Operations - Paperwork for Stanley Works

 As I've been working on operations, one question has been what sort of paperwork, if any, would I be using for Stanley Works? They won't have waybills, since those are created by the railroad and must go to the Freight Agent when delivered.

Since I have switching lists for the New Haven, I figured I'd use something similar for Stanley. I recently found something on eBay that shows I'm on the right track.

This is a booklet of Conductor Car Reports from an industry -  The New Jersey Zinc Co (of PA).

The booklet also had a time card:

In the lower right of the time card it notes S&M Department Railroad Division. Presumably, based on the paperwork, this company has their own locomotives.

The New Jersey Zinc Co (of PA)

As this Sanborn map shows, the NJ Zinc Co was located along the Chestnut Ridge and Lehigh & New England Railroads. The CNJ (presumably the CRP in most of my era) looks like it may have served a plant at the other side of town. The Lehigh Valley was also across the river from this plant.

Here's a picture of part of the west plant:

The town of Palmerton was a company town, built by the NJ Zinc Co (of PA) and named after it's president at the time (who apparently didn't like that).

The company was apparently the largest producer of zinc in my era, which is useful since Stanley Works has a galvanizing building at their main plant in New Britain. I can believe that, here's an aerial view of the west plant from 1931, looking east:

From what I understand, they had from 2 to 4 Alco S-2 switchers, which replaced earlier steam switchers. I believe they acquired them at the same time the Chestnut Ridge Railway received theirs. 

It's clear that the west plant has a yard at the west end of this plant. The LNE has a direct connection to the east plant. In addition, the Chestnut Ridge Railway has connections to both.

Chestnut Ridge Railway

This was a small short line that, according to a newspaper article, hauled 4 million tons of freight in 1947 and 1948. Their primary (only?) customer by that time was the NJ Zinc Co (of PA). It clearly connects to the LNE at the east plant in Palmerton. Another article notes that it was originally built with a connection to the CNJ for passenger, mail, and the primary freight commodity of bricks before the Zinc plant was built. Passenger service, as on so many branch lines, ended in the '30s.

Zinc and zinc products for New Britain can come via CRP/CNJ then by carfloat to the NH and to New Britain via Cedar Hill. A more direct routing would be LNE to Maybrook to New Britain.

In the aerial photo above, you can see the LV (lower tracks) and LNE (upper tracks) on the other side of the Lehigh River. 

The Chestnut Ridge Railway crosses over the CNJ/CRP (on a bridge) in the upper left. Although not on the Sanborn map, I believe the tracks that come down the berm to the yard to the left of the CNJ Main is also the Chestnut Ridge Railway. The CNJ station is tucked up against the curve in that berm.

Right along the top edge of the photo you can see the LNE branch that's heading to the east plant. 

Operational Paperwork

It certainly looks like an interesting place to model, but what is of most interest to me is the paperwork.

The pages are perforated, several are missing, and it was clearly used because I may be able to figure out some info from the prior form since they had written with a heavy hand.

It would make sense that a company large enough to have their own locomotives would have their own railroad department. They would not only have to have an engineer, but also a yard foreman (conductor) and most likely a brakeman. In addition, they would needed a shop and crew to maintain their locomotive(s).  I don't know think they would fall under railroad union rules, but they would probably have operated much like any small railroad. 

The Conductor's paperwork is simpler than the railroad's. All of the traffic to/from Stanley Works interchanges with the New Haven. The Agent will also serve as the Stanley Yardmaster. I'll create a similar Yard Check paper for Stanley Works. I'll also need some method to release those cars through the session, as they won't all be ready to pull at the start of the session.

These forms can be used as they are designed, and issued to the Stanley switching crew as needed, just as the New Haven switch lists are given to the crews throughout the session.

The Senator takes a Vacation

Well, part of it anyway.

Dale informed me that this move was going to happen on Sunday, but unfortunately I had to work. So he made sure to take some pictures.

For years (decades?) there have been two ex-Senator PRR parlor cars on one of the tracks at the Hartford Regional Market. The Greenwich Estate was previously named Betsy Ross and Greenwich Harbor was Roger Williams.

They are owned by Dale's boss' (owner/operator of CNZR) brother. I guess for a while Amtrak wasn't allowing the use of private cars. But apparently that has changed, because the cars' owner and his wife are going on vacation to Florida - in their ex-PRR Parlor Cars.

CSOR coupling up to the cars.

Heading out.

