ESM — Factory photo, GSC Well Car sample, New York Central!

[bbussey]

Delaware & Hudson was supposed to be the first sample along with the New York Central, but they deco'd the ESM promotional car instead.  So here's NYC, photographed in China this morning.



This is before the final tooling modifications, but it is an accurate representation of how the finished model will look.  I will post a better pic when I have the sample in hand early next week.

[peteski]

Are the areas outlining the keyhole openings slight raised?

[CBQ Fan]

How were these cars used?

[Kisatchie]

How were these cars used?

Hmm... mostly to ship
big piles of bananas...

[nkalanaga]

Brian:  To ship objects that were too tall to fit the loading gauge when loaded on a standard flatcar.  Most of them weren't heavy-duty cars and didn't carry more weight than a standard flatcar.  During WW II the GN had a series of 42 ft, 50 ton well cars that hauled, among other things, propellers for the Navy.

[CBQ Fan]

Brian:  To ship objects that were too tall to fit the loading gauge when loaded on a standard flatcar.  Most of them weren't heavy-duty cars and didn't carry more weight than a standard flatcar.  During WW II the GN had a series of 42 ft, 50 ton well cars that hauled, among other things, propellers for the Navy.

Cool, thank you for the info.  How close was the GN car compared to this?

[nkalanaga]

Brian:  Not very.  They were converted from ordinary flatcars, and would probably be better modeled that way.  Take a "40 foot" flatcar and cut a hole in the middle, rebuild the underframe, and replace the deck. 

The prototypes were built in 1913 as "Hart Convertible" gondolas, made into flatcars in the late 20s, then into well cars.  Of the original 33, 60000-60032, four(?) survived into 1969.  Finding pictures would be the first problem.  Four Ways West's "GN Equipment Color Pict. Vol 2", and they're both side views, with no deck details.  Morning Sun Books "GN Freight and Passenger Color Guide" also has a side view, but their information doesn't match the first book, on dimensions or number in service, saying only two were on the roster in 1968.  I think I'd trust the data in the FWW book, but wouldn't swear either were right.  For that matter, the cars may not have all been identical by the end of their lives.

[up1950s]

Gotta have a least one .

[bbussey]

I have the NYC pilot model in hand.  Here's a better photo:

[TiVoPrince]

Elusive
is the scenario to have one moving light eastbound on a SP manifest freight originating from the San Francisco Bay area in 1984. Suggestions for roadname, load, destination for plausable initial shipment (to create realistic trash/dunnage in the well) are welcome to inspire Mr. Wallet into purchasing action...

[bdennis]

Nice work Bryan.
Im up for at least 1 in D&H.. Looks like the D&H had 3 of them.

[bbussey]

D&H was supposed to be the first pilot model along with NYC, but the contractor printed the ESM promotional car instead.    So hopefully before end of the year, I'll be able to show pics of the other schemes in the first release.

[bbussey]

Elusive
is the scenario to have one moving light eastbound on a SP manifest freight originating from the San Francisco Bay area in 1984. Suggestions for roadname, load, destination for plausable initial shipment (to create realistic trash/dunnage in the well) are welcome to inspire Mr. Wallet into purchasing action...

In 1984 — D&H, PC, CR.  Some of the PC cars never wore CR paint yet remained active throughout most of the CR era.

Loads — large fabricated objects that would cause a height restriction if loaded in a gon or on a general purpose flat.  Not exceptionally heavy, as those loads would go on depressed center flats.  These strictly are for too-tall objects.  Weight limitations on these cars are the same as respective 70-ton flats/gons.  Large propellers, large geared wheels, large crankshafts, etcetera.

[bdennis]

Bryan,
Perfect. I assume you have seen the Pic of the D&H one in the Morning Sun D&H rolling stock book..

This will be perfect for loads out of the GE plant on my layout.. Keep up the good work.

[delamaize]

Damn, thats tasty, I gotta figure out an excuse to get one!