MTL single window coach looks like a winner

[thomasjmdavis]

So when is MTL going to take their green SWC, put their "Erie baggage car truck" on it, use an "Erie" print pad, and make what I want in one piece?

Pretty soon, I hope, but maybe put in a request with @Shipsure. 

For me personally, I will end up stripping the NYC lettering, blanking a few windows to make an approximation of an 1100 series rebuilds (will end up with 2 extra windows on each side- 19 instead of 17, but you do what you can), swapping in Erie trucks, and painting in 2 tone green.  I need the 4 wheel trucks for other projects, so these are perfect for me. 

Erie also had one diner-parlor that was rebuilt from these coaches with some windows modified, but without the streamline appearance of most of their rebuilds. 2996

[thomasjmdavis]

And diner lounge 2999

[Chris333]

Just parking info here about the Erie AC:

The year 1934 brought cars 2250-2256 into the modern era with the installation of steam-jet air conditioning. Unlike most Pullman-built cars, this air conditioning addition did not add large ducts on the sides of the clerestory roofs. Minimal changes to the roof included a large access hatch at one end of the top of the roof and the closing of air vents at the sides of the clerestory roof. Air conditioning units were added to the underbody of the cars. By 1937 steam-jet air conditioning had been added to most of the remaining cars.

[thomasjmdavis]

Thanks for the AC info, Chris.  From the roof hatch, I figured it was something like that (I am not sure if there is a difference between "steam-jet" and "steam-ejector" AC, but both needed a big hole in the roof).

The clerestory on the single window model is very smooth now that I see it on screen, well, it is smoother than it looks- to my eye very much like the patching of clerestory windows on the roof of Erie 2996 pictured a few entries above- appears that the AC vents shown in the various photos would need to be added, but only a couple of small vents need to be shaved.  And, in an attempt to be first (shown with a UP painted paired window for comparison)....

[learmoia]

2 different bolster centers with the 4 wheel vs 6 wheel?... how are they doing the 6 wheel truck?  Different underframe mold insert?

[bbussey]

2 different bolster centers with the 4 wheel vs 6 wheel?... how are they doing the 6 wheel truck?  Different underframe mold insert?

Same bolster hole. The six-wheel truck is the standard MTL heavyweight truck.

[Lemosteam]

@thomasjmdavis , if these are your models, can you pull the trucks off and share another pic?

@learmoia , I had suggested to MT some time ago that if they added a second hole to the underframe, that they could in fact use common tools.  I am very curious to see what they ended up doing.

[thomasjmdavis]

The truck centers of the single window coach measure 4.05" (per my trusty cheap caliper) which equals 54 scale feet, which is what is shown for the cars in drawings on the Canada Southern site-
http://www.canadasouthern.com/caso/images/g-27.jpg

While I can't say for sure, not having the PRR car as an example, I will take Bryan's word for it that same bolster is used for both 4 and 6 wheel trucks.  The pics of the PRR on the MTL site make it look (to me) like the 6 wheel truck (with offset bolster pin) is mounted with the bolster pin towards the end of the car, while on the paired window coach, the bolsters are more inboard, and the bolster pin is located towards the center of the car.  This assumes they did not provide a second (centered) bolster pin hole in the 6 wheel truck (?). Note that in previous production, the baggage car also mounts its trucks with the bolster pin toward the end (and I think the RPO, but would have to pull it out of storage).  On the sleepers and paired window, the bolster pin is offset toward the center.

If I mount a 6 wheel truck on the single window, I get this.... Single window is car with dark underframe.  Paired window light gray. 
Note from Tom D- I removed the photo that used to be here because it is not accurate in showing how 6 wheel truck is mounted on single window car- see conversation below and notes from Shipsure- the 6 wheel truck has been modified so there is no offset of the bolster pin.

[jdcolombo]

FWIW.

In my capacity as Director of Modeling Services for the NKPHTS, I contacted MT about a special run of the single-windows coaches for the NKPHTS to sell with custom decals.  It turns out that these are reasonably close to both the NKP 90-series and 60-series heavyweight coaches, which lasted in service until 1960.  But the 60-series had 6-wheel trucks, while the 90-series had 4-wheel trucks.  We wanted the 4-wheel version (there were more 90-series cars than 60-series, and they were built later), but I asked whether someone could buy the six-wheel trucks separately if they wanted to do a 60-series model.  I was told that the trucks would be available for sale separately "next month" (e.g., March).

This indicated to me that the six-wheel trucks would be of a different design than what is currently in the MT catalog.  Otherwise, they would have just told me "Yes, tell them to buy [PART NUMBER]." 

John C.

[Lemosteam]

@thomasjmdavis ,

Can you remove the truck on both cars and take another picture without the trucks in place?  I wish to see the design of the shell and underframe.  Thanks in advance.

[thomasjmdavis]

John C.- it would make sense to me if MT were to produce a version of the 6 wheel truck with a centered bolster pin- not saying that they are- as this would make it easier to use as a replacement for older trucks on Rivarossi and Lima cars.  It would also make sense on the single window coach, since the NYC cars with 6 wheel trucks have the same truck centers as the cars with 4 wheel trucks.

Anyone take a photo of the underside of the PRR version at a show prior to release or get one in the mail last few days?  Or @Shipsure care to comment?  It is a product that has been released, seems silly to be speculating when the real thing is available as an example.

OK @Lemosteam - it appears to me to be built the same way as previous MT offerings, but I hope this answers whatever question you have....

[Lemosteam]

I does, I think that it will be more clear when I can compare a six and 4 axle single window floors.

[JoeD]

we made an insert in the 6 wheeled truck (second option)  that moved the center of the bolster span so it would work.  No changes to the underframe. 

Joe

[OldEastRR]

The clerestory on the single window model is very smooth now that I see it on screen, well, it is smoother than it looks- to my eye very much like the patching of clerestory windows on the roof of Erie 2996 pictured a few entries above- appears that the AC vents shown in the various photos would need to be added, but only a couple of small vents need to be shaved.  And, in an attempt to be first (shown with a UP painted paired window for comparison)....

I'm confused --- are both the NYC and UP SWCs shown in the photos made by MTL? Their roofs and underbodies are quite different.

[peteski]

Yes, both models pictured are from MTL, but the yellow one is not SWC - it is the older, paired-window coach - that is clearly visible.