ESM: Two-panel COTS on PRR X-58?

[C855B]

I guess this is mostly a question for Bryan. The "new items" announcement from one of the online shops was showing the upcoming run of ESM X-58's. Pictured was a PRR (large keystone)... but with a 2-panel COTS... huh? This style of consolidated stenciling didn't start until '72 and two-panel COTS wasn't until '74. You see the dilemma here.

Yeah, I know it's a rivet-count, but since I model ~1970 I make it a point to watch out for this on new purchases.

[Dave V]

Bryan's been adamant that these cars each represent a documented, photographed prototype for each road number.

My guess is that they represent PRR cars still in their pre-PC paint that survived into the 70s to receive COTS.  This happened quite frequently and it's an effect I model on my circa-1980 layout.  All of my PRR survivors get ACI labels and COTS.

Check the service dates on those ESM cars and I bet you'll see something that makes sense (i.e., 1970s).

[bbussey]

The three Pennsy cars in the upcoming release represent cars in the original paint scheme as depicted in the Conrail era.  The photograph dates of the three full-size cars replicated on the ESM model in this release are June 1976, June 1984 and April 1982 respectively.  That's why all three models have no roofwalk and consolidated stencils.   In fact, if you look closely at the second car (#222107), you can see the Conrail-style stenciling for the service date.  Some future Pennsy cars will feature wheel inspection dots as well.  Lots of Pennsy variants representing the cars as depicted during many individual years between 1965 and 1999 are coming, although I don't recall any having the original single panel COTS.

[C855B]

Of course I'm not asking for the single-panel COTS, that's after the center of my modeling period, too. ACI labels, however...

[bbussey]

ACI plates will appear as appropriate, based on when the prototype the model is based on was photographed.  If you can find #222104 from the first release, it features ACI plates and falls within your modeling era.

[tom mann]

Did you ever set Cody Grivno straight?

[Sokramiketes]

Did you ever set Cody Grivno straight?

Cody was right, unfortunantly.  Well, his comments were correct.  His odd handling of the review was wrong.  A wide-body MTL GP35 can be "dimensionally correct" but all of the sudden an MR staffer is concerned with tiny printing on an N scale car?  Pure B.S.

[bbussey]

As Mike said, Cody was correct regarding the lettering.  I'm not going to nit-pick because it was my mistake.  I had the car documented incorrectly in the database regarding the dates, and I overlooked the 1½ / 2 turns lettering.  Some of the cars have 1½ turns, others have 2 turns.  It still was a favorable review, and they also featured it in their weekly products video, so I have no complaints.