I was applying decals to my new kit and I am wondering what is the info on top of the car dimensions on the right.
-Alex
My Layout Photos- http://s1293.photobucket.com/user/ajwarshal/library/
Sharp eyes, Alex! Mosty folks probably wouldn't have noticed that the lettering was even there. I checked thru my incomplete collection of PRR Hist. & Tech. Soc. "Keystone" magazines without ant success. Then I found 2 photos on page 29 of Railway Prototype Cyclopedia No. 17. The lettering appears to be !W WRT to the left of the rib and ST WLS to the right. This means "Wrot Steel Wheels". I don't know exactly how "1W" differentiates these from any other wrot steel wheels. Maybe another reader can fill in that info.
The 2 photos show car 38333, date and location unknown, and car 38881 at Saltville, VA on July 22, 1952. The former had a Youngstown door, and the latter had Creco. Both still had their old Andrews trucks. Other photos often showed cars with different lettering or no lettering in this location, but the 1952 date of the 38881 photo indicates that this was probably appropriate for your 1950's time period.
There are some nice miodel photos of a PRR version of that kit on page 49 of Railway Prototype Cyclopedia No. 17.
It reads: 1W WRT ST WLS
Maybe with periods here and there
It means: 1 wear wrought steel wheels
"1 wear" means that once the wheels reach their wear limits, they may not be re-machined for further usage.
Ed