PRR X37, X37A and X38 Box and Auto Cars

The PRR Pro Group has started a group build of these classes of cars. While I've been a lurker for a long time, and take advantage of the amazing catalog of information they've created in earlier projects, this is the first time I'll participate at the same time.

In addition to working on these cars, I have a lot of partially completed resin box cars, and I intend to work on those at the same time in an assembly line fashion.

Available Models

Funaro & Camerlengo offers the X37, X37A, X37B and X38 cars as one-piece body resin kits. They are excellent kits, and what I'll be using for my models.

What about the X38x classes?
There are 14 X38 classes. For my needs, only the X38 and X38A are really necessary. The X38B was a one car class, of a single-sheathed composite war emergency variation. The X38C and later classes were rebuilds starting in 1953 (or '55, I have conflicting information).

The 600 X38A class cars are basically the same car as the X38, but with an end door. It may be possible to cut the end off of the F&C kit and replace it with one from a P2k kit.

As a NH modeler, I probably don't need to worry about kitbashing one. But hopefully F&C will release it in the future.

Online Resources

• Excellent information on Jerry Britton's PRR site for the X37 and X38 classes.
• Rob's PRR Info site, of course, for the X37 and X38 classes.
• The PRRTHS has a discussion about building the F&C kits.
• Accident photos of an X37 and its underframe on the P&WV Hi Line site.
• Ben Hom provided info to the Steam Era Freight Cars site.

Print Resources

• The Keystone 14.4
• The Keystone Modeler #62 (X37B), pg 6.
• The Postwar Freight Car Fleet, pg 79
• Steam Era Freight Car Reference Manual Volume 1: Box & Automobile Cars, pg 139, 204.
• Train Shed Cyclopedia #17.

Models

I currently only have an in-service picture of an X37 and X38A, so I'll probably have to work from lists and other's recommendations on the truck/brake wheel and road number combinations.

• X37 PRR 65677 as pictured in service in the Postwar Freight Car Fleet, pg 79. The trucks resemble the coil/semi-elliptic trucks Bowser makes for their X31 cars. 
• X37A I'm not sure of a road number yet, but several pictures show National B-1 type trucks, which are available from Kadee (50-ton), Walthers/ex-Life-Like, and Athearn (70-ton). This would need the 50-ton trucks, but I'll probably order all of them to compare.
• X37B I'm not sure the road number I'll use, but F&C makes the Elsey trucks that was used on at least 500 of the cars. (I don't see them listed on their website).
• X38 Don't know the road number yet, but on Jerry Britton's page he notes that Eric Thur recommends the Bowser PRR 2D-F8 trucks.

Other Parts

These are other parts that I'll use which are my current standard parts for any appropriate kit.

• Kadee bracket grabs, brake wheels and "steel" running boards
• Yarmouth Model Works sill steps, wood running boards, and eyebolts.