New Heavyweight Baggage car suggestions for MTL

[JoeD]

Hey Guys,

As we close the books on the design work for the Diner car and watch huge chunks of steel whittled down to look something like said car, my attentions are turning towards finalizing a proto for the Heavyweight baggage car.  Pennsy B60 is off the table since you guys are getting a proto diner so don't ask    Would like something in the 80' range given that Wheels of time has done a great job with the 70 ACF version...no need to walk that same path.  No combines...pure baggage with two or three doors is what management wants, and I agree.  I have a couple cars in mind and a lot of research to support those choices, but I value the input I get here and maybe something better will present it's self.  Extra points for a Southern Pacific Proto since I have been forced to avoid those in the past.    I think we are in a position to do both a standard roof and a Harriman style roof if appropriate and use supports that tooling.  So, list away...and thanks again.   

Oh. most of the tooling is finished on the SW 1500 sans the front handrails and they look cool.  I'll see about posting shots of them tomorrow.

Cheers

Joe MTL

[Norway2112]

SP 3-door baggage in both lark and daylight paint would be perfect!

[Sokramiketes]

The PRR/N&W B60b is a great project for someone.  The other car of this nature that ended up all over the US was the NYC heavyweight 60' baggage cars.  Both of these cars were used heavily in magazine service, hence their reach, but both cars are distinctly home road cars and don't necessarily look good in other railroad paint.

You mention 80' baggage cars, but most 80' cars were rebuilt from full length heavyweights and tend to be unique as well.  I'm not sure this is the best route.  A horse express car would be cool, but from what I recall they are also pretty railroad specific.

The project with legs is an AC&F 70' baggage car.  I know you mention the Wheels of Time 70' car, but the car to do is the Mopac AC&F car that Walther's did in HO.  Lots of legs, and different door arrangement than the WoT car.  Standard and rounded roofs are an option on this car.  The Mopac cars roamed the North American rail network also, but besides that, the car is generic enough to be painted in most all the road names you've done to date.

[draskouasshat]

Joe, my vote is on a Santa fe fishbelly baggage but unfortunately its not an 80footer. I would have to then vote for a up heavy weight baggage with the harriman roof. Oh and preferably in 2 tone grey! On a side note, might we be seeing any of the previous bodies coming out in an atsf or up 2 tone grey any time soon?

[up1950s]

Good for horses and MOW .

http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/585/HE011.jpg?9441

[Iain]

How about give the South some love and go with something owned by Southern, Seaboard, or ACL?

[eja]

Wow .. a manufacturer asking for input from their potential customers.  WONDERFUL... but, why should be expect anything less from our friends at the yellow label.    Thanks, Joe!

[wcfn100]

Jason

[up1950s]

Union Pacific had a farm .... http://www.brasstrains.com/images/products/034518/DSC03970.jpg

[Joetrain59]

Just do more New Haven Heavyweights.
 Joe D

[keeper]

Chicago & Northwestern would be nice:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3055369

Thomas

[jmlaboda]

You mention 80' baggage cars, but most 80' cars were rebuilt from full length heavyweights and tend to be unique as well.

Not necessarily true... there were a number of parlor cars, diners and sleepers that were rebuilt into pretty generic looking baggage cars, even with the former vestibules hidden under steel plate, letterboards and belt rails but what was common among these was the old window pattern rivets below the belt rail.  Quite often welded steel was used in the window section but above and below the rivet pattern of the former car was often still very well evident.

80' baggage - express were not rarities by any means but few if any were ever built new and even then they were not all that numerous prior to the 1940s.  Despite their heavyweight construction most still are products of the streamline era, being rebuilt from older, out-of-date cars that could be converted fairly cheaply and ran too death.  A better option would be to look at doing a 70' baggage - express with the deep letterboard like what is found on your Pullmans and coach, which, in itself, would not only be distinguishable from the cars by WOT but also were quite common on a number of lines.  Horse - express cars are another option but the more distinctive the car is the less likely it is going to appeal to a wide variety of modelers... there were some pretty standard designs that would fit for multiple roads that saw use moreso in express as time went on than than actually being used for horses that were known to roam all over the country in interchange service.

Here are a few of the better done Pullman rebuilds that had their vestibules "hidden" to match the rest of the side...

GN 485 rblt. from Plan 2411C 12 Sect - 1 Comp - 1 DR. Epicurus
SOU 582 rblt. from PULL Plan 2410F 12 Sect - 1 DR Benburb
SOU 574 rblt. from Plan 2410F 12 Sect - 1 DR Dekkan
SOU/AGS 4061 rblt. from Plan 2410 12 Sect - 1 DR Glynden
SP&S 66 rblt. from Pullman Plan 2410H 12 Sect - 1 DR Bray
SP&S 66
SP&S 68 rblt. from Pullman Plan 2410B 12 Sect - 1 DR Gilmore

Here are a few examples of less distinctive horse - express cars that could have a bit wider appeal...
L&N 1516 ACF 1926
NYC 5617 PULL 1928
NYC 8660 ACF 1928
SP 7234 St. Louis Car Co. 1936
SP 7241 St. Louis Car Co. 1936
SPMW 5984 St. Louis Car Co. 1936

As for 70' baggage - express cars go here are some examples of newer heavyweight cars that were built around the same time lightweight cars had started being built...
SOU 518 Bethlehem Steel 1939
SOU 543 St Louis Car Co. 1942
RF&P 180 ACF 1937, as Louisianna Steam Train Association
RF&P 188 ACF 1940, as Louisianna Steam Train Association
RF&P 190 ACF 1940

At least a little to think about...

[babbo_enzo]

The idea for a Harriman roof is excellent! We SP fans "pray" for this!

[Ike the BN Freak]

I vote for the SP&S cars, so I can get this, http://www.freedomtrain.org/american-freedom-train-consist-076.htm

[peteski]

I vote for the SP&S cars, so I can get this, http://www.freedomtrain.org/american-freedom-train-consist-076.htm

That would be great!  But I doubt that will happen.  I bought few releases of Lowell's AFT cars, but they were so totally different from the prototype that I decided not to buy any more of them. To be honest, for the price, I was hoping that they would have been true-to-prototype resin cast models.  But I have strayed OT here. Sorry!