Lackawanna Boonton coach

[160pennsy]

Hey Scott,

Not sure if I've seen you post over on A board, so I thought I'd link it over here.

http://forum.atlasrr.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=40296

Do you have any details or photos to share regarding your article in RMC Feb 2007:Kitbashing an Erie Stillwell coach in N scale? Without having the magazine in hand, what's different between the two?

[SecretWeapon]

Go to Trainboard & PM him

[3rdrail]

I can't think of two commuter coaches that look less alike than an Erie Stillwell coach and a Lackawanna Boonton coach.  ;D  The Stillwell coach has a roof that looks like a melted clerestory roof and arched double windows, although all steel, while the Boonton coach has straight sash and a conventional clerestory roof, but no vestibules.

The Hudson & Manhattan and New York Westchester & Boston also had Stillwell designed cars.

[3rdrail]

This is an Erie Stillwell coach. Note that Erie blocked off the arched windows.

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/el/pax/erie-co2184alb.jpg

This is a Lackawanna Boonton coach:

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/el/pax/dlw-c-556.jpg

[up1950s]

I think the manufacturers might be afraid to produce a commuter coach for fear of all the criticism of it not being an exact match to any given road they may market it in . Is there a compromise coach design that many roads could be painted in ? If so what roads , on what coach design would be acceptable to the less than purist ? Maybe somebody could do an overlay of the prototype coaches , and design a good enough / better than nothing coach . I would like some sort of LIRR one , they had many types .

[3rdrail]

Richie, this is the Kato "shorty" car imported by Con-Cor. The one with this window arrangement, similar to a PRR mP54, was called a "diner"



IMHO, makes a pretty good commuter coach. With power trucks, headlights, and "owl" or porthole windows, would make an LIRR MP54. The trucks are AM PRR 2D-P5's.

[Bob Bufkin]

Couple years back I remember reading an article (I believe in one of the N scale mags) on making Stillwell coaches.  If I'm not mistaken the PRR P70 type were the starting part.  Maybe someone here can refresh my memory on this.
Bob

[up1950s]

Thanks 3rdrail , thats not a half bad standin .

[ryourstone]

Except for the ends, this CNJ PBn seems pretty similiar. I used a shortened Rivarossi car, rebuilt the windows from strip styrene to get the single-seat arrangement, MDC trucks, and steps made by stacking styrene I-beams together. Not a contest winning model, but I needed something I could mass produce for my old CNJ layout.



Here's another angle of the same technique used to make a Reading PBr. It's easy to see how the styrene is layered to make the window frames. The glass is a single long strip of clear styrene.



And a close up of the wide commuter steps on right, compared to the narrow Gold Medal ones on the left.



-Rich

[CVSNE]

Rich,

Looks like a great approach to building a B&M Turtleroof coach -- which went to the Reading (or vice-versa, can't remember)

Can you provide some additional details on the construction and materials?

Like, which trucks did you use?

Marty

[Sokramiketes]

Rich,

Like, which trucks did you use?

Marty

Like, MDC trucks, like, like he said in his post.  Like?   

[ryourstone]

AKA Athearn, however after MDC went away so did their parts store  >

Same trucks come with the Overton coaches and express reefers though. Someone had a fire sale on the express cars a while ago, something like $2 each (MB Klein maybe?) so I stocked up. The bolster holes just need to be enlarged a little to work with the Rivarossi mounting screws and some Loctite.

The roof on the Reading car was a reshaped Kato Budd roof, the ends were rounded off and filled with styrene and Bondo. The next step would be to try some modernized Reading cars along the lines of what Paul Downs did in this month's NSR.

-Rich

[CVSNE]

Rich,

Thanks for the details.

I'm going to the Greenberg show in Chantilly today -- mostly to look for parts donors . . . 

Marty

[Bob Bufkin]

Rich,

Thanks for the details.

I'm going to the Greenberg show in Chantilly today -- mostly to look for parts donors . . . 

Marty

Marty
Didn't realize the Greenberg show was today.  You just planned my day for me.  Thanks for the info.
Bob

[Scott Lupia]

I finally got some pictures of my Erie Stillwells on the board.  These are two versions I did of the commuter car.  These are not the long distance ones with the enclosed vestibules and diaphragms.  One car is with arches above the windows and one is without.  They are Model Power heavyweights that I shortened and rebuilt.  MDC trucks.  Rebuilt roof too.  I will dig around and see if I have any photos of my DL&W Boonton Line Cars.  I did have an article in the Feb. 2007 Railroad Model Craftsman on building the Erie Stillwells.  Give Carstens a call and I am sure you can still get one.

Scott