Penn Central O Gauge Gondolas

[Andrew Falconer]

On Saturday a westbound freight train rolled through Vicksburg with a string of old gondolas carrying track turnout sections. One of the gondolas was a former Penn Central Gondola in PC Green with White Lettering.

Does anyone remember seeing a mass produced PC Green Gondola?

Has anyone repainted an O Gauge Gondola in Penn Central Green and weathered it?

Andrew

[Dave Farquhar]

Lionel made an O27 Penn Central gondola, the 9033, in the MPC era.

[Smoke Stack Lightnin']

Being one of the apparenty few PC fanatics I'll purchase anything PC whenever and wherever, as it is a hard find.  K-line made die cast PC gondolas in jade with a white "PC" on the left and "CR" to the right on the car.  The car is numbered 527847, nicely done and has a removable scrap load.  The only proto PC equipment I've seen in SW PA has been docked at defunct spurs or dilapidated structures, being comprised of 90% rust and 10% faded jade!  I would have loved to seen that gondola rollin' along through the lens of my camera!

Good Luck in your pursuits!

Stack  

[cnw1995]

I have the one Dave mentioned - it came as part of a set in the 70s.

[kpolak]

Here's a photo of the Lionel Penn Central #9033 Gondola.

Kurt

 

[Andrew Falconer]

Thank for the memory jog on the old Lionel PC Gondola.

The K-Line Trains version of the Penn Central Gondola is one of those that I might have seen once in the catalog, but lost track of when it was made.

Andrew

[brianel027]

Stack, cool. I thought I was one of the only Penn Central fans here!

For all the dislike of the Penn Central, they were very innovative in many ways. They lobbied the governement for changes that might have helped them survive, but the changes never came.... until the US goverment assumed control of the NE railroads under the Conrail banner. Then it was amazing how quicxkly many of the changes the Penn Central had requested years earilier were quickly enacted. Conrail was predicted to be in the red until 2025. Conrail was in the black by 1985! I can't help but wonder had Penn Central gotten the help they wanted if they wouldn't have made it?

Andrew, I've repainted a lot of stuff to Penn Central including a good many gons. And I too have recently in the last year seen Penn Central hoppers and gondolas still in use. Gives me a thrill when I see them!

This was one of my very first locomotive repaints. I had the question in my mind, what if the PC had not been so cash strapped - how might they have improved their basic paint scheme while still not going overboard. This was my imaginary answer. Turns out there was actually a close prototypical example of what I did, which I was unaware of.

[johnandjulie13]

As an aside, I saw an ad in the most recent Trains magazine that was offering actual Penn Central cabooses for sale.  For $8k, you could own a real Penn Central caboose!

Regards,

John O

[Andrew Falconer]

Mike's Train House RailKing line has had 6 cars in Penn Central markings, but no Gondola.

They must have forgot at MTH. I noticed they have made several product named gondolas, but no PC.  The MTH people have to put the PC Gondola to put in a 2007 catalog.

Andrew

[Smoke Stack Lightnin']

Brianel- Always a pleasure to meet a PC fan!  Nice job on the engine, would be great to have seen a proto version roll by.

Not sure which catalog the K-line is in, but the item # is K652-1411, if that helps.  It is a nice looking, good running, long gondolla.

I need that caboose, only my wife would kick mine!  I'd have to live in it, which I could make work, only I don't think they have showers!  I need a new car, but am thinking riding a bike to work is more healthy  I'm off to pick up the latest Trains magazine!  Wonder if they will deliver? 

Stack

[johnandjulie13]

Hello Stack:

The advertisement specifically stated that the buyer must pick it up.  They touted how it could be used as a home office, but in your case it could become a "guest bedroom"

You could probably install a shower if you needed to...

Regards,

John O

[palallin]

My wife and I honeymooned at a resort on Table Rock Lake (in MO) that used old ATSF cabooses for its rooms.  They had showers, mini-kitchens, TV (not that we watched it much), and a bed in the cupola.  (Other beds were the original bunks.) 

[Smoke Stack Lightnin']

I am seriously going to look into this

[johnandjulie13]

Stack:

Please keep us updated on your inquiries.  Since these things have been sitting around for a lot of years, I would be concerned that the repair/rehab cost would be greater than the acquisition cost.

