Modeling a late 60's coal train with H21 hoppers?

[crrcoal]

Got a question or two; to model a late 60's and maybe early 70's coal train with PC and PRR H21A hoppers, what would be the correct ratio of the H21A's to other coal hoppers? Also would the GLa 2 bay hoppers be sprinkled in here and there? Thank you! Andy

[Ed Kapuscinski]

So, don't consider this a definitive answer, but I think the answer is that the H21As would actually be really, really rare by then.

Yes, some got PC paint, but mostly they were in MOW service.

Keep in mind these were much older cars than their bay counts would indicate. The Pennsy started early with bigger cars.

I think the GLas were probably LONG gone.

[Dave V]

So, don't consider this a definitive answer, but I think the answer is that the H21As would actually be really, really rare by then.

Yes, some got PC paint, but mostly they were in MOW service.

Keep in mind these were much older cars than their bay counts would indicate. The Pennsy started early with bigger cars.

I think the GLas were probably LONG gone.

Ed's right on the money here.  A handful of H21s apparently did make it to PC paint but more than one or two in a train would be a lot.  GLas are even rarer for your era.  There were barely over 200 GLas left on merger day in '68.

[garethashenden]

From a very quick googling, the newest H21s were 51 years old at the Penn Central merger. I don't know when the 40 year rule was introduced, but I think it was before then. So they'd be limited to non-interchange service.

[Dave V]

FWIW, over 3500 of various H21 variants conveyed to Penn Central in 1968.  They don't appear to have lasted very long, though.

[Iain]

Speaking of H21s, I have one in EL paint.  How foob is this?

[sirenwerks]

Speaking of H21s, I have one in EL paint.  How foob is this?

Bowser has an Erie painted H21, but it has clamshell doors.  If it's real, going EL isn't too far of a stretch.

[Spikre]

 
   cars used On-Line could run until they fell apart.
   EL wouldn't have had any Erie cars built before 1932,
   but they may have had some in MOW service.
   do think Erie had some cars close,but not exact to H21s,
   now to recall were that was ?
   am thinking RP CYC  ?
       Spikre
         

[crrcoal]

Thanks guys! Looks like this will save me some money then.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

It bums me out too. I've seen the PC ones and looked on lustily a few times, but always end up skipping them.

[amato1969]

If you don't have an ORER for your modeling era, this page may be a good start:

http://prr.railfan.net/freight/classpage.html?class=H21

  Frank