Intermountain 50' Gunderson high cube double door boxcar announced

[cjm413]

I'm probably missing something, but assuming that we have access to plans for the 5077 and 5277 wouldn't it be simpler to measure (on the model) the distance from the bottom of the sill to the roof line and compare to the drawings?

I agree that the innder height (IH) is useless in this context.

I know that certain MTL models are compressed, but it seems most manufacturers tried to make the molds to scale - not caring about ride height or overall height.

Mark

Another option is to compare the height of the MDC body with the body from either an Intermountain or Exactrail PS 5277

[nkalanaga]

Mark5:  Yes, if one has plans, that would be the simplest way, and would answer any other "scale or not" questions at the same time.

[squirrelhunter]

Well, I don't have plans but I measured from the bottom of the side sill to the peak of the roof for 3 cars I do have:

MDC PS 50'- .990, or 13'2"
MDC FMC 50'- .985, or 13'1"
FVM FMC 50' 5283- .970, or 12'11"

I'd be curious what an IM PS 5277 measures out at, but at this point I'm thinking the MDC cars can probably be used for either a 5077 or a 5277 because if the difference in height overall is 6", that's .0375 inches, and I don't think my eyes are good enough to see three thousandths of an inch even if the difference was there.

[cjm413]

Mark5:  Yes, if one has plans, that would be the simplest way, and would answer any other "scale or not" questions at the same time.

http://trainiax.net/mescaleloco-results.php?scale18=1&scale55=1&drawing=undectype&type=Boxcars,+exterior-post&lrtype=R&scale36=1

[nkalanaga]

Squirrelhunter:  Yes, 6" is 0.0375 inches, but  that's over three hundredths, not three thousandths, and a little over 1/32 inch.  Side by side, for two cars differing in height, it does show.  For a single car, or a car mixed with dissimilar cars, it might not matter.  That would be up to you to decide.

[squirrelhunter]

Yeah, I don't know why I said thousandths instead of hundredths. I see what you are saying about looking at two cars that are side by side, but I do think it would be hard to pick out in a moving train.

I'm hoping to pick up an IM 5277 soon, so I'll measure that one when I get it and compare to the MDC car.

[Missaberoad]

Yeah, I don't know why I said thousandths instead of hundredths. I see what you are saying about looking at two cars that are side by side, but I do think it would be hard to pick out in a moving train.

I'm hoping to pick up an IM 5277 soon, so I'll measure that one when I get it and compare to the MDC car.

How would you like it measured? from the bottom of the sill to the tallest part of the peak? IE the peak on one of the seams?

If so then the Intermountain 5277 is 0.979" I either didn't bring or haven't unpacked an MDC car so I cant give an equivalent measurement with my calipers.

As was said previously the MDC "PS" car is a bit of a Frankenstein, acceptable if you want a "boxcar" but would be alot of work to turn into something accurate

[cjm413]

How would you like it measured? from the bottom of the sill to the tallest part of the peak? IE the peak on one of the seams?

If so then the Intermountain 5277 is 0.979" I either didn't bring or haven't unpacked an MDC car so I cant give an equivalent measurement with my calipers.

As was said previously the MDC "PS" car is a bit of a Frankenstein, acceptable if you want a "boxcar" but would be alot of work to turn into something accurate

MDC's PS car is a bit dated, but it does represent a PS-built car.  To any extent it was intended to be a 5277 vs a 5077, MDC's PS doors are based on a different prototype than IMRC's PS doors.   On a separate, but related note, there are a good number of PS 5344's that had PS doors rather than the Youngstown door on the FVM model...

The mostly PS car that MDC and Athearn called a "Berwick" is the one with the identity crisis (in addition to being a bit dated like the PS car).

[Missaberoad]

MDC's PS car is a bit dated, but it does represent a PS-built car.  To any extent it was intended to be a 5277 vs a 5077, MDC's PS doors are based on a different prototype than IMRC's PS doors.   On a separate, but related note, there are a good number of PS 5344's that had PS doors rather than the Youngstown door on the FVM model...

The mostly PS car that MDC and Athearn called a "Berwick" is the one with the identity crisis (in addition to being a bit dated like the PS car).

Well today I learned something... I had always assumed they were the same car... Has Athearn ever reproduced the "PS" car?

it still seems curious that it is so much taller then a IMRC 5277...

[squirrelhunter]

Missaberoad, thank you for measuring your IM 5277! I measured mine just as you did your car, by using the highest roof rib to the bottom of the side sill. I may try to snap a cell shot later this week.

So if my math is right, the IM 5277 comes in at 13' 1/2" and the MDC PS car comes in at 13' 2", so the difference in scale height is about two inches, which if the MDC PS car is supposed to be a 5277 I would guess isn't far off from right?

I do wonder if this is really just coming down to just variation in how the masters for these models had the roof ribs done.

[cv_acr]

Also, any MDC Berwick cars that are being used as models of Berwick cars (rather than a potential starting point for an early PS car with 12 side posts, e.g. PC X75, vs 10 side posts) are also going to need a new diagonal panel or X-panel roof to be correct (or less wrong)

Majority (all or almost all) of Berwicks I've seen have X-panel roofs.

[cjm413]

Majority (all or almost all) of Berwicks I've seen have X-panel roofs.

DT&I's 5277's were built in 1972 and had diagonal panel roofs.

http://dti.railfan.net/Equipment_Database/DTI18800s50'BFFBoxcar/ArtDTI18800s.html

A few more with diagonal panel roofs:

BAR (with plug doors)
http://freight.railfan.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=bar5820&o=bar

MEC (with plug doors, later to CN)

http://freight.railfan.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=cna405147&o=cn

N&W (5081 cuft, 12' sliding door)
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2267199

[cjm413]

Has Athearn ever reproduced the "PS" car?

I've only seen Athearn re-release the PS doors that they use instead of the Youngstown doors on the Berwick cars.

MDC also had a "Waffleside" car that was based on a PS built car for L&N/Family Lines, similar cars built for ITC and NRUC, but as far as I know, Athearn has never re-released it.

[Missaberoad]

Both roofs are Stanray roofs they transitioned from the diagonal panel style to the x panel style in the early 1970's so likely build date would determine the roof...

[squirrelhunter]

I always thought that the MDC Waffle side car was also a mix of features from different builders?

I have one I gave to my son because I though it was a foob and he liked the Mine Central Pine Tree logo on it.