Early Con-Cor/Kato gondola prototype

[nkalanaga]

Does anyone know if there is a prototype for the late 60s Con-Cor gondola?  Spookshow's website doesn't list one, and as he says, most similar gons were a few feet longer, but I'm curious if this might actually be a fairly accurate model of somebody's car.

[wcfn100]

I've looked into this a couple times over the years and haven't come up with anything yet but it wouldn't surprise me if there were 20-30 similarly design gondolas during the same period so I haven't given up on it yet.

Jason

[nkalanaga]

There were a lot of similar cars, and it looks quite good as a "typical" riveted pre-WW-II gon.  Back when they were readily available I spliced them into longer cars, a very easy job.  But I still have an undecorated one and was thinking of lettering it for the original prototype.

On the other hand, as odd as the details are on the CC 40 ft boxcar of the same era, there may very well not be a specific prototype.  Nothing on the boxcar is wrong, but the combination of roof, ladders, doors, etc. don't seem to match any particular car.

It would be nice to have a "typical" 52ft 6in inside length riveted gon.  We have the Trainworx Thrall cars, perfect for my era, but they're too modern for the steam era modelers.  BLMA makes a nice PRR gon, and I believe ESM also has one, but the PRR freight cars tend to be distinctive.  If there was anything close to a "standard" gon, like the AAR standard boxcars, that would be ideal.  Many such cars are still in MOW service, so they'd certainly have a broad appeal.  MT makes some nice gons, but they're all too short, just like the CC car, although not quite as bad.

[Spikre]

 
   N,
   a few roads stayed with 50' gons even after 1940 and the
   53'6" gons became popular.
   there was a series of GTW gons that were 50',but not sure
  they were exact matches.
  look for the Train Shed reprints,they had at least 2 1940s
  volumes that were heavy on Gons,will add the numbers
  for them later.
   close may be the best that will be found.
     Spikre
       
   

[nkalanaga]

According to "The MILW Color Guide to Frt and Pass Equip Vol 2" the MILW actually rebuilt 48 ft inside length gons with new sides in 1960, but the caption has at least one obvious error:  "375 cars" cannot fit in the "74300-74373" series.  Given that, I wonder about the rest of the data.  They have a picture of the 92458, which supposedly was one of 50 fitted with covers in 1962.

So, yes, shorter cars did stay in service, and in some cases, were modernized.  The car pictured doesn't look much like the CC model, but it shows that the model COULD be accurate.  I've always assumed it was a northeastern prototype of some kind, but you know what assuming can get you.

[Spikre]

 
  N,
   the count error just may be a Typo Error,so don't be too hasty !!
   here are some Train Shed CYC reprints that should be of Help:
  No5-Gondolas and Hoppers from 1940 Car Builders Cyclopedia.
        a 50' Pere Marquette car with drop ends is shown.
  No35-Frieght Cars Part-1,1919 Car Builders CYC.
          no 50'6" cars,but other interesting cars shown,or drawn.
  No70-Gons and Hoppers [part-2]from 1943 CBC CYC.
          GTW 50'6" mill gon with fixed ends and others shown.
  No62-Flats, gondolas,Hoppers, 1925 part 2.
          don't have this one,but sounds good.
  No46-Flats,Gons,Hoppers 1925 part 1.
           don't have this one either.
  these books are good companions to Road specific books as they
  show Industry trends,or innovations,and Failures that didn't make
  it over the long haul.
   there should be a Con-Cor gon here,but havnt found it yet.
      Spikre
       

[nkalanaga]

Since I don't have any of those books, and am certain none of the libraries in the area have them, I'll just take your word for it.  Thank you!  If there is a prototype, it probably wasn't in service in 1974, unless, like the MILW, it had been rebuilt.  I'm sure none of the BN roads had any.  They all seem to have largely stuck with GS gons until the 50s, then bought 52ft 6in or longer cars.

I'm not really worrying about about finding a prototype.  It's just that I have the cars (I found another a few days ago), and wondered if anyone knew of a prototype.  The other option is to chop them up and make a longer car, which I've also done, and they do make a nice generic 60 to 65 foot car.