Dale has been working this summer just hanging out in his truck all day 

to protect the one train that comes through, and move the construction crew.

This is an industry track off of the old Valley Line, which is on the other side of the overpass.

At the Springfield Line in Windsor Locks, waiting for a southbound Amtrak shuttle...

...and a northbound CT Rail to pass...

With the special following close behind.

The cars are on their way to Springfield and will be added to an Amtrak train to Florida there. What a way to travel! I wonder what sort of service they'll have onboard.

Milwaukee Rib Side Cars

On Friday I posted a list of plastic freight cars and mentioned that the Exactrail Rib Side car is the better option for the early Milwaukee Rib Side Box Car, but that it was hard to find. Today I received a notice that it a new run is coming soon.

So let's take a closer look at this prototype and this model.

Milwaukee "Rib Side" Welded Box Cars

The Milwaukee Road built their unique welded "Rib Side" cars between 1937 and 1947. These were welded cars, using long panels arranged horizontally. The ribs were more than just a corrugation, and not hat-section (u-section) ribs attached to the side as many have thought in the past. Each sheet of steel was bent upwards enough for the next lower sheet to nest into the bend, and then the main portion of the rib corrugation provided stiffness. These panels were welded together along the bottom seam. Part of the reason for this type of construction was that the cars were built using Inland Hi-Steel. This steel was more corrosion resistant than the standard steel used in car construction, and was also lighter - an advertisement claimed as little as half the weight.

Other cars built with such lightweight construction had additional stiffeners, and corresponding rivets, between the main supports as seen in the so-called "Alternate Center Rivet" (ACR) car designs. Another approach was more panels (12-panel cars), and many used welded construction like these cars.

The end result for the Milwaukee cars was a unique signature design that is easy to spot in photos, even at an oblique angle. Chris and I have seen many on the NH, such as this one on the Valley Line.

The first cars built with this type of construction were 500 50' Automobile Cars built in 1937.

From 1939 to 1940 they constructed 3,188 40' Box Cars. All except for one of these cars featured "long ribs" that continued behind the ladders, and the "Type 1" Murphy double panel welded roof. These had 11 double panels, plus short end panels. The later roof used on cars built from 1941 to early 1947 had one fewer panel and wider end panels.

• 18000-21187 - 5/5 Dreadnaught End with lumber door, early Double Panel Roof (3,188)

Rib Side Cars grouped the short-rib cars into four phases.

1. 21188-22187 - 5/5 Dreadnaught End with lumber door (1,000)
2. 22188-23937  - 4/4 Improved Dreadnaught End with lumber door (1,750) (Intermountain)
3. 23938-25537 - 4/4 Improved Dreadnaught End, no lumber door (1,600)
4. 25538-28559 - 4/4 Improved Dreadnaught End, no lumber door, Diagonal Panel Roof (3,022)

Accurail acquired the Rib Side Cars tooling, and have released a couple versions so far. Note that they identify their cars differently. They label their long-rib car as "Phase I" which means the short-rib cars, should they release them, will be Phases 2-5.

The 40' Double-door Automobile car was built only in the short-rib variation. In addition to the rib sides, they are unusual in that there is a removable center post between the two doors, making it appear as if it is a two-door box car, rather than a double-door car.

1. 6500-7099 - 5/5 Dreadnaught end with lumber door (600)
2. 9000-9499 - 4/4 Improved Dreadnaught End with no lumber door (500)

There are basically two designed for 50' cars in both single- and double-door configurations. A small number of cars with shorter interior heights were built as express or merchandise cars, I haven't included those here. Only the first group had the long ribs (and were the first rib side cars built).

1. 13500-13999 - Double-door, 5/5 Dreadnaught End with lumber door, Hutchins welded roof (500)
2. 50000-50599 - Single-door, 5/5 Dreadnaught End with lumber door (975)
3. 140000-14429 - Double-door, 4/4 Improved Dreadnaught End, no lumber door (500)
4. 15500-15749 - Single-door, 4/4/ Improved Dreadnaught End, no lumber door (250)

In photos on the New Haven we've seen pictures of the 40' and 50' cars, and both the box and automobile cars.

Models

There are other models that have been produced, but don't reach my level of accuracy and/or fidelity so I won't be including those.

Sunshine

The Sunshine kits, of course, are very good. There are a couple on eBay now, but they will typically sell for ~$75+. I don't own either, and while I've seen finished models I haven't studied them carefully.

