BLMA 52' Gon

[bbussey]

Thanks for the information Dave. Can I modernize the scheme on the gondola by just switching the herald? I also wonder whether a drop-end gondola would be used in auto frame service. I have done some searching on this, but there is so much Pennsy information out there it is hard to sort through all the various web sites.

Sadly no, the PK scheme is spartan compared to the original CK scheme.

http://tangentscalemodels.com/prototypeimages/PRR373088_1000.jpg

I don't know either way, but I don't see why a 52' gon with drop ends can't be used for auto frame service.

UPDATE:  Page 61 of the Railway Prototype Cyclopedia volume 19 shows the pennsy car specifically in auto frame service:

http://www.rpcycpub.com/v19page61.pdf

[Dave Schneider]

Thanks for the info Bryan. That is a really different scheme. Here is the only (and therefore the best) photo I have of the Pennsy auto frame gons on the Beer Line. This is circa 1964 or so. Any thoughts on the cars in this shot?



Best wishes, Dave

Edit: Thanks Bryan! That is a really helpful reference. Time to see if I can cut some autoframes with the Silhouette.

[MichaelWinicki]

Any information on if or when the PRR would have repainted these cars?

I see from the series numbers from the example given above there were almost 2,000 of them in this one series alone.  

I have no idea about the PRR's repainting habits for cars like this or cars in general.  I do know that even in the early 50's money was getting tight for the PRR.  

[Bob Bufkin]

Believe the car on the Beer Line is painted in the Shadow Keystone (SK) which came before the CK and alter plain keystone.  The SK cars could be seen into the late 70's maybe even the early 80's.  The PRR Color Guides have some decent photos of gons in auto frame service including some lettered both PRR and Wabash (Wabash leased the cars).

[bbussey]

Thanks for the info Bryan. That is a really different scheme. Here is the only (and therefore the best) photo I have of the Pennsy auto frame gons on the Beer Line. This is circa 1964 or so. Any thoughts on the cars in this shot?

The boxcar reporting marks appear to be PRR 34497 which makes it an X25.  The gon is a 52-footer but it could be any number of classes, including one of the G31 sub-classes.

Any information on if or when the PRR would have repainted these cars?

As there thousands of cars in this class and its sub-classes, it stands to reason that many were painted into the SK scheme featured in the photo above as they were shopped in the late 1950s.  The cars lasted well into the Conrail era, so photos of examples of every PRR/PC/CR post-1950 paint scheme must exist.

[bbussey]

Believe the car on the Beer Line is painted in the Shadow Keystone (SK) which came before the CK and alter plain keystone...

Other way around.  Circle Keystone (CK) was first, dating back to early 20th century.  Shadow Keystone (SK) was implemented in the mid 1950s, and Plain Keystone (PK) was implemented in the 1960s.

[Bob Bufkin]

Other way around.  Circle Keystone (CK) was first, dating back to early 20th century.  Shadow Keystone (SK) was implemented in the mid 1950s, and Plain Keystone (PK) was implemented in the 1960s.

Damn,  as a PRR fan I should have known better.  Got it backassward. 

[Dave V]

How appropriate are these for '48?

Not.

The G31B subclass was constructed from March through July 1951.

[Mark5]

Anyone else's not rolling well?

[Iain]

Not.

The G31B subclass was constructed from March through July 1951.

Thanks

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Anyone else's not rolling well?

I had some trouble, I removed a wheelset, then snpped it back in, and everything was good.

[SAH]

I finally got to test run mine last night.  VERY nice looking shell.  I'm fine with the T&Cs as provided.  The only downside I found was the weight.  At 0.6 oz they're pretty light for a 50' car.  As delivered they amplify every flaw in my trackwork - To the point where I could not run a complete loop without several derailments.  I added 0.3 oz and they ran as well as the other cars, which have Atlas or uTrains wheelsets and are weighted in 1.0 oz +/- range.

So I'll need to add weight.  Being a gondola that probably means underneath, tearing out that nice underbody detail.  A shame for certain.  I'd buy rolling stock with a quality shell such as these cars and a cast underframe like the old Kadee cars if it meant the car was weighted correctly right out of the box.  If doing away with the fancy underframe detail would knock some $ off the price all the better.

Steve

[muktown128]

I finally got my 2 PRR gondolas last night.  After looking them over, I noticed some paint was chipped off 1 end door on each gondola.  Has anyone else noticed this?  I'll try to take some photos later to show the issue.  This can be covered with paint and/or weathering, but this is a brand new item.

Other than this issue, they look great.  The wheels, trucks and low ride look awesome!!!

Scott

[Sokramiketes]

  I'd buy rolling stock with a quality shell such as these cars and a cast underframe like the old Kadee cars if it meant the car was weighted correctly right out of the box.  If doing away with the fancy underframe detail would knock some $ off the price all the better.

Steve

Most of the BLMA underframe is metal, no?  Changing the brake components and piping from plastic to metal isn't going to gain much weight if you're pushing for an all metal underframe.

[bbussey]

It's tough to have an unloaded N scale gondola (or flatcar for that matter) that stands at an accurate height over the rail AND has an accurate floor-top height meet the recommended NMRA weight, regardless of what it is made out of.  The underframes of both the BLMA gon and the ESM gon are metal.  Both models have an accurate floor-top height as well as an accurate ride height, and are the only two N scale RTR gondola models to meet both criteria.  The advantage to both models riding at a scale height over the rails is that the center of gravity is very low to the ground.  That, along with body-mounted couplers, insures the models will operate well anywhere in a freight consist despite the fact that they are lighter than the NMRA's recommendation.