Pacific Fruit Express R-40-25 Refrigerator Cars

 

The placard held by the gentleman at center reads, "Here she is boss. She looks mighty fine and so will the other 499.The crew that built her." This is presumably the Colton, Calif. PFE shop crew

For modelers, the PFE R-40-25 class has taken a back seat to the more numerous R-40-23 and different, e.g. visually interesting, R-40-26, with flush mounting ("plug") doors. The R-40-25 class was 3,000 cars total, nos., 2001-5000, built in 1949 at the PFE's Los Angeles (2001-3350,) Colton (3351-4000,) and Roseville (4001-5000,) shops. The Intermountain models of the R-40-23 went a long way toward filling the needs of postwar Transition era modelers. In cooperation with Intermountain, the Amarillo Railroad Museum offered R-40-25 kits based upon the R-40-23. While this is certainly a good path to follow, it resulted in models that incorporated several errors, both large and small, that make these kits stand-ins for discerning freight modelers.

The B end of R-40-25 no. 2001. Of note are the uppermost main rib, with flat bottom, the narrow pressed rib at the top, and the arrangement of the side ladder, attached to the sill step at the bottom, which is in turn attached to the bottom of the side sill as well as the attachment of the ladder stiles at the top, using curved pieces of metal connected to the roof. The side ladders are not actually attached to the car sides at all.

End from an R-40-25 kit

Resin end from Speedwitch

Incorrect (and poorly rendered) lettering on Intermountain/Amarillo R-40-25

The largest of the errors are in the ends and the as-delivered lettering. The ends of the -25 class were an iteration of the improved Dreadnaught end and different than those of the -23 class. Changes included the incorporation of a small, rectangular stiffener bulge at the top of the end and revision to the main top rib, making it straight across its bottom and shallower in relief from the surface of the end, compared to the other five main ribs. The Amarillo ends tooled by Intermountain ignored the change to the top main rib and the small rectangular rib appears too proud from the surface of the end and not wide enough from top to bottom.

PFE R-40-25 no. 4246 as it appeared soon after repainting at Tucson, Ariz., in May, 1953

The other major error is the lettering on the as-delivered cars. In 1948, the Union Pacific medallion was changed from red, white and blue to black and white. This change was missed for years by researchers and modelers alike. It was only after I started to see the medallion in color photos and then shared that info and consulted with Dick Harley that the error was revealed. There is no blame in this, but it doesn't change the fact that the models are incorrect on that detail. Fortunately, there are now decals that correct that issue, from National Scale Car.

This image was recorded at a time of day when the sun's light was low, affording a great view of numerous details, especially the underframe.

The other issues are more nuanced and involve finer points of detail. Here they are in no particular order:

• the side ladders should be integrated with the lower sill steps and attached to the edge of the roof via a trapezoidal, curved piece of plate (the Amarillo/IM -25 cars took a half-stab at this issue)
• the side sill supports ("tabs") should be shaped differently; additionally, the Intermountain long tabs under the doors do not have a flat surface, but a wavy one due to the molding process
• the welded underframe is quite distinctive (on the -23, -25 and -26) and the Intermountain underframe is rather simple
• the drains for the bunkers are very crude on the IM kit

This is a stop frame screen shot from a video on the PeriscopeFilm channel on youtube... that I cannot find now to provide the title! [if I do, I will update this post.] However, it is a great illustration of the black & white '1948' Union Pacific medallion.

A little more about the '1948' PFE painting and lettering... in 1948, the word "VENTILATED" was dropped from the stenciling between the two medallions. If looking at a black & white photo, that change is a fairly good yardstick to determine if the UP medallion is red/white/blue (VENTILATED REFRIGERATOR) or black & white (only stenciled with REFRIGERATOR.) However, that is not a hard and fast rule, as I have found a few examples of cars stenciled with "VENTILATED REFRIGERATOR" and having black & white UP medallions. These examples are likely artifacts of errors immediately after the change was implemented. [note: what I have never encountered in photos, and I have closely examined a LOT of color photos, is a single instance of a car with only REFRIGERATOR and a red/white/blue UP medallion... if you have a color photo illustrating this, I would love to see it.]

While PE 1614 was the focus of this image, the PFE reefer behind it and to the right is adorned with the scheme used on PFE reefers between 1948 and the beginning of 1950. The reefer visible at left carries the scheme introduced in 1950, the included "RAILROAD" in the UP medallion.

What I can state definitively is that the UP medallion used between 1948 and 1950 with the words "UNION PACIFIC" was black and white and NOT red/white/blue.

