PRR BM85 & BM85a Cars

[Alwyn Cutmore]

Hi Folks,
Being so far from the action I am just asking if someone has bought and compared the CCS RPO with the PRR BM85/85a Cars.

I have taken a gamble on the items because the best I ever saw them advertised at was around the $35.00 bracket with a RRP of around $49.00. I picked up 2 for the price of one so just could not help myself. From the plans and photos I have, they look pretty close to the prototype. I hope they will fit the bill  of another Pennsy headend car. I am comparing them with the plans on Rob's PRR Page.

Regards

Al

[CodyO]

As far I remember there not correct for any PRR car

[Alwyn Cutmore]

Hi Cody,

Thanks for the reply.
Regards

Al

[pjm20]

As far I remember there not correct for any PRR car

Yep, the PRR never bought any lightweight headend cars, they had enough with B60s, B70s, etc.

[jmlaboda]

Being the only lightweight head-end cars that the PRR acquired the BM85 and BM85a were similar to the IM/CCS offering but to be more accurate the sides need to be sliced and diced to make the doors line up to the diagram.  Below is the diagram for these cars and a pic of the PRR models available from IM... the similarities are fairly close and I would use the IM car, if I were modeling the PRR, though I would also consider kitbashing the sides to bring the model closer to the prototype...
http://prr.railfan.net/diagrams/PRRdiagrams.html?diag=bm85_bm85a.gif&sel=baggmail&sz=sm&fr=
http://www.intermountain-railway.com/distrib/ccs/html/ccs7606.htm

[CodyO]

Actually AL guess I`m wrong the cars look pretty close to the diagrams close enough I won`t even splice up the cars

[Alwyn Cutmore]

Hi Folks,

Thanks Jerry. I have the Diagrams printed out  and was looking for the information you provided. I will have a closer look at the pic and plans when I actually get the items in my hands then I will make a decision on what I am going to do. I know one this for sure is that the door will get changed to a porthole window.

Cody and PJM20, I guess most do not think that the PRR had lightweight headend cars but the plans on Rob's Pages and photos in the PRR Pass and Freight Car Books as well as other references tell a different story. I guess between all the Bs, PB, PBM and others their headend end fleet was quite extensive. I am currently working on 3 PBs (Early HW, Middle HW  and  modernized. When I get them done I will put up some pics.

Thanks for all the help and advice.

Regards

Al

[pjm20]

Your right Al, I did not know about BM85s. I never seen them or heard of them before. Just another reason to come to TRW, I always learn something new.

[Alwyn Cutmore]

Hi PJM20,

I was in the same boat and could not stand passenger cars until I got bit by the HW bug not I got it real bad. That say you can take an anti-dote but I have not found one and then Claus Schlund gave me a dose of P70 cars and the variants. That was it until a mosquito bit me with the head end virus. Whamo that was even worse than Passenger Car flu. You have got to be careful when you are playing with this stuff.

Regards

Al   

[pjm20]

Al, you do not want to know how long I been researching PRR heavyweight consists and through services in and around 1930.   I would say that I have a pretty bad case of the heavyweight bug, I may even be patient zero.

[Alwyn Cutmore]

Folks,
I have taken my ministrations back to the original thread I started as it deals specifically with the BM85 head end cars.

I have since my last put a lot of time and study into the project and I am really looking forward to getting the two cars I purchased in the next ten days. I only wish I could get another couple of undecs as they would be a lot easier to modify and finish.

I have spent a considerable time on tracings that I can call my own so they can be easily be published on the thread. I drew then in N Scale for the purpose of comparing the models and then compressed the CCS renditions to match my drawings for a 1:1 ratio comparison.



 
The main glaring differences are the Baggage Doors. They are reported to be 4.5 ft. wide but on the model they would appear to be 6.5 ft. wide. That to me is unacceptable along with the fact that the door windows are square and not round port hole type (Pennsy Trademark). The steps under the A end doors are full width and not part steps. The end steps are two rung instead of singular and the handrail above are vertical not horizontal. I do not have a decent plan of the underfloor to comment on and all photos I have seen thus far are of the five window side. There are other differences that may be able to be fixed and that is the striker plates beside the RPO doors are different in size, both in width and height. There is a belt rail along each side about a third of the way up. The CCS roof does show some detail that does look acceptable but there does not appear to be any rain strips. I have not finished my tracings yet but what has been achieved thus far I am happy with. If anyone has any better information that I can use to authenticate my tracings more thoroughly I would be only too happy to accept your help.

There were four BM85 Cars 6595 to 6598 and one BM85A 6598. BM85s were converted from baggage dormitory cars. Other information I do not have.  Hope this helps someone.

Regards

Al

[Bob Bufkin]

Al did you know that PRR bought some Reading baggage car?

[bbussey]

No one claimed the CCS model was an exact replica.  Everyone has said it was very close.  All of the features, while not specifically BM85, are present including the roof details.  The model is more than acceptable for most people until they scratchbuild a car based on the specific prototype.  Also, given that it covers roughly the last six years of the railroad's existence that most PRR modelers avoid, it's a good marketing decision.

[chicken45]

Did they paint RPOs in FOM? I was a little surprised to see CCS didn't offer one. Granted, BM85, last 6 years of Pennsy, but still. No foob schemes here! I thought we would have seen one to match the other offerings.

[Sokramiketes]

I've been known to cheat a little bit on headend cars... when a door is too wide, I'll cut the body through the door opening, shorten the whole car until the opening is the right width, and create a new door.  Since most headend equipment was less than the full 85' long, it doesn't jump out as being wrong.  I think that would work here with the 2' removed from the door but not worrying about adding 2' back elsewhere.  It will proportionally have the look.