The first model is the 13500-series of long-rib automobile cars. This is the only model available in this configuration, and I may eventually pick one up for that reason.

The second variation they produced is the long-rib box car, or the same as the Exactrail car, and also the long-rib Rib Side Cars model, which has since been released by Accurail.

Exactrail

The long-rib 40' cars were the largest group of cars. There are minor issues. The lumber door is the biggest one, it should be slightly recessed and it's lacking the rivets around it. It looks like it's a separate part, though, perhaps it can be modified.

The retainer valve is hanging in mid-air, the pipe should bend above the top of the upper corrugation and be mounted to the end of the car. The bottom of the pipe is also hanging in mid-air, instead of bending to go under the car. The Intermountain one is similar. The brake appliances are lacking some piping that is on the Intermountain car, and is a slightly different configuration. I don't have a diagram handy to verify which is correct.

In Railway Prototype Cyclopedia 13 it lists 164 car numbers confirmed to wear the "Route of the Electrified Olympian" slogan. All of them are long-rib cars. Six of the Exactrail cars will be released in this scheme (4 built in 1939, 2 in 1940. Of those 164 car number, 91 were built in 1940. 

Intermountain

This is also very accurate and also must-have in my opinion since the shorter ribs are noticeably different than the earlier arrangement. The detail is perhaps slightly less fine than the Exactrail car, for example the intermediate corrugations on the Improved Dreadnaught End are a little narrow. And the handled the retainer valve in a manner similar to the Exactrail car as well. But overall it's very well done.

Accurail/Rib Side Cars

These models were originally produced by a company that only made Milwaukee Rib Side prototypes, and most of the variations are therefore available in plastic. Accurail has released two of the versions so far, and I don't think any modifications were made to the tooling.

The tooling design varies depending on the car. All are well done, although the roofs aren't quite as good as the Exactrail/Intermountain cars, and the details aren't as fine. The running boards are well detailed injection-molded plastic, but aren't see-through (Most of the Exactrail wooden running board is also not see-through, just in a couple of locations such as part of the lateral running boards).

The long-rib 40' car is the same as the Exactrail and Sunshine car. The few grab irons on the car are molded on. This is one variation to be re-released by Accurail, but the Exactrail car is better and RTR.

The short-rib car was produced in all four phases. They have an innovative approach to the bracket grabs on the left end of the sides, with the brackets molded on, and holes pre-drilled for wire grabs. Although the Intermountain tooling is a bit finer and has more details, there is one specific detail that the Rib Side Car models have that the Intermountain is lacking. There is a vertical line that should delineate the end of the ribbed portion of the car side where it is welded to the flat "pans" next to the door. Intermountain did get this vertical seam at the ends, but not by the doors for some reason.

The 40' Automobile Cars have molded grabs, and unlike all of their other models, the doors are cast into the car side. Brass models tended to attach the removable center post to one of the doors, so you could open one (but not the other since the post went with it).

The 50' cars, only the short-rib versions, are designed similarly to the 40'short-rib cars, except that the brackets for the grab irons at the left end don't stand free from the side, it's just the base and holes drilled for wire. The Improved Dreadnaught End main corrugations are a bit too "straight" and mostly lack the bulge in the center.

Decals

National Scale Car offers two sets of decals (art by Ted Culotta and originally from the Speedwitch Media line):

• D139 for 22188-23937 series (Rib Side Cars "Phase 2" or Intermountain model)
• D174 for the 40' Automobile Car (Accurail/Rib Side Cars)

Comparisons

Here are some comparison pictures of the models I have.

Roofs of the Rib Side Cars, Intermountain, and Exactrail models.

The Rib Side Cars lumber door on the left is better detailed than the Exactrail.

The Intermountain lumber door is a different design and a pretty good match to the prototype.

The Improved Dreadnaught Ends of the Intermountain and Rib Side Cars models.

Neither are entirely accurate, but the Intermountain are better.

I already shaved off the molded on grab irons on the Automobile Car.

Ignore then in-process paint removal...

Both 50' cars have the same bracket grab base, with holes drilled for wire grab irons.

The 40' "Phase 1" Rib Side Car models (5/5 Dreadnaught Ends, short-ribs)

have actual brackets drilled for wire grab irons.

You can see how they extend from the car side.

This is an innovative and well done design.

As you can see I have several of the Rib Side Cars models, most in the wrong paint schemes, so I'm stripping them. They show up on eBay occasionally, but not that frequently and not always in the paint schemes I need. Hopefully Accurail will produce more of the variations that Rib Side Cars tooled. I have the 40' Automobile Car on the way, so that eliminates some of the work on that body.