This image, while cropped, shows three cars with the 1946-1948 scheme (red, white & blue UP medallion on middle car,) 1948-1950 scheme (black & white UP medallion on right car [which also has "VENTILATED," likely a stenciling error by the painting and lettering crew]) and the post-1950 UP medallion, with "RAILROAD," on the car at left.

The timing of this post is because I am currently at work on the pilot model for a parts set to correctly model the PFE's R-40-25 class of cars. Details about that will follow in a separate post covering the models.

Again, apologies for the watermarks in the images, but the pirates get me down so this is my only recourse

Pennsylvania Railroad G28 Gondola in HO

 

I recently completed the pilot model for my latest kit, the Pennsylvania Railroad G28 gondola (prototype details can be found via this link.) I am biased, but I think it is one of my finest yet.

Plate C produced some exceptional 70-ton National Malleable Type B trucks to match the prototype's.

I finished it to represent a one year old repaint circa 1952, so the weathering was minimal. I added sparing amounts of Tamiya Brown Panel Line Accent Color at all of the structural members on the side. It is hard to capture photographically, but the effect is convincing. I am especially happy with the Universal lever-type hand brake, the underframe and brake arrangement, and the board-by-board floor inside the car. I did mess up one thing: I installed the drop end doors reversed (the outside should be inside) and don't have the heart to tear things apart, so cut me a little slack on that.

 

The chalkmark decals are from National Scale Car, set D135.

70-ton National Type B and B-1 Trucks from Plate C

Plate C National Malleable Type B 70-ton Truck

Plate C Model Prototypes is set to release 70-ton versions of the National Malleable Type B and B-1 trucks in HO scale. This is (to my knowledge) the first time these have been available in HO and perhaps, any scale. The fact that we will have both of these available is fantastic. The visual differences in HO are quite small. The B-1 incorporated updated trunnions that modified the arrangement (and appearance) of the spring package. The easiest way to discern the Type B from the Type B-1 is that the spring in the Type B "filled" the area below the bolster while on the B-1 you could "see" around the front spring and the B-1 also had a raised area around the small circles at the bottom of the sideframe casting, presumably for added strength. Again, subtle, but noticeable. IYKYK. These will be available from 3D Central

Plate C National Malleable Type B-1 70-ton Truck (directly above and below)

National Malleable Type B 70-ton trucks, known applications

Road	Series Start	Series End	Class	Type	Notes
ACL	739200	739299	U-7	Covered Hopper	Phosphate
ACY	515	539		Covered Hopper	equipped with Timken roller bearings
ATSF	170925	170974	GA-55	Gondola	AAR 65'
ATSF	86200	86499	GA-56	Hopper	Hart Ballast
ATSF	86500	86799	GA-59	Hopper	Hart Ballast
ATSF	77000	77399	GA-64	Hopper	Hart Ballast
ATSF	91142	91191	FT-U	Flat	60'
DMIR	4950	4959		Covered Hopper
DOWX	38123C			Tank
CB&Q	180000	180099	HC-1	Covered Hopper
C&IM	7350	7449		Gondola	Offset sides
CN	118000	118999		Hopper
CN	142050	142749		Gondola	48'
PRR			G26	Gondola	65'
PRR			G26A	Gondola	65'
PRR	344815	345182	G27	Gondola
PRR	342600	343549	G28	Gondola
PRR	357854	358653	G29	Gondola
PRR	see link	see link	G30	Gondola	Emergency; http://prr.railfan.net/freight/classpage.html?class=G30
PRR	254451	254550	H30	Covered Hopper	slightly different sideframe
PRR	254951	255026	H30	Covered Hopper

Santa Fe GA-55 AAR 65'6" mill gondola (Athearn)

Canadian National 48-foot mill gondola (Westerfield)

PRR H30 covered hopper; note that the left truck has the "early" teardrop shaped openings in the sideframe. It was not uncommon for cars and their trucks to become "separated" during shoppings of like cars. There are many examples of PFE reefers with two different prototypes of trucks under the same car. (Bowser, Funaro & Camerlengo, Rail Shop)

PRR G26 65'6" mill gondola (E&B Valley/Eastern Car Works - accuracy issues!)

Dow Chemical insulated tank car (no known kit although a Resin Car Works kit could likely be modified)

PRR G28 52'6" mill gondola (Speedwitch, F&C)

National Malleable Type B-1 70-ton trucks, known applications

Road	Series Start	Series End	Class	Type	Notes
ATSF	169700	169899	GA-63	Gondola	Emergency
CB&Q	180200	180249	HC-1	Covered Hopper
D&TS	2028	2077		Covered Hopper
Erie	11150	11249		Gondola	Greenville design
NKP	91000	91049		Covered Hopper
NSS	1300			Gondola
PRR	see link	see link	G30	Gondola	Emergency; http://prr.railfan.net/freight/classpage.html?class=G30
T&NO	4200	4449		Hopper
WP	6501	6600		Gondola	Greenville design
CB&Q	221500	221749		Hopper	Ballast; Emergency

Santa Fe GA-63 Emergency mill gondola (Tichy)

Burlington Hart ballast hopper (no known models)

Western Pacific Greenville-design 52'6" mill gondola (Proto 2000/Walthers, Sunshine Models)

All additions and edits are welcome. Please submitvia the comment form below!