However, a PennCentral caboose would look pretty cool in my back yard...

Regards,

John O

[RXRon]

Go Penn Central.   Because  I  worked  for them as  a  car-inspector 1972-75,  great  job then!   So  I  like  getting  cars  I  remember.   Even  if  they  really are  not  very  colorful.

[csxt30]

Go Penn Central.   Because  I  worked  for them as  a  car-inspector 1972-75,  great  job then!   So  I  like  getting  cars  I  remember.   Even  if  they  really are  not  very  colorful.

Welcome to the forum Ron !!  I started with Penn Central also in 75 as a Carman. Went through Conrail & with CSX now. Where did you start at back then ?

Thanks John  

[Andrew Falconer]

Two possiblities for new versions of Penn Central Gondolas are the Industrial Rail and Ready-Made-Toys O Gauge Gondolas.

Ready-Made-Toys is more likely be made sooner because more road names will be made in each production run of the gondolas.

Andrew

[Andrew Falconer]

Mike's Train House has never made a RailKing/Rugged Rails Penn Central Train Set with an F-3 Diesel Locomotive, Covered Hopper, Gondola, Box Car, Flat Car, and Caboose.

There has never been a RailKing/Rugged Rails Conrail Train Set with an F-3 Loco, Hopper, Gondola, Box Car, Flat, and Caboose.

Andrew

[CSXect]

 

Welcome to the forum Ron !!  I started with Penn Central also in 75 as a Carman. Went through Conrail & with CSX now. Where did you start at back then ?

Thanks John  

CSXT30, have you ever rode in the vans that transport the railroad workers from place to place? If you have you may have been driven by my cousin Lona(RR workers called her Lou)

Not sure if she still drives or not, a lot of my reletives work for the railroad out of Willard Ohio.

[csxt30]

 

Welcome to the forum Ron !!  I started with Penn Central also in 75 as a Carman. Went through Conrail & with CSX now. Where did you start at back then ?

Thanks John  

CSXT30, have you ever rode in the vans that transport the railroad workers from place to place? If you have you may have been driven by my cousin Lona(RR workers called her Lou)

Not sure if she still drives or not, a lot of my reletives work for the railroad out of Willard Ohio.

Oh yes ! Usually only when our yard truck is broke down & I'm in the yard inspecting cars. I'm up east of Cleveland though, so I may not know the van drivers from there but I know some of the crews that bring trains up through here. Are any of your relatives on the road ?

Thanks, John

[CSXect]

She went from willard and moved to Kentuckey for a while and drove all over the place now she has moved to just outside of Clevland with her new boyfriend who is a fedex driver not sure if she is still working. I have another cousin who fuels trains. There is one engineer that I am aware of and do not know what the rest do. I have thought about trying to get a job at the Parsons yard which is in my neiborhood, surely the could use someone with electronics degree somewhere.

[csxt30]

Absolutely !! There's a lot of those type jobs needed. Get ahold of somebody or get on the CSX or N&S websites & look for hiring !!  Electronics & computer techs jobs I guess.

[RXRon]

I  worked  all  over  the  Detroit  metro  area.   My first  assignment   was  at  the  GM Willow  Run  plant  loading  dock  where  they  loaded the  new  autos  onto  the  tri levels.   I  liked  during  this  particular  work  cause  it  usually  got  me  the  weekends  off.   I  worked  at  the  Trainyard on  John  Kronk,  at  Livernois  Yard,  with  the  flexi-vans, North  yard,  River  Rouge  and  a  few  more. Being  a  low  senority  guy  I  was  constantly  getting  bumped.  I  saw  the  writting  on  the wall   and  moved  on   ending  up  in  the telecommunications field,  with Michigan  Bell  and  just recently  retired.   Sorry  I  didn't  get  back  to  you  sooner  as  I  just  happened  to  run  across  this  post from  way  back.  It  would  sure  be  fun  to  play  around  some  real  trains  again.

[Andrew Falconer]

A lot of tracks around auto plants are not being used much lately.

They should let people test run trains on these unused tracks.

Andrew