Because these cars are so visible, I think having a couple makes sense since more than one may be on the layout during a given session. 

Freight Car Models

A common question that seems to crop up on several Facebook groups on a weekly basis is something along the lines of, "what brand locomotives/freight cars should I buy?"

I find the comments interesting, although the answer for me is always the same, "whoever makes the most accurate model of a given prototype."

Accuracy and Fidelity

I differentiate two different aspects of a model when deciding whether it's a model I'll purchase.

Accuracy refers to whether the car properly represents a given prototype. Usually I'm concerned with the large details - roof, ends, proper configuration of the sides, etc. Doors are included in this regard, unless they are separate parts that can be replaced. Detail parts like running boards, brake wheels, brake gear are less important since I can replace them. Underframes are also of less overall importance to me, although I want anything that's visible when it's sitting on the track to be correct. For example, I won't usually correct the number of stringers that run the length of a floor.

In other words, I want all of the visible components to be correct, but focus primarily on the ones that are hard to replace with proper ones if there are descrepancies.

Fidelity refers to the quality of the model itself. Are the detail parts molded on or separately applied? How well are the details rendered? Athearn blue box cars suffer in regards to fidelity. They have molded on grab irons, but because of their desire to make operating doors on their box cars, they have grossly oversized door hardware ("claws"), and the tooling is often chunky, with oversized rivets, thick running boards, etc. (as was typical of many models of the time).

Accurail and Bowser models, on the other hand, also include molded on details, but the tooling is much better, with the rivets appropriately sized, grab irons have a thin profile and when well painted and weathered it can be difficult to tell that they are molded.

I have very, very few models that were produced with molded on details. When I got back into the hobby, there were plenty of options with separately applied details, so it wasn't necessary. Accuracy and fidelity is important enough that I'll go with a resin kit rather than a model that doesn't meet these standards. I replace the molded parts on the few that I do have.

For RTR cars, I usually just use them without modification to start. As I go through to weather them, I'll also make modifications/corrections as needed. I don't replace things like sill steps unless they are broken.

So what styrene cars on the market for my era meet my requirements? The majority of these are all available RTR, some as kits (at least on the secondary market) or RTR, and a handful only as kits.

Many models are produced by companies who acquired the tooling of earlier companies. I make note of that, but for companies, like Branchline, where I primarily own cars that were produced by that company, I've separated them out. 

Accurail

To the best of my knowledge, every Accurail model is accurate for at least one prototype. However, with the molded on details I only have a few and those are primarily for kitbash projects. 

• 41' AAR Gondola - easy to remove the few molded grabs
• 40' Wood Refrigerator (both the 4800 and 4900 series) for kitbashes

Rib Side Cars (now Accurail)

This was an extensive line of most of the variations of Milwaukee rib-side cars. You can access their old site here. Accurail acquired the tooling and has released several variations. The tooling is interesting, the bracket grabs are molded on but they have separate ladders. I believe a few versions had separate bracket grabs. The Intermountain, Exactrail, and Sunshine have higher fidelity. I have the Exactrail and Intermountain cars, but these are much easier to get than the Sunshine ones. The quality of the lettering isn't fantastic, but Speedwitch has great decals.

Unless otherwise noted, they have the unique Milwaukee style roof with two narrow rectangular corrugations in each panel instead of the more common single corrugation. Accurail has released the 40' Double Door car and the 40' long-rib cars.

• 40' Long-rib (1939-40)
• 40' Short-rib "Phase 1" (1944) 5/5 Dreadnaught End with lumber door
• 40' Short-rib "Phase 2" (1945-6) 4/4 Improved Dreadnaught End with lumber door
• 40' Short-rib "Phase 3" (1948) 4/4 Improved Dreadnaught End, no lumber door
• 40' Short-rib "Phase 4" (1948) 4/4 Improved Dreadnaught End, no lumber door, Diagonal Panel roof
• 40' Short-rib Double Door (1942-4)
• 50' Short-rib Single Door
• 50' Short-rib Double Door

The Exactrail car is the 40' Long-rib car, and the best mass-produced car. Unfortunately, they haven't run it in years and it's hard to find.

The Intermountain model is the "Phase 2" car, and is very good, if not quite as good as the Exactrail one.

Sunshine did most variations, but are also hard to find. 

