Funaro & Camerlengo Custom PRR Project - Gauging Interest

[prr7161]

OK, poll is up!  Pick your top two!

I've included everything that got more than one specific nomination.  NX23 is split from the X23 as it could be a difficult kitbash with the typical F&C one piece body.  I've combined the G22 and G22b into one as the main difference is the trucks.  Most general service G22s got the end reinforcing rib on the G22b during their service lives, so it's the same gon body for all intents and purposes.

[prr7161]

Fleet data on these cars:

B60 Baggage - ~360 cars, built starting 1906
FM Flat - Built 1902-1913.  ~2,000 in service in 1945, dwindling sharply after 1950.  A few survived in revenue service to PC.  Also used in nonrevenue service, gray and yellow eras
GR Gon - ~13,000 built starting 1902, large retirements after WWII but none made it to PC as revenue cars.  Used in nonrevenue service.  Some converted to FGR 1942, which lasted to ~1955 in revenue service
GRa Gon - ~14,000 built starting 1907.  Numbers held up better than the GR due to their increased length, with large retirements starting in the early '50s.  A few revenue cars made it to PC.  Used in nonrevenue service.  FGRa conversions in 1942 as with GR
G22/22b Gon - 4,000 built 1915-16, followed by 2,150 G22a.  Drop bottoms eliminated and end stiffeners added c. 1930.  491 converted to G22b using 100-ton trucks for bulk container service.  Large retirements started in late '50's, about 300 revenue cars went to PC.  Used in nonrevenue service, mostly in yellow paint.
G27 Gon - 4,500 built 1936-39.  Most survived to the mid-'60s, ~350 went to PC.  Some had special load handling devices added for autoracks, coil covers, etc.
ND Cabin - ~1,000 built starting 1903.  Dominant class through the '20s, steadily replaced by all-steel cars through the '40s with only a handful left by the late '50s
NX23 Cabin - 75 boxcar conversions during WWII.  After the war they steadily thinned out with a handful still in service in the early '60s.  Used in work service.
N6b Cabin - ~1,000 cars on the roster by mid-40's.  Cars were converted / rebuilt from earlier wood cars.  Largest single cabin class from WWII through the early '60's.  Used in work service.
X23 Box - single sheathed 40' boxcar with unique side structure.  Cars were built with horizontal braces between verticals and diagonals, which were later removed on some cars and the sheathing reoriented.  ~5,000 in revenue service at the end of WWII.  Out of revenue service by early 50's, many used in work service, some as tool cars with windows added.
X29b Box - 4,500 X29 rebuilds beginning 1948.  ~2,500 made it to PC.  Some painted for Merchandise Service.  Roughly 1937 AAR dimensional standards.
X38 Box - 50' double door auto parts box.  ~2,300 built 1940-41.  First group had a lapped panel roof a la X29, remainder had a Stanray roof.  '60s conversions reduced numbers in addition to attrition, about 300 of the cars went to PC in their original configuration.

[Chris333]

Well based on that there were more than double the amount of GRa's then any other car on the list. Just sayin' 

[wcfn100]

If no F30, what about a G30?  Another car that fits several roadnames.

Jason

[daniel_leavitt2000]

These are way too early for me. I would love a N8 cabin.

[prr7161]

N8 and G30a are past my 1948 build cutoff, although nice projects if someone else wants to take the lead in the future.

Although its proportions are wrong, the G30 has at least a stand-in from Micro-trains.

The F30a didn't get an independent second nomination. Personally I think it's our best shot at a new mass-produced car of anything mentioned so far, so I'm inclined to let the poll play out before going back to it.  We'll see how this goes.

[thomasjmdavis]

If no F30, what about a G30?  Another car that fits several roadnames.

Jason

I've always been surprised that these cars have never been done in N, other than the MTL shortie. For that matter, there are only a couple of accurate models of any 1940s-50s 52-54' gondolas of any road.
If you made the G30 with a few options- like ends and brakewheels, it would make into an accurate model for several roads.

[reinhardtjh]

I voted for only two as asked but in reality I'd buy 3 or 4 or more of just about anything on that list.

[prr7161]

I voted for only two as asked but in reality I'd buy 3 or 4 or more of just about anything on that list.

Thanks!  Nothing is running away with it yet, so there may be support for a series of projects here if the production process for the first goes well.

[John]

I encourage you to run this poll on some of the other Nscale forums (If you haven't done so already) to get a broader perspective -- you could also contact the Nrail folks to see if they could help with the research .. especially if you are going to front the $$ .. we have had other members do special runs and ended up with inventory that didn't sell ..

[prr7161]

I encourage you to run this poll on some of the other Nscale forums (If you haven't done so already) to get a broader perspective -- you could also contact the Nrail folks to see if they could help with the research .. especially if you are going to front the $$ .. we have had other members do special runs and ended up with inventory that didn't sell ..

Thanks, John, and I'll be looking at other venues. The PRR N Scale Facebook group has been made aware as well.  As to your point on sales, the project won't move forward unless I have at least 150 firm reservations, and I would only cover the deposit at first, not the whole amount.  It's not a resale project in the usual sense of custom runs.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Thanks, John, and I'll be looking at other venues. The PRR N Scale Facebook group has been made aware as well.  As to your point on sales, the project won't move forward unless I have at least 150 firm reservations, and I would only cover the deposit at first, not the whole amount.  It's not a resale project in the usual sense of custom runs.

nscale.net and trainboard.com are the other two major N scale hang outs. Unfortunately, I don't have a horse in this race unless the equipment made it into the 1990's. I do think the ND would be neat. I have a soft spot for bobbers.

[muktown128]

I voted for the N6b and X23.  I could have voted for several other cars on the list.  Hopefully this project moves forward and leads to other products being offered. 

[nickelplate759]

One other thought, about quantity.   I voted for the X23 and X29b.   
But really, I'd probably only buy one X23 as opposed to three  X29b kits.
The X23 is very cool, but not nearly as common as the X29b in the era I'm modeling.

[ai5629]

One other thought, about quantity.   I voted for the X23 and X29b.   
But really, I'd probably only buy one X23 as opposed to three  X29b kits.
The X23 is very cool, but not nearly as common as the X29b in the era I'm modeling.

Another good 40’ boxcar for the 1948 era would be the X26C.  These would have been around into the 1960’s.