Questions about PRR RPOs

[VonRyan]

Hi Cody,

That is why we are here to help and advise. You mentioned the locos you currently have for passenger work as being a H10, NW2 and a F3 A,B pair. From all my research these are basically freight engines . For early diesel passenger diesels look at your E8s, E7s, PAs, Erie Builts and FP7s which is a basic list. Passenger Locos were generally High Steppers and had large driving wheels for speed like the K4s and E6s.  There are plenty of Minitrix K4s out there and with a bit og a dress up and a Lemo Re-motor they can look as good as and pull more that the best brass. If you want to run a small local like the did around Chicargo look at running a TT F7 or a RS3. I saw a bit of writing somewhere once which indicated they used RS3 to run locals during the day and in multiple lashups to run coal at night.

I try to learn something new every day and I am still learning. Especially when it come to PRR Pass operations. I would like to eventually operate Huntingdon, PA as a four track layout with a timetable that runs for one week.

Regards

Al
 

As is, i'm not looking to do a full blown passenger train, just not my cup of tea.
I do recall that freight engines would occasioanlly be used for services in terms of REA and mail work, not necessarily express mail but something of the sort.
I'm not going for 100% prototypical here. Just something to at least utilize something of my existing engines (and/or the H10 once she's completed) and the Walther's baggage car.
If none of the RPO cars I already posess are useable, I'll start the process of selling them off to buy something more suitable, probably something along the lines of what dougnelson has in the photos he posted.
Plus the photo Josh has posted looks quite tempting as a shapeways candidate or as a kitbash if there is a solid starting point to work off of.

Overall, my modelling is focused on 1942 to the 1950s, 1955 at the very extreme, and on smaller operations.

-Cody F.

[Alwyn Cutmore]

Hi Josh,
Should have referred that photo at the time. Very similar to the BM85 as there were such low numbers and it is on the opposite page.

CodyO

I am afraid that I cannot help you any more. There is a Yahoo group called the RailwayPO which may have members who could advise you more. If you were talking about Australian RPO Ops I could help you as they had a number of smaller RPOs for branch line service that travelled in what was called mixed goods trains. But it appears that most Pennsy authors seem to stick to the bigger name trains which is my experience. Then again people always say there is a prototype for everything. I suppose you could use an old faithful Lima PBM70 which could fill that bill. That car had passenger, mail and baggage facilities so there was something for all occasions. If you tagged a cabin car behind I do not think that would look out of place either. All this is supposition on my part so please do not quote it as fact.

Regards

Al

[VonRyan]

Hi Josh,
Should have referred that photo at the time. Very similar to the BM85 as there were such low numbers and it is on the opposite page.

CodyO

I am afraid that I cannot help you any more. There is a Yahoo group called the RailwayPO which may have members who could advise you more. If you were talking about Australian RPO Ops I could help you as they had a number of smaller RPOs for branch line service that travelled in what was called mixed goods trains. But it appears that most Pennsy authors seem to stick to the bigger name trains which is my experience. Then again people always say there is a prototype for everything. I suppose you could use an old faithful Lima PBM70 which could fill that bill. That car had passenger, mail and baggage facilities so there was something for all occasions. If you tagged a cabin car behind I do not think that would look out of place either. All this is supposition on my part so please do not quote it as fact.

Regards

Al

True, named trains are quite flashy so no wonder why authors go for them.
I'm just looking for mail/parcels/REA-goods references as a general guide to figure out what will work behind what engines I already have, which at this point is quite far removed from my original question of "which RPO of mine would work with my Walther's baggage car to form a reasonably believable/prototypical train to go behind at least my F3 A-B pair"

-Cody F.

[Alwyn Cutmore]

CodyO,

You are right we have strayed away from your original question. If what you have is in that photo I would go out of my way to get rid of the lot and go for a more prototypical Lima model as I eluded to in my previous reply.



These two cars were bought and had already been detailed by an old friend of mine. The bottom car is the model I am referring to as it has coach facilities for passengers along with a baggage section and in the end it has a small RPO section. Claus Schlund and Doug Nelson (Hellgate Models) often refer to them in their modelling. Wait a little and I believe that they will have their B60 and BM70K model kits back out again. Run one or two B60s or X29s in a train with you PBM70 and I think that will fill the bill you are after. They could be either head end on the train followed by a short amount of freight and a cabin car in one direction  and at the tailend followed by the cabin car in the other. Even a small train without freight  could be the go.

Maybe some of the more learned PRR Operations modelers here could advise you further.

I do hope this helps.

Regards

Al

[VonRyan]

I now have my three RPOs up for sale in the trading post, though this may change if one or more turn out to be useable.

-Cody F.

[chicken45]

It might be a fun project to replace those doors on the the Walthers baggage car.

[VonRyan]

It might be a fun project to replace those doors on the the Walthers baggage car.

With?

-Cody F.

[chicken45]

styrene and a hole

[VonRyan]

styrene and a hole

Hmm, what size drill bit.

-Cody F.

[Alwyn Cutmore]

Hi CodyO,

I believe that the mods would look a little like this



and I would use a drill that would give you about a 18" scale size hole or a 2.6mm drill or a 1/64 inch drill. Use a Railway Express Agency decal from the Microscale Pennsylvania HW Passenger Car decal sheet and apply it also and give it a foob number like the year of you birthday say 1956 if that is the year you were born in. That would then give the car meaning to you.

Would look something like this:



Hope this gives you an idea.

Regards

Al

[bbussey]

Hmm, what size drill bit.
-Cody F.

Whatever the prototype porthole diameter is divided by 160 and juxtaposed with a wire gauge chart.  Come on, some legwork isn't too much to expect for your own models. 

[VonRyan]

Whatever the prototype porthole diameter is divided by 160 and juxtaposed with a wire gauge chart.  Come on, some legwork isn't too much to expect for your own models. 

Well, I don't have any reference books or drawings to work from, so that doesn't exactly help...

-Cody F.

[Bob Bufkin]

I cheated and just checked which size drill would fit the best in a Hell Gate model kit. 

[Dave V]

Well, I don't have any reference books or drawings to work from, so that doesn't exactly help...

-Cody F.

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=prr+baggage+car+diagram

[VonRyan]

Hi Cody,

I believe that the mods would look a little like this



and I would use a drill that would give you about a 18" scale size hole or a 2.6mm drill or a 1/64 inch drill. Use a Railway Express Agency decal from the Microscale Pennsylvania HW Passenger Car decal sheet and apply it also and give it a foob number like the year of you birthday say 1956 if that is the year you were born in. That would then give the car meaning to you.

Would look something like this:



Hope this gives you an idea.

Regards

Al

That about does it.
Now its just a matter of removing the door without damaging the rest of the body...

I cheated and just checked which size drill would fit the best in a Hell Gate model kit. 

True, I have yet to look into any of their models, let alone own any, but that makes cents.

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=prr+baggage+car+diagram

Thanks Dave!
Although, I think I need to start a list of people I owe drinks to... 

-Cody F.