I have a "Phase 1" along with a 40' Double Door, a 50' Double Door, and a couple of the 50' Single Door cars. At some point I could get a "Phase 3" and "Phase 4" car if I wanted to.

Athearn

Although probably half (or more) of my roster when I was a kid, I only have two Athearn freight cars at this time. 

• 50' ATSF Rr-30 Ice Reefer (only "Super Chief" version, see article here)
• 65' AAR Mill Gondola - Speedwitch has alternate ends

Atlas

While I don't have that many Atlas cars, since they acquired the tooling for the ex-Branchline cars, and now many of the ex-True Line Trains cars they produce quite a few other accurate models. All of my models are from the original companies, but are now being produced by Atlas.

I used to have several of the 11,000 gallon LP tank car, but the Kadee one is more accurate.

• AAR Standard Twin Hopper - The Intermountain and Kadee cars are much better for most prototypes, but this is the correct variation for LNE and Chris, Pete and I have been modifying several for that purpose.
• 1932 ARA Standard Box Car - I covered these in detail here.
• Rebuilt USRA Box Car - These weren't done nearly as well as the 1932 ARA car. They had a special run for the Club they used to have (there was an annual charge, and you got a car that was only available with that membership). The car that year was the SL-SF car, which is reasonably accurate.
• Wood side reefer

Branchline

A number of years ago Atlas acquired the tooling for all of the freight (and passenger) cars to the best of my knowledge. Since these were Bill's projects they are all very accurate and very detailed. Kits are still pretty easy to find. Just be aware that the styrene used seems to have turned quite brittle over the years (at least for some of the runs) so you have to be patient and careful trimming parts from the sprues. The Atlas produced versions seem to be a much softer plastic, and easily worked.

The Yardmaster series had molded on details. I don't have any of them, these are all from the Blueprint Series (now Atlas Master).

• 40' Postwar AAR Box Car
• 50' Postwar AAR Box Car
• UTLX Reefer 

True Line Trains (now Atlas)

Atlas recently acquired a bunch of the tooling from TLT as well. To the best of my knowledge, only the models Atlas mentioned in their announcement was acquired, as I wasn't involved in the sale. I've listed other TLT models separately below. 

• Canadian 1937/1944 AAR Standard Box Cars -  Despite our marketing some of these as 1944 cars, they are actually 1937 AAR Standard Box Cars. There was the Modified 1937 AAR Standard in 1941, which added an optional 10'6" IH variation. Otherwise, the standard wasn't updated again until 1948 when the 10'0" IH version was eliminated. 

The Canadian cars differ in that they don't have "tabs" (including poling pockets), and have integrated stirrup steps at the bottom of the ladder. Normally these steps at the corners of the cars are properly termed sill steps. But these weren't attached to the sill, so...

They also used different ends than most US-built cars, including two unique ones (NSC #1 and #2) used on the CN cars, and 5/5 Dreadnaught ends on the CP cars. Many of the Canadian cars also had flat roofs, with no rectangular raised panels, much like the Murphy Solidsteel roof, although I don't know if they were that specific roof. 

• Slab-Side Hopper - We did all six of the major variations of these cars. the CN cars with 12 square hatches and the CP ones with 10 square hatches or 6 rectangular hatches are all appropriate for my era. 

Bowser 

Years ago Bowser acquired Stewart. Both lines are quite accurate (although the paint schemes and road numbers aren't always). However, the majority of the line have molded on parts, and more accurate versions are available in resin (or starting to be released in updated versions, such as the Rapido X31 and F30 and the Intermountain 1958 cu ft covered hopper).

However, for inexpensive, easy-to-build, and finely detailed and accurate kits these, along with Accurail and Tichy, are fantastic and, if you aren't as picky as me, an affordable way to built a fleet. They acquired Stewart years ago so you may find some models under that brand.

I haven't decided whether I prefer the Accurail or Bowser AAR Standard Triple Hopper, nor have I researched whether they are the exact same prototype, or similar, since both have molded on details they are further down my list of potential projects. 

• H30 covered hopper - their first model with separately applied details
• Fishbelly Hopper - this is based on a WM prototype which is convenient since it had ladders which are separate parts. There's still modifications to be made, but CNJ and RDG had welded variations of these so it's not too difficult to modify them.

Broadway Limited

They have a surprising number of freight cars for some interesting prototypes. While not quite the best execution (for example the sliding doors on the USRA Steel Design Box Cars), they are quite good.

