ESM XIH paint/print test shots (pics)

[John]

good chance it is a 3

[Dave V]

Well I guess it wouldn't be the first mistake on Fallen Flags.  I don't see compelling evidence that it's NOT a 9 either, but I've had such a sh!tty day I'm not looking for an argument (Oh, oh, I'm sorry, but this is abuse!  Ah yes, you want room 12A, Just along the corridor.)

The only way to tell would be to match the other lettering with the pic Bryan has, and hope it's of the same side.

[DKS]

A little gamma tweak, and it sure looks like a 3 to me.

[Dave V]

I don't know, Dave, I don't see any evidence of curvature on the right hand side of that character (compared to the 3 at the beginning of the road number).  In my untrained vision, your tweak makes it look more like a 9 to me.

Well, I guess I've found an argument after all! ;D

[DKS]

Notice the darkish gap next to the arrow (this is an actual artifact, not photoshopped). This is the clue that it's a 3. It would not be there if it was a 9.
 


Also notice how this dark line appears virtually identical in the first and last numbers.
 


Here's a 9 for comparison:

[DKS]

If I drop the gamma almost through the floor, it starts to reveal a little more of the "3-ishness."
 


'Scuse my obsession over this... I used to be a typesetter...

[wm3798]

I love the Railwire!

[bbussey]

Could be a 3.  Now I'm not sure if the photo I have is whitelined or not.  It's definitely not the photo in fallenflags though.  I don't remember, as I did the artwork a long time ago.

Unfortunately I can't change it at this point, so it will be a 9 on the first release.

[Dave V]

If I drop the gamma almost through the floor, it starts to reveal a little more of the "3-ishness."
 

Okay, you got me.  I see a 3 there.

[wm3798]

Bryan,
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that there were probably a few other cars in that series, and it just might be that one of them carries the number you used...  I mean, it's what, six digits off?  Now if it was the second or third number that was in question, where the number series would be off by 10s of thousands, you might have an issue...  But I really think you're okay on this one.

Lee

[DKS]

Not to rock the boat any more, but that 8 could be a 6...

[Dave V]

Not to rock the boat any more, but that 8 could be a 6...

I can agree with that! ;D

[bbussey]

Also possible.  Fortunately still within the PC 350500-350592 number series.

The earliest ORER I have that includes CR is January 1979.  As of then, PC 350517, 350564 and 350570 were still in revenue service.  Another 19 cars from the series unidentified are listed as still in service.  NH 45043, 45045, 45049 and 45080 also were in service, along with one other unidentified number, and most likely with their roofwalks intact.

[Dave V]

The fact that this wasn't a well-known, well-photographed "one-off" makes this road number issue pretty insignificant.  As a member of a relatively obscure class with multiple road numbers, I think you're fine.  Falling within the set of assigned road numbers for the class is good enough for me.

...Conrail had a lot of boxcars...!

[Ed Kapuscinski]

...Conrail had a lot of boxcars...!

And it was a real mess of a fleet too, so I don't worry too much either.