Athearn N Scale Announcements December 28, 2020

[cjm413]

And here I thought they were pushing the boundaries calling the PRR X53 version (built 9/59) a 1950s era car (I will leave it to the Pennsy experts to determine if it is actually an X53).
The other car (in addition to the D&H) marked "Era 1950s" is the B&A State of Maine car.  Which is lettered "Built 1-65".  I don't know enough about the B&A oops... ....BAR to know if they ever had such a car, I've depended on ESM Magor cars for the couple on my roster.

The "50s era" labeling by manufacturers and publishers really annoys me when what they really mean is more along the lines of "1955 to 1965".   Yes, there were GP-18s and GP-20s that had dry paint before 11:59 PM on 12/31/1959, but they are distinctly early 1960s era locomotives. Likewise these boxcars.

I'm not a SPF or PRR expert, but the PRR X53 is not a PS-1, nor is it built with PS-1 components (which some railroads did, IC being one example)



Also, BAR 6300-6499 were later PS-1's with different plug doors

[cjm413]

Link to BAR car, don't know why the picture didn't work...

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/bar/bar6448ssa.jpg

[peteski]

Worked for  me - I can see both photos in your earlier post.  CR and BAR.

[nkalanaga]

The only thing I can think of is that the PS-1 was a very common car of the 1950s, but that doesn't mean the paint schemes are 50s.  I think most modelers, not familiar with a particular road, would assume the dates are for the paint.

I've gotten to the point that, if I'm not familiar with the car, or the road, I look for pictures online before ordering the car.  If I can find evidence that the car was probably in service in 1974, I'll consider buying it.

I'd buy an X53, in PRR or PC, just to have more variety in my interchange traffic.  Obviously the PRR versions were still in service in 1974.

[Mark5]

I always ignore the "era" assertions in Athearn announcements - they are often incorrect.

It is better to investigate on your own (when possible) as some have done above.

Mark