• AAR Standard 70-ton Quad Hopper
• H2a Triple Hopper
• ACF Type 27 Chlorine Tank Car
• H32 Covered Hopper
• K7 Stock Car
• USRA Steel Design Box Car

Eastern Car Works

These are available only as kits. They are relatively simple kits, often with a mix of molded details and separate parts. The tooling isn't of today's standards and they tend to be a bit chunky, but otherwise accurate. 

• Depressed Center Flat Car - based on a NH and NYC prototype, so it's a must for me.

Exactrail

Exactrail has excellent models, although they do have a several lines that vary a little in their fidelity. Unfortunately, they only produce 3 cars that are useful in my era. All are of their highest level of detail, though.

• B&O Wagontop Box Car - the Fox Valley model is a close second and easier to find.
• GSC 42' Flat Car
• MILW Rib Side Box Car

Intermountain Railway

I have a lot of Intermountain cars, in part because they have a lot of prototypes, but also because the prototypes were owned by many, many roads. I don't have any of their PS-1 Box Cars, as the Kadee is a superior model.

• 12-Panel Box Car
• 1937 AAR Standard Box Car
• 1937 AAR Modified Standard Box Car
• 1937 AAR Modified Standard Box Car with 4/4 Improved Dreadnaught End
• 1958 Cu Ft 2-Bay Hopper
• 1958 Cu Ft 2-Bay Hopper with closed sides
• AAR "Alternate" Standard Twin Hopper
• ACF Type 27 8,000-gallon Tank Car
• ACF Type 27 10,000-gallon Tank Car
• ART Refrigerator Car (Amarillo Railroad Museum/MP Historical Society has a custom run)
• ATSF SK-R, -S, -T, -U Stock Car
• Caswell Gondola
• FGE Wood Refrigerator Car
• Milwaukee Rib Side Box Car
• Plywood Panel Box Car
• R-30-18 Refrigerator Car
• R-30-21 Refrigerator Car
• R-40-19 Refrigerator Car
• R-40-10 Refrigerator Car
• R-40-23 Refrigerator Car
• R-40-25 Refrigerator Car
• Santa Fe Refrigerator Car
• SP Stock Car
• USRA Composite Drop Bottom Gondola
• War Emergency Box Car

Red Caboose

Intermountain purchased the majority of Red Caboose's tooling (for a while Intermountain was producing RTR models for Red Caboose). Red Caboose had acquired the tooling from IMWX years ago.  It doesn't matter if it's in an IMWX, Red Caboose or Intermountain box, they are the same models and all excellent.  Des Plaines Hobbies also tooled some parts (the Viking Roof being the most important) for the AAR Standard Box Cars, and special runs were produced with that roof. So you'll often find IMWX or Red Caboose models with a Des Plaines Hobbies label. 

• 1923 AAR Recommended Practice Box Car (X29 with AAR Body and Steel Plate Ends)
• 1937 AAR Standard Box Car with Square Corner Ends
• 1937 AAR Standard Box Car with W-corner Ends
• 42' Fishbelly Side Sill Flat Car
• F-70-6/7 (Owned by Southern Pacific Historical & Technical Society now)
• Mather Refrigerator Car
• Wood Side Refrigerator Car (R-30-9)
• X29 Box Car - 1924 Body with Steel Plate Ends
• X29 Box Car  - 1924 Body with Steel Plate Ends and side panel patches 
• X29 Box Car - 1928 Body with Steel Plate Ends
• X29 Box Car - 1928 Body with Dreadnaught Ends

Kadee

Kadee doesn't release a lot of freight cars, but their injection molded details are second to none. The NH PS-2 covered hopper is just past my era...

• PS-1 Box Car
• PS-1 Box Car, early version
• AAR Standard 55-ton Twin Hopper
• 11,000-gallon Insulated Tank Car

MTH

Scale Trains recently acquired the HO scale tooling from MTH. I only use one of their models, but it's an important one and I'm hopeful that Scale Trains will finally release them in useful (and accurate) paint schemes - the USRA 55-ton twin hopper. This is the best detailed and most accurate model available of this prototype in my opinion.

• USRA 55-ton Twin Hopper

Owl Mountain Models

Available in kits only, they are very well designed and highly accurate. I can't wait (or as my daughter corrects, can hardly wait) for more models from OMM.

