More Layout Odds & Ends

 Greetings All,

More Layout Odds & Ends

More summer purchases and projects to report today.

Railbox boxcar #40188

This Atlas Master Line product is a 1:87 version of the prototype RBOX 40188 with the on Track for A Cure cancer awareness lettering.

The special color and lettering on the RBOX car look like the prototype. 

The car as delivered has nice details and comes equipped with Accumate scale knuckle couplers. Atlas includes additional bolsters to install other brands of whisker style couplers such as the Kadee #148 which I added to the model.

The car has been sprayed of Testor's Dullcote, the wheel faces are painted flat black and the Kadee coupler meets the height gauge.

The Atlas RBOX #40188 joins my Scale Trains WSOR #503196 which is in it for the long haul in the fight against cancer.

Illinois Central 50' Boxcar #37875

This IC boxcar was a used purchase from my LHS in May 2023 that came with its own Micro-Mark Car Card. When I opened the box and saw this it went right into my shopping basket.

The prior owner fitted the car with metal wheels and Kadee couplers.

Additional weight was also added by the prior owner who obviously was into model railroad operations and reliably operating models. I wonder how many operating sessions was this car involved in.

IC boxcar #37875 is now in service and ready for more model railroad operations!

PC ex PRR H30 Covered Hopper

The Bowser Executive Line PC 875129 is a nice addition to the fleet and came well detailed along with Kadee couplers and metal wheels

The PRR built 1,325 H30 covered hoppers starting in 1935 with production lasting thru 1946. Originally intended for cement service the cars  were also used to transport lime, sand, soda ash, pulverized coal, etcetera. 250 H30A covered hoppers were built in 1951-1952. I did come across photos of PRR H30s like this one, #254985, photographed at Marshalltown, Iowa in 1968 and Conrail #74008 in sand service in 1990 at Avon, IN. 

Here's a close up the 875129 at North Side Yard loaded with fly ash from the Empire Power Authority being readied for interchange with the LIRR and movement to a cement plant on Long Island. 

Modelers may be more familiar with the H30s in sand service that carry a big S on the side that stands for Stores and not Sand.

More Container Chassis

I built the last two of my Walthers container chassis kits using Plastruct Plastic Weld which made the build process easier and I did this without gluing my fingers together.

A new "K" Line container rides TOFC on this Southern 89' TOFC Flat. Flatcar and container are Walthers products. The Navajo trailer is from Athearn.

The last of the chassis are built, painted and in service. 

EMD Penn Central SD9 Renumbering

After featuring my Atlas PC SD9 #6922 in the Tribute to EMD Special Duty Locomotives blogpost I realized that the unit had been out of sight and out of mind for many years based on two factors.

#1 was the unit had a small PC herald and didn't look like the prototype. 

#2 PC Ralph has the same engine correctly painted and in service at the West Mill Float Yard on his KPD layout. 

Here is the 6922 in need of renumbering and some TLC. 

PC 6908, formerly the 6922 is pulled from the shop after being renumbered and getting some minor repairs.

The 6908 is prototypically correct with the small herald and can now be shown in the Penn Central Car Movements with worrying about any time and space continuum problems.😉

Final thoughts and Comments

For personal reasons I add the 1:87 cancer awareness cars to my freight car fleet when they become available. Sadly the 1:1 scale RBOX 40188 and WSOR 503196 are covered with graffiti. C'mon man!!!

The newly renumbered 6908 is now getting some layout time and should be in the upcoming Penn Central Car Movements #101.

Thanks for reading!!!

See you soon!!!