There is a very brief mention on page 11 of Kalmbach's Railroads and World War II of PRR rebuilding more than 100 (50' round roof?) boxcars into coaches and sleepers to handle military traffic in 1942. There was also a small picture of the interior of one of these cars.
A search of the Hagley Museum found over 50 photos of some of these cars. I also looked at the PRR Technical and Historical Society's web site but didn't find anything there.
I'd love to model a few of these and include them in my WW II troop train. Can anyone provide more information on these cars before I wing it and make drastic mistakes?
Also, does anyone know of other railroads that made similar conversions?
ChuckAllen, TX
Hello, Chuck
I agree that they are unusual and interesting cars to have on the layout.
I found a pair on Ebay some time ago at a pretty reasonable price.
I used Scalecoat I Tuscan and Pullman Green on them. The P30a's were imported by Rail Works Ltd. and made by Woosung.
They are nicely detailed models! A few of the prototypes were lettered Pennsylvania but the remainder were lettered Pullman.
I will have to look at my Keystone Magazines. There was an article or two about them, some lasting into the 1970s after being returned to freight service.
There's a few photos at Bill's Pennsy Photos but probably nothing you haven't already seen...
http://www.billspennsyphotos.com/apps/photos/album?albumid=11158055
As scarce as these things are, I would consider making a styrene master then a silicone mold and resin castings. One side and one end should be a pretty straight-forward casting project. The Bowser side panel would give you a clean starting point.
You could then use a PRR X32 box car as the main body. Walthers still has Allied Full Cushion trucks. Bethlehem Car Works makes steps and decals:
http://www.bethlehemcarworks.com/Products/Kit_Bits/index.html
[edit] I found the PRRT&HS Keystone article. It is in Volume 31 Issue Number 3, Autumn, 1998. The article is very informative with car numbers and generous photos. I had forgotten about the P60 wood sheathed (X38) War Emergency Troop Coach!
The issue is still available from PRRT&HS.
http://www.prrths.com/estore/keystone_magazine.html#1998
Regards, Ed
Ed:
Nuts! There goes my opportunity to "go where no [modeler] has gone before". I had thought I was on to a unique project. But thanks anyway.
I like your idea to cast the sides and ends. I've been sort of working up to casting anyway; I've decided that's about the only way I'm going to be able to afford to populate even a short troop train. Casting seated soldiers (using modified Preiser figures as masters) may be more complex than car sides and ends but will probably be a better learning vehicle. Casting sides and ends offers the possibility of building 3 or more of a couple of different types without breaking the bank.
I checked ebay today for X32 box cars and found a lot of them for sale --- some were even priced reasonably. I'm not ready to buy more than one yet though. I want to have sides and ends ready or nearly ready before I start buying box cars.
Thanks too for the link to the Keystone issue. I ordered a copy today and hope to find lots more information there.
If and when I ever build some of these unique cars, I'll be sure to post pictures here. Many thanks, Sir.
Ed
Thanks again for the info, particularly the tip about the Autumn 1998 Keystone. I've almost got that article memorized.
Would you happen to have drawings of any of these cars? I can guesstimate and calculate from photos in the Keystone article but I'd feel more comfortable if I had some basic dimensions as a basis. One basic dimension you might be able to provide (by measuring your models) would be the diameter of the round windows. I'm guessing they were all the same and were probably the same as in later N5 cabin cars and/or certain PRR baggage cars but what was their diameter?
I'll have a busy schedule over the next few days, Chuck, but I'll do some digging and see what I can come up with.
Glad you are enjoying the Keystone. Those folks put out a pretty decent magazine, present company excepted!
I haven't installed glazing in the one sleeper and need to replace the glass in the other so I can make that a weekend project and make measurements at that time.
cefinkjr One basic dimension you might be able to provide (by measuring your models) would be the diameter of the round windows.
Here's a few basic dimensions, Chuck
PRR_troop-D by Edmund, on Flickr
If you need end details I can do those for you, too.
Let me know if you need anythong else. I looked through my book, Trains To Victory and there is a chapter on troop cars but they are primarily the Pullman built cars.
Good Luck, Ed
gmpullman cefinkjr One basic dimension you might be able to provide (by measuring your models) would be the diameter of the round windows. Here's a few basic dimensions, Chuck PRR_troop-D by Edmund, on Flickr If you need end details I can do those for you, too. Let me know if you need anythong else. I looked through my book, Trains To Victory and there is a chapter on troop cars but they are primarily the Pullman built cars. Good Luck, Ed
Do I need anything else? Well, yeah. You could rebuild a couple of Bowser X-32 boxcars for me, find appropriate trucks, paint them, decal them, and maybe make coffee while you're at it.
Seriously though, the information you have provided is many times what I was expecting. Thank you so much.