Either this site is starting to fall apart or I'm being targeted, as I've submitted two similar replies to this thread, only to have them both disappear.
If you can't get the shop initials to match that particular car, use different ones: some suitable for NYC would be AJ, AO, AV, B, BC, BG, DE, EB, EC, ER, RT, UR, and WD.
Besides those, you could also use shop symbols from any common carrier railroad in North America, as it was regular practice for railroads to do re-weigh and re-pack service on non-homeroad cars which showed up on their tracks at the approximate time when such service was required.At the end of each month, each road would send bills to those roads for whom they had done such work. This was done continent-wide, with universal set-fees, and ensured that the majority of the rolling stock in North America was properly maintained whether it was on home rails or not.
On my own layout, I might do the majority of cars with data specific to the cars' owner, but always include a few which represent other roads' shops, including those of my freelanced roads. And likewise for those freelanced cars: they might get re-weighed or re-packed by a real railroad, too. This helps to demonstrate the concept of interchange, where cars might roam the continent.
Edit: Well it's nice to see at least one of my earlier replies managed to show up, too, so my apologies for the sorta duplicate responses.
Wayne
FRRYKidIf that sheet doesn't what sheet would be correct to obtain?
If you can't find shop symbols to match those in the photo of the real car, then use other shop symbols either from the NYC or another railroad. It was an everyday practice for common carrier railroads to re-weigh freight cars from other roads if such a car showed up on their line, with an impending date requiring re-weighing. There was a set-fee for this service (and for minor repairs such as replacing or repairing so-called safety appliances such as grabirons, running boards, sill steps, along with re-packing the bearings in the journal boxes, etc., etc.) and it was applicable throughout North America. Every month, each railroad would send out bills to the various roads for work done on non-home road cars. This ensured that the cars from all railroads were serviced within the required timeframe, whether they were on home tracks or a thousand miles away on another railroad.
I stencil many of my freight cars for their various homeroad shops, but also for the shops of other roads, sometimes even including those of my freelanced railroads.
Knowing the model is not an accurate representation of the prototype, whether or not the OP goes forward with the project is up to him. He wanted to know if the lettering he sought was available on the 87-58 decal sheet which, it was not. The alternative suggested may be useful on another project if he doesn't use it on this one. At no time was he prohibited from using any lettering, on any car, he wished.
NHTX Since he is concerned about applying the correct shop code to this model and, the New York Central used a very unique font, without seeing the reference he is using, a generic alphabet set may not give him what he wants.
Since he is concerned about applying the correct shop code to this model and, the New York Central used a very unique font, without seeing the reference he is using, a generic alphabet set may not give him what he wants.
So what, the car has been pointed out as not correct for the NYC so he can use any lettering he wants.
Rick Jesionowski
Rule 1: This is my railroad.
Rule 2: I make the rules.
Rule 3: Illuminating discussion of prototype history, equipment and operating practices is always welcome, but in the event of visitor-perceived anacronisms, detail descrepancies or operating errors, consult RULE 1!
Hold he use an alphabet sheet to get the AJ. ?
shane
A pessimist sees a dark tunnel
An optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel
A realist sees a frieght train
An engineer sees three idiots standing on the tracks stairing blankly in space
FRRYkid: I just went over a new, uncut, Microscale 87-58 decal sheet with a magnifier and the only shop code on it is the Beech Grove's "BG" and the East Rochester's "ER".
An "A" could be harvested from one of the "CAPY" lines of extra dimensional data. A reasonable "J" could be cobbled from a numeral "1" and a Beech Grove "G". Weathering could be used to alleviate any imperfections in your home made "J". Good luck!
Got yet another one for my Forum friends: I am looking to model a type of NYC boxcar with updated dimensional data. Does the above referenced sheet have the "AJ" shop site data on it as the protoype car I'm looking at has that shop data on it? As I model Eastern Montana, I have no knowledge of NYC decal sheets. (Residual of the NYC CBQ transit agreement.) I can't get a good enough image online to see if it does and I don't have any close hobby shops to look at one in person.) If that sheet doesn't what sheet would be correct to obtain? As usual, any assistance that can be provided would be most welcomed.