Author Topic: looking for dimensioned plans for the PFE wood reffer rebuilds, the R-30-9 class  (Read 1485 times)

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espeefan

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there were 7,000 of these built, or re-built, and in the early 50's these were the most numerous class in existence, and more numerous than many other liveries entire fleet, but nobody, nowhere makes a convincing looking stand-in.  Anyone able to help?  I have plenty of photos but no scale drawing. Not even in the big PFE book.

Missaberoad

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Try contacting Tony Thompson. He's one of the partners for Signature Press and a pretty decent modeler.
...and likely the author of the "big PFE book" :)

If anyone would know how to acquire the drawings he would...

http://modelingthesp.blogspot.ca/
http://www.signaturepress.com/index.html
The Railwire is not your personal army.  :trollface:

mark.hinds

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FWIW, the March 1983 MRC had an article in it entitled “The End of the Ice Age”.  On page 75 of this article there are drawings (plan and elevation) labeled R40-2 (a 3000-series numbered, non-rebuilt, wood reefer). 

This may be of use to you because in the late 1980s MRC again covered PFE ice reefers as part of a 5-part series.  In particular, the March 1987 issue covered rebuilt cars in “PFE's ice reefers: Rebuilt cars”, and table 6 on page 84 indicates that some of the R30-9s were rebuilt from R40-2s.  So, the original drawing from MRC 1983, plus text in subsequent articles, might allow you to make an accurate model of at least some of the R30-9s.  My understanding is that the 30-ton constraint in the R30 classes was derived from limitations of the underframe, rather than the trucks as is usually the case, so it is not clear to me why a rebuilt R40 would be re-categorized as an R30, but that's what the table says (...).  BTW, the January MRC, in the article “PFE's ice reefers: Wood cars”, on page 63, shows the difference between a 30-ton and 40-ton underframe.  Articles were by Bob Mohowski (1983) and Tony Thompson (1987). 

Because of all the articles, I never felt I needed to buy the book, so your copy of the book may allow resolution of the apparent contradiction above. 

Mark H. 
« Last Edit: May 29, 2016, 02:22:36 PM by mark.hinds »

espeefan

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Tony is not always the most forthcoming individual, especially with N scale modelers.  And, the rebuilds, which were done for taxation purposes, amounted to essentially new cars being built on the center sill only, even bolsters and cross members were usually replaced ( and the PFE book is very illuminating on the frame differences,as has Tony's blog been, and an O scale site where someone scratchbuilt the same frame for a different car-I have some good pictures and drawings) but the inside height, exterior height to eve, height to running board, door height are different between an R-40-2 and the R-30/40-9 class of rebuilds-by a fair amount.  The dimensions are listed in the tabular data section of the PFE book.  I've tried winging it using the dimensions listed and photos, but a reliable drawing would be a help.
The "rebuilt" cars could be expensed, and thus were deductible, where a new car was a capital expenditure.  In 48, the IRS decided no more of these shenanigans and if the "rebuilt" car, by the IRS' estimation, would last 15 years or more, it was new and hit PFE with a tax bill of 12 million.  Other railroads were similarly penalized, and these rebuilding programs came to a quick stop.

According to the PFE book, R-40-2s were classified as R-40-9s, based on the sill, so Mark, you are quite correct!

I will try to track down the article in MRC-thank you for the information!  Hard to believe one of the most common cars on the road in the transition era isn't better documented.

wpsnts

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You might try the California State RR Museum.
http://www.csrmf.org/library-and-collections
Dave

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Gozer the Gozerian

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I did a search on the Cali Railroad Museum and came up with this...   http://csrrm.crewnoble.com/dbtw-wpd/exec/dbtwpub.dll 

If you give the research library a call they can do a more comprehensive search for you.   I have been looking at doing my HO module around Surf Ca and they came up with tons more drawings then I saw come up on the web search they offer.

Joe
MTL