http://prr.railfan.net/freight/PRRdiagrams.html?diag=x30.gif&fr=cl
http://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/fileSendAction/fcType/0/fcOid/24378330491005085/filePointer/24378330497155169/fodoid/24378330497155165/imageType/LARGE/inlineImage/true/post-253-0-66113600-1388328900.jpg
I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.
I don't have a leg to stand on.
Neat. I have always been fascinated by those "stretched" PRR boxcars, including the X40 and X42 class. When I was a Pennsy modeler I always intended to kitbash one following the X40 plans and article by David Messer which are both in the June 1970 MR but school and other things intervened and by the time I had the time and opportunity, I was no longer a Pennsy modeler. That article and those plans could still be useful to someone seeking to build this X30 version.
As for those distinctive hinged automobile car ends, I don't think anybody makes the castings separately now. At one time Red Ball did in cast metal, and I am pretty sure the Cannonball Car Shops plastic version shown in the 1988 Walthers catalog (Part 197-31551 -- in the slight chance that they might show up at some swap meet or eBay sale someday) used the Red Ball tooling. It really is a pity that so many of those older parts from Red Ball and other sources that used to be available are long gone, although today's modelers would find plenty of nits to pick with that old tooling to be sure.
I suppose the kitbasher's best bet would be to hunt down one of the LifeLike Proto2000 automobile boxcar kits (or assembled of course) that had the hinged end doors. The one I have is #40247 Southern but there were others.
Dave Nelson
dknelson It really is a pity that so many of those older parts from Red Ball and other sources that used to be available are long gone, although today's modelers would find plenty of nits to pick with that old tooling to be sure.
It really is a pity that so many of those older parts from Red Ball and other sources that used to be available are long gone, although today's modelers would find plenty of nits to pick with that old tooling to be sure.
Sometime in the last century, I bought a buncha doors and ends from Red Ball. Mostly they were, and are, pretty darn nice. Especially if no one else makes it. I'd go look to re-affirm my opinion, but they are in their original shipping box somewhere in another box in another box in the garage.
My only hesitation was their trucks, as I was always worried about the longevity of their "bearings". Perhaps if one used Kadee wheels with the delrin axles, it wouldn't be a problem.
Ed
X30 number 59861 was one of a kind. Bill Caloroso's book "Pennsylvania Railroad's Elmira Branch" (Andover Junction Publications, 1993) discusses the car in a photo caption that reads: "PRR boxcar 59861 was specially built to transport fire trucks manufactured at the American La France plant in Elmira. The car could be end-loaded if necessary. At 74-1/2 feet, the 59861 was the largest boxcar owned by PRR during the 1950's."
Tom