GHQ Pennsy PRR R50b reefer kit

[dougnelson]

Similar to our Hell Gate Models PRR B60b, the R50b kit is very nicely done, but due to the nature of home-brewed resin kits, availability is subject to hobbyists and not businesses.  We first offered the B60b kit in 2004 to fill a void in PRR passenger train modeling.  We fully expected (and hoped) that some manufacturer would eventually come out with a RTR B60b model.  Eighteen years later, we are still waiting.  Both the B60b and the R50b showed up in passenger trains around the US, so one would think there would be enough demand for RTR models.

BTW, if anyone has the leftover decals from the B60b kits and needs decals for the Shapeways version, it includes decals for the R50b, which we had planned to come out with until the excellent GHQ kit arrived.

[Jesse6669]

Decals: You are on your own.  Maybe folks have leftovers from their B60b or R50b kits.  I do not.

If someone can points me to the lettering diagram online or otherwise provide it with dimensions, I can make decal sets and do a run (or print on demand).  Is this "gold" or is it just a shade of yellow?
Jesse

[dougnelson]

Depending on era, it would be both gold leaf and deluxe imitation gold (shade of brown/yellow).  See:
https://jbritton.pennsyrr.com/index.php/tpm/latest-articles-blog/128-r50b-paint-lettering

Also this RW thread, but it looks like the images may be lost:
https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=32623.0

[mmagliaro]

Similar to our Hell Gate Models PRR B60b, the R50b kit is very nicely done, but due to the nature of home-brewed resin kits, availability is subject to hobbyists and not businesses.  We first offered the B60b kit in 2004 to fill a void in PRR passenger train modeling.  We fully expected (and hoped) that some manufacturer would eventually come out with a RTR B60b model.  Eighteen years later, we are still waiting.  Both the B60b and the R50b showed up in passenger trains around the US, so one would think there would be enough demand for RTR models.

BTW, if anyone has the leftover decals from the B60b kits and needs decals for the Shapeways version, it includes decals for the R50b, which we had planned to come out with until the excellent GHQ kit arrived.

I checked my stash, and I have the used decal sheet from making the Hellgate Models B60b kit years ago.  It looks like there are just enough words on it to make one of these R50b cars (two "Refrigerator" words, several "Railway Express Agency", and two "PENNSYLVANIA", along with various smaller "PRR" and lots of numbers.

If you use this sheet, I would advise overspraying it with Glosscote before putting it in water as it is more than 10 years old and I don't know how well the decals will hold up when they hit the water.

Whoever wants it can feel free to send me a stamped self-addressed envelope, attached to a well-cared-for Steinway Model B.

Seriously, if you want this partial sheet, just hit me with a PM with your full mailing address and I'll send them to the first taker.

[OldEastRR]

Yeah, why doesn't a major N company do an R50b? (Obviously Walthers won't do a smaller version of their HO one)

[bbussey]

Yeah, why doesn't a major N company do an R50b? (Obviously Walthers won't do a smaller version of their HO one)

Seriously? For obvious reasons.

Among esoteric PRR-only prototypes, a B60 baggage makes far more sense to tool in N than an R50b.

[muktown128]

Maybe lobby BLI to do them.  I'd buy a several B60's and R50b's before I'd buy any of their K7 stockcars.  However, I don't know what sounds they could use in the B60's or R50b's.

[thomasjmdavis]

Maybe lobby BLI to do them.  I'd buy a several B60's and R50b's before I'd buy any of their K7 stockcars.  However, I don't know what sounds they could use in the B60's or R50b's.

A B60b may be on the BLI back burner waiting on the Illinois Central "City of New Orleans" singing hobo baggage car available in Arlo Guthrie, Willie Nelson, and (for the purists who demand the "as built") Steve Goodman versions.

[Doc Frankenfield]

I didn't scroll through all the responses, but I don't see a mention of price anywhere....
Projected Price?

[peteski]

I didn't scroll through all the responses, but I don't see a mention of price anywhere....
Projected Price?

No price - the project and Kickstarter campaign appear to have been quietly canceled. That is assumed from the several recent posts (thank OldEastRR for bringing this thread back from the dead).

[OldEastRR]

Seriously? For obvious reasons.

Among esoteric PRR-only prototypes, a B60 baggage makes far more sense to tool in N than an R50b.

Yes, because in real life the R50b never left the PRR home rails.

[Frank Amato]

Yes, because in real life the R50b never left the PRR home rails.

Come on, man...  you know what Mr Bussey means 

 Frank

[Cajonpassfan]

Not being a Pennsy modeler (other than having a bunch of Pennsy cars on my west coast railroad) I am confused by the comments.
I have a nice brass R50b by NJI for which I paid a nice chunk of change, understanding these cars occasionally made it all the way to LA in ATSF trains like the Fast Mail and Express and others. Is my understanding incorrect?
Thanks, Otto K.

[thomasjmdavis]

Not being a Pennsy modeler (other than having a bunch of Pennsy cars on my west coast railroad) I am confused by the comments.
I have a nice brass R50b by NJI for which I paid a nice chunk of change, understanding these cars occasionally made it all the way to LA in ATSF trains like the Fast Mail and Express and others. Is my understanding incorrect?
Thanks, Otto K.

I am pretty sure your understanding is correct. I assume the earlier comment about them never leaving PRR rails is sarcasm. From the SFRH&MS review of the Walther's car

Walthers PRR R50b

The Pennsy R50b express reefers were released by Walthers in 2003 and are to be re-released.They were common on ATSF express trains. Pennsy had 546 in January, 1951. The best review of these cars appears on line in the Pennsy Keystone Modeler.

I recall also reading that they sometimes carried strawberries to the east coast from California. And, like ATSF express reefers, sometimes traveled west loaded with mail or catalogs. But my memory nowadays is 50-50.  They did make it into the long gone "Foreign cars" webpage. And I built one of the GHQ kits for my own Fast Mail (and a couple Hell's Gate B60b)- so I believe it.

I think that the responses to the question of "why doesn't a major N company do an R50b?" (I assume the "request" is for a plastic version) are polite ways of pointing out "because no manufacturer thinks they can recoup the costs of design, tooling, manufacture and marketing, and then make a profit." The R50b is a PRR specific car (although it did make the rounds of other roads in express trains), and is a unique design- sides, ends, roof, frame, even length, are different from anything else- so none of the tooling is useful for anything else- no dreadnought ends or pullman roofs that can be used on other models.

I was once told by a manufacturer (many years ago) that their break even on a new tooled injection molded model was 4000 units.  But they would rather make a model where they broke even at 4000, and sold another 20,000 after that.

[Cajonpassfan]

Thanks Tom! What I thought...
But if BLI can make an H32 covered hopper (I own exactly one, thinking it could have happened), why not the R50b that roamed the country....And since they are re-releasing the H32, they must have done all right with the first run, no?

Good to know my brass investment wasn't misdirected
Otto