PS - I apologize again for the watermarks in the images but I am tired of the pirates

Norfolk & Western S-1a 0-8-0 number 231

 

Portsmouth, Ohio, November 15, 1958, Charles Judy photo

This post is not really related to anything in particular except my love of small-drivered steam. This is an original slide that I snagged on ebay for a very reasonable price. It also scratched my itch for these types of steamers. The S-1a class was the last group of steam locomotives built at N&W's famed Roanoke shops, with 45 constructed between 1951 and 1953 (nos. 200-244.) They were short-lived, being retired between 1958 and 1960. Enjoy!

Frisco USRA-design Composite Gondolas

 

There are certain freight car prototypes that just appeal to me, whatever the reason. The Frisco's USRA-design composite gondolas are one such car. When they were built, composite gondolas were commonplace, but by the early 50s, all steel gons were by far the majority. Perhaps that whiff of obsolescence is what draws me. Regardless, I find them interesting and have wanted to model one for years. 

Before discussing modeling options, I will provide what I know about the prototypes. The Frisco had a large number of these cars and seemed to refurbish and rebuild them into an incalculable number of flavors. There was a group of true USRA composite gondolas, built in 1919 by Standard Steel Car Co., in series 85000-85999 (782 cars in the Official Railway Equipment Register, October, 1951.) These were rebuilt into a number of different configurations:

• largely as built, but with wood floors and no drop doors and either original Perfection lever-type hand brake or Ajax power hand brake and AB brakes with 1712 cu. ft. capacity, like 85825 shown below (389 cars, Official Railway Equipment Register, October, 1951)
• rebuilt in 1934, 1935 and 1937 with paneled steel sides, wood floors and no drop doors, new side steel structural members, and either 1842 or 1862 cu. ft. capacity (4 and 138 cars, respectively)
• rebuilt in 1936, 1937 and 1938 with paneled steel sides including three side doors per side, wood floors and no drop doors, Dreadnaught ends, new side steel structural members, and 1856 cu. ft. capacity, like 85012 shown below (151 cars)
• rebuilt in 1940, retaining composite sides, but adding three doors per side, Dreadnaught ends, wood floors and no drop doors, Ajax power hand brakes, and 1726 cu. ft. capacity, like 85885 shown below (100 cars)

There was also a large group of cars in the series 50000-50398 (359 cars,) 50399-51927 (838,) 52000-52499 (495,) 52500-53099 (533,) 53100-53647 (491) and 53650-54349 (682) for a total of 3,398 cars. All had solid wood floors and (like the USRA cars) 1712 cu. ft. capacity. They were built by Pullman Car Manufacturing Co. in 1925 and 1930 and refurbished as needed, most notably with Dreadnaught ends. These were like 53395 shown directly above. The number series and data are from the Official Railway Equipment Register, October, 1951 issue.

Modeling the cars was relatively easy as Sunshine offered several different versions of them. Sadly, I did not ever manage to pick up a kit and now they do not appear on the secondhand market as much as other Sunshine kits seem to. However, I believe my modeling skills to be sharp enough to find a way to scratch the itch by modifying an Intermountain USRA composite gondola. 

Martin Lofton wrote "Frisco's rebuilt USRA gondolas," Railroad Model Craftsman, October 1990. This article covered many of the variations, as well as how Martin modeled them in HO scale. His article predated the Intermountain and Walthers (ex-Proto1000) USRA-design composite gondolas

The image above is of the side of Sunshine kit 92.6. These were part of the re-release of Frisco USRA-design gons. I assume that the patterns were Martin's work as no one is credited for them in the Sunshine PDS (Prototype Data Sheet) and Martin did do occasional pattern work, especially for his "pet" roads, of which the Frisco was one. The cars included detail on the interior, as well, including "cutouts" for the side discharge doors, wood boards, and detail on the inside of the Dreadnaught ends.

NOTE: Where I have info on the prototype images, I have begun to embed/watermark that in the image, along with my last name rather prominently in the car body. I hate to take this step, but I have grown increasingly angry at the proliferation of internet and social media "experts" downloading images and then reposting them elsewhere with no information about the date, location or photographer or where they pirated the images from in the first place. Yes, it detracts from the images, but it also deters the pirates from wanton theft without attribution.