bbussey]

The two D&H designs look promising.  The well car in general seems to be a luxury item that most railroads didn't invest in, and those that did appear to have utilized their own unique designs.

[wcfn100]

The two D&H designs look promising.  The well car in general seems to be a luxury item that most railroads didn't invest in, and those that did appear to have utilized their own unique designs.

FWIW, there's an NYC car that looks awfully close to the D&H car (apart from the brake wheels).  But the poor photos make it hard to be sure.

Jason