ESM X-58

[wazzou]

Coming up a little empty on Westbound Northern Pacific wheel reports.  Would any of these first release cars been likely to make it to the Pacific NW?

[jmlaboda - RIP]

"What commodities were likely carried in these? Since they are insulated, I am assuming food stuffs. Fresh fruits & veggies, canned goods, both, others, non food items????"

RB and RBLs haul...

BEER

among other things...

[bbussey]

Coming up a little empty on Westbound Northern Pacific wheel reports.  Would any of these first release cars been likely to make it to the Pacific NW?

Most certainly.  Both the Pennsy and Lehigh cars traversed the continent on a regular basis.  Four of the five Pennsy cars in the first release do not have a return-when-empty-to stipulation.

[milw156]

Most certainly.  Both the Pennsy and Lehigh cars traversed the continent on a regular basis.  Four of the five Pennsy cars in the first release do not have a return-when-empty-to stipulation.

Would the LV car that lists Milwaukee as the return to place necessarily be sent back towards the east coast, or might it find itself forwarded out to the Pacific northwest on the Milwaukee laden with some of Milwukee' finest amber exports??? Curious to know why a LV car would have Milwaukee as a return to destination. Pensy I might be able to understand, but how close to Chicago did the LV come???
Rick

[Frank Amato]

Curious to know why a LV car would have Milwaukee as a return to destination. Pensy I might be able to understand, but how close to Chicago did the LV come???

Buffalo is as far west as LV rails reached.  They connected to (and pooled power with) NKP/N&W to reach Chicago.

  Frank

[Dave Schneider]

Would the LV car that lists Milwaukee as the return to place necessarily be sent back towards the east coast, or might it find itself forwarded out to the Pacific northwest on the Milwaukee laden with some of Milwukee' finest amber exports??? Curious to know why a LV car would have Milwaukee as a return to destination. Pensy I might be able to understand, but how close to Chicago did the LV come???
Rick

I have wondered this myself. I don't think that these were in beer service. The Milwaukee Road had a fleet of dedicated beer RBs in the DSDX and URTX series for Schiitz and Pabst, and MHLX for Miller. I have never seen a LV boxcar in any Beer Line photos, although a covered hopper made a visit in the mid-1970s. White boxcars are pretty easy to spot and the only ones I have seen on the Beer Line were Soo Line. 

Doesn't the Return To labeling refer to it being made available to an agent in a specific town? I suppose the LV could have a freight agent in Milwaukee, or maybe an agent that worked for a number of railroads? I would love to learn what these were used for as I have ordered one of them already.

I did find PRR 118112 (an X-58 RBL?) on a Milwaukee Road consist list from April 1971 hauling a load of canned vegetables out of Milwaukee. That would be a possible load for the LV cars.

Inquiring minds want to know.
Best wishes, Dave

[MichaelWinicki]

There are 5 of the cars that would fit the date on my layout, so pre-ordered 5 of them.

A great look to them.  They'll break-up the "sameness" with all the other boxcars on the layout.

The two LV cars will greatly help create a contrast.

[Philip H]

I pre-ordered on of the Pennsy cars just because . . . . but if the CR cars look as good I'll be in for 4 or 5 to add variety (and be in a closer to era paint scheme).

[BN1970]

I found PRR 113035 with 48 tons of Plywood in GN Train #82 eastbound, on an April 16th, 1968 wheel report.  From looking at some GN wheel reports that I have from the late sixties, PRR cars are generally carrying wood products or aluminum ingots.

I have pre-ordered three of the new ESM X-58s (x2 PRR & x1 LV) which will replace a like number of Micro Trains PS1s. --Brian

[MichaelWinicki]

I found PRR 113035 with 48 tons of Plywood in GN Train #82 eastbound, on an April 16th, 1968 wheel report.  From looking at some GN wheel reports that I have from the late sixties, PRR cars are generally carrying wood products or aluminum ingots.

I have pre-ordered three of the new ESM X-58s (x2 PRR & x1 LV) which will replace a like number of Micro Trains PS1s. --Brian

Yeah, certainly all these new and apparently more accurate box cars have been taking another look at all those not so accurate box cars in my fleet and thinking what I'm going to do about it.

[Mark5]

This looks like a X58 to me (is it?):

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2706442

If so, will this scheme be in a future release?

EDIT: quick online research says its X65 

Mark

[bbussey]

Looking at X65 for down the road - as I can utilize the underbody of the X58, paint at least five roads with multiple variations, and only have to tool one body variation (as opposed to three X58 variations).

[Mark5]

Looking at X65 for down the road - as I can utilize the underbody of the X58, paint at least five roads with multiple variations, and only have to tool one body variation (as opposed to three X58 variations).

Awesome! Would be definately down for the green LV scheme.

[Frank Amato]

Awesome! Would be definately down for the green LV scheme.

+1

[ljudice]

OT, but, That photo can't be in Stanford, CT - there's third rail on the ground.

Excellent on the X65's of course!