• SP F-50-5, -8, -9 Flat Car
• SP F-50-10, -12 Flat Car

Rapido Trains

With Bill (formerly of Branchline) and other train buddies responsible for the research and design of freight cars (and New Haven prototypes), they are always accurate and very well detailed. However, they appear to be willing to produce more "close-enough" freight car models compared to their passenger cars and locomotives, such as their Armour and Swift lettered GARX reefers. I have them anyway and will make modifications later. Some of these models are forthcoming.

• GARX Refrigerator Car
• GLA Hopper 
• PRR F30A Flat Car
• PRR X31A Box Car
• PRR X31A Automobile Car
• NP 10,000-series Double Sheathed Box Car
• USRA Double Sheathed Box Car
• USRA Single Sheathed Box Car

Spring Mills Models

A small company with some beautifully tooled and detailed models. Only one is necessary for me, and it appears all of the cars that they have released are hard to find.

• B&O Wagontop Hopper (the F&C resin kit is still available).

Tangent Scale Models

One of my favorite manufacturers right now, although I wish they would release more products for my era. They've filled some big holes in tank car fleets.

• ACF Welded 70-ton Gondolas
• Bethlehem 70-ton Riveted Gondola
• GATC 1917-Design 8,000-gallon Insulated Tank Car
• GATC 1917-Design 8,000-gallon Radial Course Tank Car
• GATC 1917-Design 10,000-gallon Radial Course Tank Car
• GATC 1929-Design 6,000-gallon 3-compartment Tank Car
• GATC 1948-Design 8,000-gallon Welded Tank Car
• GATC 1949-Design 8,000-gallon Acid Welded Tank Car
• GATC 1952-Design 8,000-gallon Welded Tank Car
• PS-1 9' Door Box Car

Tichy Train Group

Primarily available as undecorated kits, Intermountain does produce some RTR versions as well. These are very detailed and very well engineered models, but I use them mostly for kitbashing material as I've detailed in my series on their flat car model. Unfortuantely, some of them have some issues. The tank car is notorious for being a model based on a car that was never built, the USRA hopper has the center panels too wide, and the USRA Single Sheathed Box Car is now being supplanted by the forthcoming Rapido release. But the USRA hopper with panel sides is beautifully done, with full interior detail. Much of the tooling is formerly from Gould.

• 40' Flat Car (Central of Georgia Railway Historical Society has a custom run with decals)
• USRA 55-ton Twin Hopper with panel sides
• War Emergency Gondola

True Line Trains

I'm listing these separately because these are models that Darren and I produced and were not (to the best of my knowledge) purchased by Atlas. You'll have to find these on eBay or at shows. I know Atlas wouldn't have the Minibox, and I'm about 80% sure they didn't get these other two.

TLT was formerly known as Life-Like of Canada (the name was changed in 2005 when Walthers acquired Life-Like's tooling), and a number of the projects were joint projects between L-L and L-LoC. Although Life-Like didn't release any freight cars that I'm aware of as Proto 1000 models, the Fowler box and Stock cars, along with the Newsprint cars, were. These didn't have as much detail as the Proto 2000 cars (typically underbody detail), but they did have separate grab irons. We referred to them as Proto 1500 models. The P2k gondola were released that weren't perfect matches for the Canadian paint schemes that were used and carried a sticker with a disclaimer.

• CP Minibox
• Fowler Box Car
• 8-Hatch Reefer

Walthers

While I have some passenger cars, I don't have any freight cars that were originally produced under the Walthers name. Most have molded on parts, and even those that don't have issues with accuracy (at least the ones for my era). I do have a few that were sold under the Walthers name that were produced by Life-Like in their Proto 2000 line. After Walthers acquired the tooling, these cars have been released under several Walthers monikers. I believe the current one is Walthers Proto.

Life-Like Proto 2000 (now Walthers)

At the time these were a revolution in styrene models. Initially available as kits, then as "Time-Saver" kits where some of the assembly was completed, making it possible for most to complete the model in about an hour. Also available as RTR. What made them unique at the time is that not only were they vary accurate in their detail, but they made a point of only releasing them for roads and in paint schemes that were documented. This was unheard of. Gondolas and hoppers had interior detail. This didn't mean that they were all 100% correct, for example not all of the owners of the Greenville mill gondolas had interior folding stake pockets as were molded into the models. To the best of my knowledge, Walthers hasn't added any bogus roads/schemes to the former P2k models. I'm not sure they've added any new roads/schemes at all (although I don't follow them that closely, I already have what I need). 

• 50' Single Door Box Car
• 50' Automobile Car
• 50' Automobile Car with End Door
• AAR Standard 50-ton Flat Car 
• ACF Type 21 8,000-gallon Tank Car
• ACF Type 21 10,000-gallon Tank Car
• ACF Type 21 10,000-gallon Insulated Tank Car
• Greenville 70-ton 53'6" Mill Gondola
• Mather Box Car
• Mather Stock Car

Resin Freight Car Models

I have many resin cars from Funaro & Camerlengo (and the many small companies that they produced models for, such as NEBW, NHRHTA, Steam Shack, Yankee Clipper, etc.), JJL, National Scale Car, Resin Car Works, Smoky Mountain Model Works, Speedwitch Media, Sunshine, Westefield, Yarmouth Model Works.

Plastic kits mostly cover the major prototypes (although that is changing). That leaves lots of holes that are needed to fill for a proper mix of cars. Plus, I just like freight cars. Resin kits are the primary source for these prototypes, followed by kitbashing and scratchbuilding.

I won't likely do a similar list for resin kits, simply because they are, on the whole, very accurate models. As I build specific kits I'll highlight any issues I have come across.

Brass Freight Cars

Brass cars are also an option, but they offer (usually?) suffer from inaccuracies, and also tend to lack details, such as brake rigging, etc. There are certainly some beautifully produced models as well. But I don't have any of them, primarily since there are generally much less expensive options in plastic (sometimes) or resin (more frequently). I don't have enough knowledge of the models that have been produced to comment on them further.

Pratt & Whitney Loads

My plan was to keep up my posts through vacation (and usually I have some done ahead of time), but that didn't happen. Things got hectic, Emily had a medical emergency, Laura lost her wedding rings in the ocean, and yet somehow we still had a great vacation. 

Fortunately, Chris has been posting again, including some very helpful ones for when I get my ProtoThrottles.

In the meantime, here are three related photos, all flat cars loaded with engines at Pratt & Whitney. 3D printing folks, here's a new load for you to make!

Based on the notations on the shipping containers, it would appear they are these types of engines, built between 1944 and 1955.

The photos aren't dated, and two of them are of the same car.

Those two are labeled Exhibit E and Exhibit F, so probably part of a claim of some sort. Sure enough, in Exhibit E, NH 17259 is missing a coupler knuckle. This flat car is the Speedwitch kit.

The B&O car was reweighed in 1-50. Most cars had to be reweighed after repairs, but no later than 30 months. However, starting in 1949 this was extended to 48 months. So this could be any time between 1-50 and 1-54. No road number (well, it includes "90"). But closer inspection reveals a double door car. Since the left door looks like it may be the same size as the right, it would be an M-27A class car, once produced by Sunshine, although their model has Youngstown doors instead of the Creco doors seen in the photo. I don't know if the kit comes with Creco doors as an option.

We can also see NKP 22212. This is a steel double-door auto car. I'm not aware of any available models for these cars.

Exhibit F shows us that Southern 75346 (assigned to New Orleans Terminal, I think. Note the "NOT" in the upper left corner) was reweighed 12-48. So now the date of these two photos is between 1-50 and 12-52. In addition, we can see the missing knuckle on the deck. I believe that the road number is actually 375346, part of the 375000-375499 series, originally assigned to the NO&NE subsidiary (still lettered "Southern"). Sunshine produced the models (although I've never seen the "NOT" lettering). I still love the way these cars look.

So it's interesting to note that in the Wikipedia article it says these engines were the first product produced at the P&W Kansas City, MO plant. It doesn't indicate whether they were only produced there, but it's quite possible the two related photos were photographed there, and the photos sent to NH to document the need to replace the coupler (since they would likely charge the NH for the repair made to their car). 

The other photo is an SP flat car, but the car number isn't visible. This seems to be unrelated to the other two photos, other than it is also a P&W Wasp Major engine load.

Note the handwritten "this piece isn't necessary" on the end of the center board. I think this photo was taken for a different purpose, to update their process for securing these loads. There isn't anything in this photo to identify the date (unless somebody has S/N production records for the engines, which is clearly visible). The diagonal bracing behind the flat car resembles that in the other photos, although the markings on the loading dock don't match.

The other thing that I find useful is the general condition of the decks. They aren't heavily damaged or weathered. We can't see the color of course, but if you examine the SP car closely, you can see the tongue and groove in the end of the deck boards. The New Haven car doesn't seem to have this feature.